ALL non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Afghanistan which employ women will be shut down, the Taliban has warned.

The fundamentalist movement, which returned to power in 2021 after defeating the 20-year US-led occupation, originally instructed NGOs to stop employing women — allegedly because they were not enforcing headscarf-wearing in line with the Taliban’s repressive dress code for women — two years ago. On Sunday night, the Taliban threatened to take action against those which have not complied.

The Economy Ministry said NGOs continuing to employ women will have their licences to operate revoked, adding that women are no longer permitted to work in any institution not rundirectly by the Taliban.