The ban on women NGO workers in Afghanistan has had devastating effects and these will only worsen in the coming months, as affected people face a bitter winter, food shortages and unemployment.
Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief and Development (ACBAR), which represents 183 NGOs, has warned that that ban will have a direct humanitarian impact on 11 million women and children.
NEAR spoke to women NGO workers affected by the ban about how this will affect not just their work, but also their lives.
· We have omitted any identifying details for security purposes.
A protest in support of Afghan women
Woman A:
“I work for a women led, volunteer-based organisation with more than 100 women focusing on community mobilisation, hygiene awareness, mental health and psychosocial support, as well as disaster risk reduction.
Since the new regime took power, life for women changed 180 degrees: we can’t study, can’t work, can’t go to gym, can’t go to the park… almost everything is banned for women. Life is getting worse, because most families in Afghanistan are women headed households and they were the sole breadwinners. The women banned from working now are begging.
The overall humanitarian situation is worse than before as most of the emergency response programs in which 60% beneficiaries were women have been suspended.
Most of the female NGO workers were the only breadwinner for their families and now they are at home. Almost all programs that the worst affected families were providing with assistance have been suspended and people are dying from hunger.
Mentally and physically I’m not in a condition to talk to my children or to cook something. We just lost our last hope which was our work for our family and for the people, and there is no way to run away. I sometimes think that it is better we die instead living this life full of torture.”
A protest after women were banned from education in Afghanistan.
Woman B:
“Our organisation is a not-for-profit woman led organisation, assisting the most vulnerable people in the society - women and children. We currently have operations in the five provinces of Afghanistan, serving more than 50 000 vulnerable people.
Since the change in regime many limitations have been occurred in lives of women. They do not have access to the most basic rights as human beings. They don’t have access to education. They can’t work. They can’t even travel, which causes major economic and social problems.
Women who are the head of their families are now not allowed to work, and they have no way to support their families. Most female students and workers want to leave the country as they have lost their hope in Afghanistan.
This ban on women working in NGOs will result in the limitation of humanitarian assistance and will directly affect the lives of people in need of emergency assistance.
This ban will severely limit our ability to assist affected people, especially women who are most affected as there will be no female staff to render services. This will cause the suspension of most projects and life for affected people will become harder.
I will continue to play my part in this struggle for the rights of women, although it affects us psychologically. But as an active member of society, it is my responsibility to struggle to win our rights. Soon we will see a change.”