The Danish Refugee Council is temporarily halting all activities, with the exception of crucial and lifesaving ones, while talks with representatives of the IEA are ongoing in response to the Taliban’s proclamation on December 24th prohibiting NGOs from employing women in Afghanistan, according to a DRC press release.
The activities have been suspended in recognition of the crucial role Afghan women play in providing relief to the Afghan people.
The Danish Refugee Council urges the humanitarian community to stick together under the banner of a principled humanitarian response and to support Afghan women’s rights to work with NGOs and to receive the lifesaving aid and essential services offered by NGOs without fear of discrimination.
The Danish Refugee Council further urges the IEA and the humanitarian sector to engage in frank discussion in order to find solutions that would permit the crucial delivery of humanitarian aid in Afghanistan to continue.
In 2023, a record 28.3 million people are predicted to require humanitarian and protective aid, up from 18.4 million in 2021 and 24.4 million in 2022.
In Afghanistan, 21% of those in need are women, while 54% are kids. Since they are frequently the ones most impacted by the present crisis, women working in the humanitarian field are essential if they are to effectively reach women and children.
By forbidding women from working for NGOs, 21 million women and children would lose access to critical humanitarian aid.
