New Delhi: German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Sunday called for a strong international reaction to the Taliban’s ban on women’s higher education in Afghanistan.
The minister took to social media to condemn the Taliban’s decision of banning female students from attending universities and also added that it is unacceptable to see the violation of basic rights and humanitarian principles of the people living in the country, news agency ANI reported.
“We will not accept that the #Taliban make humanitarian aid a plaything for their misogyny. They rob half of the population of basic rights, violate humanitarian principles and endanger people’s vital needs,” German Foreign Minister Baerbock tweeted in German.
Wir werden nicht akzeptieren, dass die #Taliban die Humanitäre Hilfe zum Spielball ihrer Frauenverachtung machen. Sie rauben der Hälfte der Bevölkerung ein weiteres Grundrecht, brechen humanitäre Prinzipien und gefährden die lebenswichtige Versorgung der Menschen. 1/2
— Außenministerin Annalena Baerbock (@ABaerbock) December 25, 2022
Baerbock went on to say that the exclusion of women from work, education and public life is a step towards ruining the progress of the country.
“Those who exclude women and girls from work, education and public life not only ruin their country. Gender-based persecution can also be a crime against humanity. We are committed to a strong response from the international community,” Annalena Baerbock added.
Wer Frauen und Mädchen von Arbeit, Bildung und öffentlichem Leben ausschließt, ruiniert nicht nur sein Land. Geschlechtsbezogene Verfolgung kann auch ein Verbrechen gegen die Menschlichkeit sein. Wir setzen uns für eine deutliche Reaktion der internationalen Gemeinschaft ein. 2/2
— Außenministerin Annalena Baerbock (@ABaerbock) December 25, 2022
The Taliban on Saturday ordered all local and foreign non-governmental organisations to stop female employees from coming to work in the country. The Taliban-led Ministry of Economy (MOE) ordered all national and international NGOs to suspend the jobs of female employees until further notice, ANI reported citing TOLOnews.
The announcement came just days after the Taliban banned female students from attending universities.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern about the ban imposed by the Taliban on women from working for national and international NGOs.
“The Secretary-General is deeply disturbed by the reported order of the de facto Taliban authorities banning women from working for national and international non-governmental organizations,” said Secretary-General Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric in a statement.
“This decision will undermine the work of numerous organizations working across the country helping those most vulnerable, especially women and girls,” he added.
According to ANI, the United Nations and its partners, including national and international NGOs, are helping more than 28 million Afghans who depend on humanitarian aid to survive.
