Foreign Minister Penny Wong says Taliban NGO ban of women will worsen Afghanistan’s crisis

Penny Wong has lashed out at the ‘appalling’ decision by Afghanistan‘s ruling Taliban to ban women from working in non-government agencies (NGO).

The ban by the religious fundamentalist group comes just days after the decision to deny university education to women in the war-torn Middle-Eastern nation.

Australia’s Foreign Minister called for the Taliban to reconsider the oppressive restrictions being forced upon women.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong (pictured) has condemned the ‘appalling’ decision by Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban to ban women from working in non-government agencies

Ms Wong called on the Taliban to reverse its decision which she said threatened to worsen a humanitarian crisis

‘Australia condemns the Taliban’s appalling decision to ban women from NGOs in Afghanistan,’ she said in a Tweet.

‘This decision seriously impacts the country’s ability to deal with a major humanitarian crisis. 

‘We support the UN which is leading discussions with the Taliban to annul this decision.’ 

Already NGOs, the main agencies that provide aid to Afghanistan, have announced they are suspending or scaling back operations because of the ban.

Care International, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and Save the Children all stated they could not continue ‘without our female staff’.

In a joint statement the groups said much needed would not have reached Afghans with their female staff.

Afghan women gather to protest the recent decision of the Taliban to ban female students from university

Australia’s Foreign Minister called for the Taliban to reconsider the oppressive restrictions being forced upon women (Afghan Taliban militants, pictured)

‘We are suspending our programs, demanding that men and women can equally continue our lifesaving assistance in Afghanistan,’ their statement said.

The UN said the ban was a ‘red line for the entire humanitarian community’ and were in talks to get it reversed.

If the ban stays in place the UN is threatening to end all humanitarian assistance to the country.  

Female Afghan NGO workers said the ban threatened the economic survival of their households.

Over half of Afghanistan’s population of 40 million people rely on humanitarian aid to survive

‘If I cannot go to my job, who can support my family?’ one told the BBC. 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned the ban would ‘disrupt vital and life-saving assistance to millions’.

Over half of Afghanistan’s nearly 40 million people depend on international aid to survive.

The ban on university education for women follows girls already being forced out of secondary schools. 

Funfairs and gyms have also been declared no-go areas for females.