The Taliban orders domestic and foreign NGOs to ban female employees

The Taliban government in Afghanistan on Saturday ordered all domestic and foreign NGOs to suspend hiring women, to prevent female employees from coming to work, according to a letter from the Ministry of Economy, in the latest crackdown on women’s freedoms.

The letter, which was confirmed by Economy Ministry spokesman Abd al-Rahman Habib, said female employees were not allowed to work until further notice because some of them did not adhere to the department’s dress code for women.

The letter also stated that any NGO that did not comply with the order would have its operating license in Afghanistan revoked.

It was not immediately clear if the order applied to United Nations agencies that have a large presence in Afghanistan.

It comes days after the Taliban administration ordered universities to close in on women, drawing strong global condemnation and sparking some protests and harsh criticism inside Afghanistan.