Monitoring Desk
KABUL: At least three leading international aid groups have partially resumed life-saving operations in Afghanistan after assurances from the Taliban authorities allowing Afghan women to continue to work in the health sector.
Hundreds of NGOs have been instrumental in addressing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises in Afghanistan, with half of the country’s 38 million population hungry and 3 million children at risk of malnutrition.
International Rescue Committee (IRC), CARE, and Save the Children suspended operations in late December, protesting a government order banning Afghan women from working for foreign aid agencies.
Save the Children resumes health work
“We have received clear, reliable assurances from Taliban authorities that our female employees will be safe and can continue work without obstruction,” Save the Children said in a statement. The aid group confirmed that it had resumed work in the health sector in the last few days.
“However, with the overarching ban still in place, our other activities where we do not have reliable assurances that our female staff can work remain on hold.”
The IRC and CARE also confirmed they had resumed work with female staff in the health sector.
