KABUL: The Taliban’s Ministry of Finance has halted monthly payments to female employees who were barred from working and instructed to remain at home.
According to Afghanistan International, a television and digital news organization, quoting sources within the Taliban Ministry of Finance, women who had been receiving a monthly stipend of 5,000 afghanis will now be permanently dismissed, with their positions reassigned to male members of their families.
Several affected employees told Afghanistan International that the payments continued for months after the employment ban but have now been abruptly discontinued.
The women criticised the decision, warning that the move would push many female-headed households into severe financial hardship, particularly at a time of widespread unemployment and rising living costs.
According to sources, the measure is part of a broader restructuring plan aimed at eliminating roles previously allocated to women within the ministry and replacing them with male staff.
The Taliban’s Ministry of Finance has not issued an official statement on the reported decision. However, last year the ministry confirmed it was providing a monthly stipend of 5,000 afghanis to some female employees who were prevented from working following restrictions on women’s employment.
The latest development adds to growing concerns among rights groups and international observers over the continued exclusion of women from public life and the workforce in Afghanistan.
