“We will have to sell one of the children to save the lives of the others” |
In order to feed her seven children, 35-year-old Zahra focused on ghee, rice and flour, which came with humanitarian aid from local and foreign organizations. He is one of the millions of Afghans receiving aid amid a worsening humanitarian and economic crisis.
However, recently foreign humanitarian organizations, including food distribution, medical services and education institutions working in the fields had to stop their activities in Afghanistan. This decision on December 24 Taliban all local and foreign NGOto the afghan issued after banning the employment of women. NGOthousands of employees afghan they said that the woman played an important role in the distribution of aid to vulnerable communities.
“After God, we placed our hope in these aid organizations. We have no food left”– living in the remote Ghor province, located in the central part of Afghanistan Zahra He told the Radio Azadi service of Azadlig Radio.
According to Zahra, her family will have to resort to the last resort to survive until help arrives: “We will have to sell one of the children to save the lives of the others.”
UNAccording to estimates, more than 28 million Afghans, in other words, 70% of the country’s population, need humanitarian assistance. More than 6 million people are “one step away from hunger”.
In the absence of government support and a normally functioning economy, humanitarian aid is available to the majority of the country’s residents weather– has become necessary like water.
The Taliban’s seizure of power in the country in 2021 led to the deepening of the economic collapse and severe humanitarian crisis. Western donors abruptly cut aid and the Taliban government was hit by international sanctions. However, some aid organizations funded by international donors continued their activities in the country.
Afghan researcher Orzala Ashraf Nemet says that the women of the Taliban NGOThe ban on working in the . According to him, a lot food safety programs women execution does. Because only they can deliver help to other women and children who are the most vulnerable sections of the society.
UNsurvey conducted byflour according to the results, only 15% of 151 local and foreign NGOs working in Afghanistan said that they could continue their full activity without female employees. Many organizations have banned the Taliban cancellation called to do.
Nemat says that given the Afghans’ dependence on foreign aid, communities are likely to pressure the Taliban to lift the ban.
On January 5, tribal leaders in Khost province, located in the south-east of the country, called on the Taliban to change their decision. The Taliban’s health minister has already banned female medical workers free did.
Veteran aid worker Anders Fenge (Anders Fänge) Taliban in power 1996 – 20Between 2001 and 2001, he headed the Swedish Afghanistan Committee, one of the most important humanitarian projects in the country. She says the Taliban’s ban on women working in NGOs could drive Western donors out of the country.
“If we also take into account the sanctions against the Taliban, this means that there is a risk that humanitarian operations will almost completely stop,” – he says.
UN and the West has imposed sanctions on many Taliban leaders. No country recognizes Taliban rule.
The German government is already planning to stop financial aid to Afghanistan. Other countries are expected to follow suit. For Afghans, this is tantamount to disaster.
Living in Kandahar Lima An Afghan woman lost her job at an aid organization after being banned by the Taliban.
The woman, who is the sole breadwinner of her family of 15, says that this order of the Taliban is pushing female-headed families into starvation.
“Taliban alone to get rid of all Afghan women way is to kill them all at once.” – says Lima, speaking on condition of anonymity.