By Rukhshana Media
The Taliban are not allowing female aid workers to carry out their work in at least 31 of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, worsening the humanitarian crisis in the country, Human Rights Watch said in a report released on Thursday.
“The Taliban’s severe restrictions on women aid workers are preventing desperately needed lifesaving aid from reaching Afghans, especially women, girls, and women-headed households,” Heather Barr, associate women’s rights director at Human Rights Watch, is quoted in the report.
The Taliban have agreed to allow female aid workers to work in three provinces and in “over half the country, women aid workers face severe restrictions, such as requirements for a male family member to escort them while they do their jobs, making it difficult or impossible for them to do their job effectively,” according to an agreement between the Taliban and the United Nations, seen by Human Rights Watch.
Since the Taliban returned to power in mid-August, the group has effectively banned women from work and secondary schools. Even though the Taliban claim this is a “temporary” measure and it will be lifted once the group creates a framework to allow women to return to school and work, it has not provided a timeline.
