Employment of Afghan women is estimated to have decreased by 16 per cent in the latter part of the year after the radical Islamist Taliban movement, an organization under UN sanctions over terrorist activities, swept to power, the International Labour Organization (ILO), a specialized UN agency, said in its assessment published on Wednesday.
"Women's employment decreased by an estimated 16 per cent in the third quarter of 2021, relative to a hypothetical scenario with no change in administration. In the absence of any substantial policy shift, female employment losses are expected to increase to 21 per cent by mid-2022," the document read, reported Sputnik.
According to the ILO, over 500,000 jobs were lost in the third quarter of 2021 and the number could reach more than 900,000 by mid-2022.
"The deepening economic crisis has been particularly devastating for critical sectors of the Afghan economy, including agriculture, public administration, social services and construction, with hundreds of thousands of workers losing their job or not receiving wages," the organization added.
In the middle of 2021, the Taliban led a major offensive in Afghanistan during the withdrawal of US troops from the country and took over in August. In September, the Taliban established an interim government, reported the news agency.
Since the Taliban takeover, Afghan women have been protesting in several cities in the country, demanding their rights be respected and representation in the government and local authorities.
( With inputs from ANI )
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