EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Sunday strongly condemned an order by the Taliban-led Afghan administration to ban women from working in all local and foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs), saying it amounted to erasing women from public spaces.
Kabul said the move, which has been condemned worldwide, was justified because some women did not follow the Taliban’s interpretation of the Islamic dress code for women. Borrell said he was appalled by the latest decision, which follows last week’s ban on women entering the university and the crackdown on peaceful protests by women against the move.
He called on the Taliban to immediately reverse its decision, as part of its obligation to uphold international humanitarian law and humanitarian principles. “Together with other aid providers to the Afghan people, the EU will need to consider the implications of this decision and the Taliban’s recent decision to close universities for women on their involvement in our countries and organisations,” Borrell said. he said in a statement.
