Taliban Bans Female Government Employees in Kabul from Going to Work

Among 3,000 Kabul City Officials, 1,000 Are Women... Only Limited Roles Allowed Such as Cleaning Women's Restrooms
Taliban's Actions Suppress Women's Rights Including Abolishing Ministry of Women Affairs

[Asia Economy International Department Reporter] A ban on female government employees going to work has been imposed in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan.

On the 19th (local time), according to the British BBC broadcast, Kabul's new mayor Hamdullah Nomani said, "The Taliban thinks women need to stop working for the time being," and instructed female government employees in the city to stay at home.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Mayor Nomani stated that female government employees performing tasks that cannot be replaced by men are exceptions to this measure, explaining, "For example, there are women who work in women's restrooms where men cannot go." He added that female government employees must stay at home until the situation normalizes and that they will continue to receive their salaries.

It is known that about one-third of the 3,000 local government employees in Kabul are women.

After the Taliban took control of Afghanistan on the 15th of last month, they declared they would respect women, but in reality, they have taken actions suppressing women's rights. Last month, a Taliban spokesperson stated that Afghan working women should stay at home until an appropriate system ensuring their safety is established.

Additionally, the Taliban separated men and women in some universities for classes and allowed only male students to attend secondary schools. The Taliban abolished the previous government's Ministry of Women’s Affairs and revived the 'morality police' enforcing strict Sharia (Islamic law).

As a result, concerns have grown that the horrific situation of women being deprived of education and employment opportunities, as during the Taliban's first rule in the 1990s, may be repeated. Afghan women have continued protests demanding respect for human rights from the Taliban, and Taliban members violently suppressed female protesters using whips and sticks.