NGOs condemn Afghan de facto authorities’ ban on women NGO workers

Kabul, Afghanistan, 25 December 2022: Responding to the announcement of a ban on NGOs employing women in Afghanistan, the leaders of CARE, NRC and Save the Children said:

“We cannot effectively reach children, women and men in desperate need in Afghanistan without our female staff. Without women driving our response, we would not have jointly reached millions of Afghans in need since August 2021. Beyond the impact on delivery of lifesaving assistance, this will affect thousands of jobs in the midst of an enormous economic crisis.

“Whilst we gain clarity on this announcement, we are suspending our programmes, demanding that men and women can equally continue our lifesaving assistance in Afghanistan.”

Signed:

• Inger Ashing, CEO, Save the Children
• Jan Egeland, Secretary-General, Norwegian Refugee Council
• Sofia Sprechmann Sinerio, Secretary-General, CARE International

For further media enquiries, contact media@savethechildren.org.uk, +44 7831 650409