New Taliban Order on Women Employment in NGOs
The Taliban government has declared that all national and foreign NGOs in Afghanistan must stop employing women or face being shut down. This decision follows a previous instruction to suspend female employment due to the alleged improper wearing of the Islamic headscarf. NGOs that fail to comply with this order will lose their licenses to operate in Afghanistan, as per a warning issued by the Ministry of Economy on Sunday.

Impact on Humanitarian and NGO Activities
This move marks the Taliban's continued interference with NGO operations in Afghanistan. The United Nations has already reported an increasing number of female humanitarian workers being prevented from performing their duties. While the Taliban denies obstructing humanitarian aid efforts, reports from humanitarian organizations indicate that both male and female staff have been stopped by the Taliban's morality police, impacting relief efforts.

Further Restrictions on Women's Rights
Along with the NGO ban, the Taliban has imposed other severe restrictions on women’s rights, including banning them from many jobs, public spaces, and higher education. Additionally, a new decree from Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada mandates that buildings must not have windows overlooking areas where women might be present, with property owners required to obscure such views. The decree applies to both new and existing buildings and is part of the broader pattern of restrictions under the Taliban regime.