UN suspends some Afghanistan ops over Taliban ban on women aid workers

After the Taliban banned women from working in humanitarian non-governmental organisations, the United Nations (UN) has suspended some “time-critical” programs in Afghanistan. UN has also warned that many other activities would also be paused because of the Taliban's ban on women's aid workers, as per a press statement by the World Health Organisation. This will affect the most vulnerable communities in the country, especially women and children. 

Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, the situation in Afghanistan has been escalating day by day. They have banned women from ministerial jobs to higher education and have now targeted women working in NGOs.

The effects of this latest ban by the Taliban have repercussions where Afghan women have come to the streets to protest against the Taliban diktat. Afghan Peace Watch has also posted a video on Twitter where women can be seen protesting. 

Why UN operations in Afghanistan have been suspended? 

UN has decided to suspend some of the aid programs and also justified its decision in its latest press release about how women have been the "key to every aspect of the humanitarian response in Afghanistan". 

"They are teachers, nutrition experts, team leaders, community health workers, vaccinators, nurses, doctors, and heads of organizations. They have access to populations that their male colleagues cannot reach and are critical to safeguarding the communities we serve. They save lives. Their professional expertise is indispensable. Their participation in aid delivery is not negotiable and must continue," read the press statement released by the World Health Organisation. 

Further, in the statement, the decision to ban women from humanitarian work has been categorised as life-threatening and stated that some of the "time-critical programs have had to stop temporarily due to a lack of female staff". Currently, more than 28 million people in Afghanistan, including millions of women and children, have been struggling to survive as the country grapples with the risk of famine conditions, economic decline, entrenched poverty, and a brutal winter.

UN operations would remain resolute in their commitment to delivering independent, principled, lifesaving assistance to all the women, men, and children who need it. And side by side, they have urged the Taliban to reconsider and revoke this directive, and all directives banning women from schools, universities, and public life, read the press statement.