UK: Taliban 'Trying to Erase Women' from Society in Afghanistan

The foreign minister accused the Taliban of "trying to erase women from society in Afghanistan" after imposing a ban on female NGO workers forced aid agencies to withdraw.

James Cleverly said everyone in Afghanistan would suffer as a result of this policy as he urged the regime to change its mind.

Humanitarian officials have warned that excluding women from NGO work will have dire consequences for the population by depriving them of life-saving assistance.

Some have already suspended work in Afghanistan as a result of the ban, which came days after the Afghan Taliban were banned from higher education.

The United Nations' top official in Kabul met a Taliban minister on Monday to discuss the ruling and its impact on humanitarian relief efforts.

"The Taliban are trying to erase women from society in Afghanistan," the foreign secretary said on Twitter:

"Banning women from working for NGOs will prevent millions of Afghans from accessing life-saving aid and supplies. This will impact everyone.

"The Taliban must urgently reverse this decision."

The widely condemned measure, the latest of many restrictions on women's rights under Taliban rule, was announced on Saturday by Qari Din Muhammed Hanif, the economy minister.

It was imposed because some female NGO employees in Afghanistan were allegedly incorrectly wearing the Islamic headscarf, or hijab.