Swiss NGO in Afghanistan says ban on women is red line
Afghan schoolgirls pose in a classroom in Kabul on December 22. The country's Taliban rulers have ordered women to stop attending private and public universities until further notice. They have banned girls from middle school and high school, barred women from most fields of employment and ordered them to wear head-to-toe clothing in public. Women are also banned from parks and gyms.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Swiss aid organisation Afghanistanhilfe is still in Afghanistan, despite the Taliban’s ban on women working in NGOs. But a withdrawal is possible if the ban is applied, says its president.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/ts
Português
pt
ONG suíça no Afeganistão diz que proibição das mulheres é linha vermelha
“Without women on the front line – for example midwives, educators, nurses – we can’t provide help for girls and women,” Michael Kunz, who heads the largest Swiss humanitarian organisation in Afghanistan, said in an interviewExternal link with the Schaffhauser Nachrichten on Wednesday.
“In fact, the health system wouldn’t work without women,” he said. “The question is whether the Taliban are prepared to accept this collapse.”
However, if AfghanistanhilfeExternal link were to withdraw from Afghanistan, Kunz imagined the organisation could still maintain emergency hospitals there.
Kunz also criticised the Swiss authorities. “We have submitted several applications for humanitarian visas for our employees, who have since taken refuge in Iran, but in vain.” The obstacles are very high, he says. “Even photographs of torture and search orders from the Taliban are not enough for the Swiss authorities.”
More
More
Foreign Affairs
Swiss call on Taliban to reconsider ban on women to work for NGOs
This content was published on
The Swiss foreign ministry has expressed dismay over a decision by Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers to ban women from working with NGOs.
Several NGOs, including Save the Children, the Norwegian Refugee Council and CARE International, have announced that they are suspending their activities in Afghanistan after the Taliban banned women from working in humanitarian aid.
On Saturday the Afghan economics ministry ordered all NGOs to stop working with women or face suspension of their operating licences. It said it took the decision after receiving “serious complaints” about the failure to comply with the “Islamic hijab” imposed in the country.
The Taliban returned to power in August 2021 and less than a week ago banned women from public and private universities on the same grounds. Women were already excluded from secondary schools.
More
More
Foreign Affairs
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.
12,000 fish to be transferred by helicopter in Swiss river cleanup operation
This content was published on
Some 12,000 fish are being removed from the River Spöl in the Swiss National Park. This operation is necessary before cleaning up the riverbed, which was contaminated by PCBs during maintenance work in 2016.
Swiss parliament approves due diligence for high-risk consultancy activities
This content was published on
On Thursday, the House of Representatives accepted the draft of the Senate, which was largely watered down compared to the government's original proposal.
Zurich Film Festival will show 114 films and honour Russell Crowe
This content was published on
The 21st Zurich Film Festival (ZFF) will screen 114 films, including 16 Swiss productions and 41 European or world premieres, from 25 September to 5 October. Actor Russell Crowe will receive an honorary lifetime achievement award.
Emergency financial aid authorised for Swiss village buried by landslide
This content was published on
The Valais Grand Council gives the green light for a solidarity contribution of CHF 10 million for the village of Blatten, which was destroyed by the landslide. The aid is to benefit the population, companies and associations.
New attempt to regulate assisted suicide in Switzerland fails
This content was published on
Assisted suicide will not be regulated in Switzerland. On Thursday, the Senate rejected a motion from its Legal Affairs Committee.
Risk of sepsis is underestimated in Switzerland, warn experts
This content was published on
In Switzerland, over 20,000 people are hospitalised with sepsis every year. Around 4,000 die as a result, as a new report from the Swiss Sepsis Programme shows.
Swiss SME sentiment remains stable despite steep US tariffs
This content was published on
Despite the high US tariffs, the mood among Swiss SMEs has hardly deteriorated. However, two thirds of export-oriented companies have now adjusted their export strategy, with one in ten even questioning it as a whole.
This content was published on
Managers of a foundation set up to manage $3.5 billion in frozen Afghanistan central bank funds are meeting for the first time in Geneva.
Afghan women footballers in exile fight to keep their sports dreams alive
This content was published on
Armisa and Sahar, who now live in Switzerland, share their hopes and fears for fellow athletes trapped under the Taliban's harsh rule.
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.