Afghanistan Times
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KABUL – The Taliban has announced the closure of all non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Afghanistan that employ women, intensifying its restrictions on women’s participation in public life. Organizations found violating this directive will have their operational licenses revoked, according to the Economy Ministry’s latest warning.
This policy follows the Taliban’s 2021 return to power after defeating a 20-year US-led occupation. The ban initially targeted NGOs failing to enforce strict dress codes, such as mandatory headscarves for women. On Sunday night, the Taliban reiterated its stance, threatening action against non-compliant organizations. The Economy Ministry emphasized that women are now barred from working in any institution not directly controlled by the Taliban. Aid agencies and other NGOs have reported escalating harassment of their staff by the Taliban’s morality police.
Since the Taliban’s takeover, Afghan women’s rights have been systematically dismantled. Bans on secondary and higher education for women have been followed by increasingly restrictive measures on their right to work. Recently, women have even been prohibited from training as midwives, a move likely to exacerbate Afghanistan’s already high maternal mortality rate. Male medics are not permitted to treat female patients, making midwives essential for women’s healthcare.
The Ministry of Vice and Virtue has further decreed that women may leave their homes only for “essential” purposes and must be accompanied by a male chaperone for journeys exceeding 46 miles. Women are also banned from gyms, parks, singing, and public prayer to prevent their voices from “tempting” men. Adding to these measures, a recent decree mandates that buildings should obscure any windows overlooking areas where women might be visible, such as yards or kitchens. Property owners are required to install walls, fences, or screens to “remove harm.” Local governments have been tasked with enforcing this rule.
These escalating restrictions reflect the Taliban’s intensifying crackdown on women’s freedoms, sparking widespread condemnation from human rights organizations and international bodies.
