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Penny Wong blasted the ‘appalling’ decision by Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban to prohibit women from working for non-governmental organizations (NGO).
The religious conservative group’s prohibition comes only days after the decision to deny women university education in the war-torn Middle Eastern nation.
The Foreign Minister of Australia demanded that the Taliban reexamine the onerous restrictions imposed on women.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong (pictured) slammed the ‘appalling’ decision by Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban to prohibit women from working for non-government organizations.
Ms. Wong urged the Taliban to rescind a decision that, according to her, threatened to exacerbate a humanitarian situation.
She tweeted, “Australia condemns the Taliban’s deplorable decision to bar women from NGOs in Afghanistan.”
This decision has a significant impact on the nation’s capacity to respond to a severe humanitarian crisis.
We support the United Nations while it negotiates with the Taliban to overturn this judgment.
Already, NGOs, the primary providers of help to Afghanistan, have said they will cease or reduce activities in response to the embargo.
Care International, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), and Save the Children all declared that they could not continue “without our female employees.”
In a joint statement, the organizations stated that without their female personnel, vital aid would not have reached Afghans.
Afghan women assemble to protest the Taliban’s recent decision to restrict female university students.
The Foreign Minister of Australia urged the Taliban to review the onerous restrictions imposed on women (Afghan Taliban militants, pictured)
Their statement read, “We are stopping our projects and insisting that men and women have equal access to our vital help in Afghanistan.”
The United Nations stated that the prohibition constituted a’red line for the whole humanitarian community’ and was in negotiations to have it overturned.
The UN has threatened to stop all humanitarian assistance to the country if the restriction remains in place.
The prohibition, according to female Afghan NGOs employees, threatens the economic existence of their families.
Over 50 percent of Afghanistan’s 40 million people depend on humanitarian help to survive.
Who would sustain my family if I am unable to work?’ one told the BBC.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the prohibition would “interrupt life-saving assistance to millions.”
Over fifty percent of Afghanistan’s nearly 40 million inhabitants rely on international aid for survival.
The prohibition on university study for women follows the expulsion of girls from secondary schools.
Additionally, amusement parks and gymnasiums have been deemed off-limits to women
»Penny Wong thinks Taliban NGO ban will deepen Afghanistan’s situation«