International Rescue Committee stops work in Afghanistan after ban on female NGO workers

International Rescue Committee (IRC), a New York-based human rights organization working in Afghanistan, has decided to pull out from the country after the Taliban's decision to ban female NGO workers last month.

In a statement, the IRC said the Taliban's recent ban on female NGO workers in Afghanistan comes at a dangerous moment as winter conditions set in on a population already devastated by decades of conflict and an unprecedented economic collapse.

"Without female staff at all levels and across all sectors, we cannot deliver principled, needs-based aid and programs at scale for those hit hardest by this crisis. The challenges hold true for every sector of the humanitarian response, not only for programs related to protection, gender-based violence and women's empowerment," IRC said in a statement on January 5.

Last month, the Taliban ordered all national and international non-government organizations to suspend the jobs of female employees, a move that was widely criticized by the international community. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is planning to hold a closed-door meeting next week to discuss the Taliban's decision to ban women from working in NGOs in Afghanistan, TOLOnews reported.

Japan and the United Arab Emirates have requested a closed-door meeting of the United Nations Security Council on January 13 to discuss decisions announced by the Taliban, Shahad Matar, a spokesperson for the UAE permanent mission to the UN announced in a statement on Twitter.

After announcing its decision to halt its operation, the New York-based group said the role of women in the humanitarian sector in Afghanistan, and in all contexts is an operational necessity. "IRC's ability to reach those most in need and deliver in the hardest-to-reach areas is intrinsically linked to our staff. 82 per cent of female-headed households in Afghanistan are food insecure--32 percentage points more than male-headed households," the statement added.

As IRC's ability to reach all Afghans in need relies on female staff, the group has paused programs in Afghanistan.

"IRC is committed and eager to restart programs once the status quo ante is restored. In the interim, to avoid undue suffering and loss of life, IRC is proactively seeking permission from the de facto authorities and IRC staff will get back to work, in a phased, sector-by-sector manner if necessary, as approvals for female aid workers are granted and their safety is assured," the group said.

IRC also urged the UN to engage the de facto authorities in a practical and coordinated manner to secure a path towards the status quo ante in which female aid workers can safely and effectively work, and all Afghans can access the lifesaving humanitarian assistance they desperately need and to which they are entitled.

( With inputs from ANI )

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