The Taliban accept that women work with a charity, but they don’t in this moment

The Taliban agreed on the principle of allowing women to work for the Norwegian Refugee Council, but it will take time, the NGO head told AFP.

“Our employees will be able to work freely with their male colleagues in the whole country, “the head of the Norwegian Refugee Council, Jan Egeland, said Monday in Kabul after meeting with Taliban government ministers.

He explained that the ministers “agreed in principle “on the issue, but acknowledged that” things are progressing slowly and will take time “.

The Norwegian Refugee Council is one of the most active humanitarian organizations in Afghanistan. Women make up about one third of the board’s staff in Afghanistan.

The Norwegian Refugee Council distributes heating equipment in Afghanistan (archive)

The Norwegian Refugee Council distributes heating equipment in Afghanistan (archive)

According to Egeland, the NGO is trying to negotiate deals locally in seven of the 14 Afghan provinces in which operates, in so that women can resume their work.

The NRC, like other NGOs, must adapt to the capricious instructions of the Taliban regarding women’s work and their various terms of application.

In some places, women can work with men, in others are gender segregated, while in others are prohibited from working, depending on the mood of local Taliban officials.

The Taliban were known for their uncompromising rule from 1996 to 2001, when it prevented women from working or attending school. Since his return to power in mid-August, movement officials have tried to reassure the Afghan people and the international community, noting that they will be less tough than before.

But in public service, women have not yet returned to work. Middle and high schools remain closed to girls, although the Taliban said last week that they would be allowed to return to them “as soon as possible”.

Meanwhile, the Norwegian Refugee Council has decided not to reopen its schools where girls cannot yet study, and Egeland justified this, saying: “We cannot educate if we do not educate both girls and boys.”

The NGO runs hundreds of primary and secondary schools in Afghanistan. In recent years, the Taliban have allowed NGOs to educate girls in areas under their control.

During the meeting, Egeland also touched on the “collapse of the Afghan economy”, which is his most pressing problem.

President of the Norwegian Refugee Council Jan Egeland

President of the Norwegian Refugee Council Jan Egeland

The Afghan economy, already battered by 40 years of fighting, has been hit by the freezing of international aid and Afghan assets abroad.

The United Nations says 18 million people, more than half of the population, depend on humanitarian aid. Egeland expressed his fear that the situation could worsen as winter approaches. “It’s a race against time,” he said, warning that “people will die very soon.”

The international community has pledged $ 1.2 billion to help Afghanistan, according to the United Nations, without specifying the amount that will be allocated for emergency aid.

But Egeland noted that donors are “slow and.” in delay, hesitate and ask a million questions, even with life-saving basic aid, “as his organization struggles to pay for its staff and finance its programs.

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