Swiss call on Taliban to reconsider ban on women to work for NGOs
There are more than 28 million people in Afghanistan who depend on humanitarian aid to survive according to the UN.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
The Swiss foreign ministry has expressed dismay over a decision by Afghanistan's Taliban rulers to ban women from working with non-governmental organisations.
This content was published on
1 minute
AP/SWI/ug
Español
es
Suiza pide a los talibanes reconsiderar la prohibición de que las mujeres trabajen para las ONG
“Switzerland is shocked to learn about plans of the Taliban to ban female staff of international/national non-government organizations from working in Afghanistan. We are assessing the consequences for humanitarian efforts and urge the Taliban to reconsider this decision,” Heinrich Schellenberg, head of the Asia-Pacific division in the Swiss foreign ministry said on Saturday.
The statement comes as the United Nations secretary-general, António Guterres, said he was deeply disturbed by reports of the ban.
The United States warned that the NGO ban will disrupt vital assistance to millions in Afghanistan.
The Swiss-based International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said more than 3,000 of its staff in Afghanistan are women who will be affected by the Taliban decision.
Three major international aid groups, the Geneva-based humanitarian agency, CARE, as well as the Save the Children from Britain and the Norwegian Refugee Council said they could not reach children, women and men in desperate need in Afghanistan without women in their workforce.
Earlier this week, the fundamentalist regime banned women from universities in Afghanistan prompting international condemnation.
The Taliban returned to power in August 2021 following the withdrawal of US troops.
More
More
Switzerland condemns Taliban decision to ban women from universities
This content was published on
Switzerland has condemned the Taliban’s decision to ban women from universities in Afghanistan.
Should raw milk sales be banned or should consumers decide?
Swiss food regulations do not allow raw milk to be sold for direct consumption. However, a loophole allows 400 raw milk vending machines to do just that.
Argentina’s Milei to visit Switzerland in January 2025
This content was published on
Argentina's libertarian President Javier Milei plans to visit Switzerland on January 24, 2025 to attend an event organised by the Liberal Institute in Zurich.
This content was published on
OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, says it intends to open an office in Zurich. The move is part of its European expansion plan, after setting up offices in London, Paris, Brussels and Dublin.
This content was published on
The Swiss economy is growing slightly faster than expected, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
This content was published on
The House of Representatives on Wednesday cut the foreign aid budget by CHF250 million ($282 million) in favour of the army.
Parliament confirms 13th pension payment to be paid once a year in December
This content was published on
The 13th old-age pension payment will be paid out as planned from December 2026, the Swiss Senate confirmed on Wednesday.
This content was published on
Around 1,000 Swiss farmers took part in a protest action near Bern on Tuesday, calling for less administrative work, more planning security and fairer prices.
UN appeals for more funds to assist 305 million people in need
This content was published on
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that around 305 million people will need aid in 2025.
Swiss authorities release right-to-die activist in Sarco ‘suicide capsule’ case
This content was published on
A right-to-die activist has been released from police custody over the reported first use of the Sarco “suicide capsule”, after prosecutors ruled out the possibility of an intentional homicide.
Switzerland demands immediate halt to hostilities in Syria
This content was published on
The Swiss foreign ministry has called for an immediate end to hostilities in Syria. International humanitarian law must be respected, it declared via the social media platform X on Tuesday.
Poll: right-wing Swiss People’s Party enjoys growing support among population
This content was published on
If national elections had been held in Switzerland last month, the right-wing Swiss People's Party would have won, and increased its share of votes by 2% compared to the 2023 federal elections.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
How to bring aid to Afghanistan
This content was published on
Can Switzerland and other donor countries build a “relationship of trust” with the Taliban to avert an economic – and humanitarian – catastrophe?
How a portion of Afghanistan’s foreign reserves ended up in Geneva
This content was published on
A look at the unique set of circumstances that led to the creation of a foundation that will manage $3.5 billion belonging to the Afghan people.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.