Following the ban on Afghan female aid workers, Save the Children restarts some of its activities where reliable assurances had been given for a full and safe return to work for its female staff.
Recently, leading aid groups warned that the ban on female aid workers has the potential to harm the lives of women and children alike.
“While the majority of our programs remain on hold, we are restarting some activities – such as health, nutrition and some education services – where we have received clear, reliable assurances from relevant authorities that our female staff will be safe and can work without obstruction,” said David Wright, Save the Children CEO.
Wright highlighted that their female staff make up 50% of their workforce and are essential and crucial for reaching women and girls.
“However, with the overarching ban still in place, our other activities where we do not have reliable assurances that our female colleagues can return to work, remain on hold.”
Related: Leading aid groups warn that the ban on female aid workers in Afghanistan will cost lives
“The ban on female NGO workers – on top of the existing humanitarian crisis – will drive up the needs of children and have a huge ripple effect,” he added.
Save the Children has been working in Afghanistan since the 1970s and are committed to returning to the organisation’s normal level of operations.
“We’re committed to returning to our normal level of operations as soon as we can, and we call on the Taliban to completely reverse the ban to allow Save the Children and other NGOs to fully resume activities with our male and female staff,” added Wright.
Organisations like Save the Children have been essential in helping Afghan children and their families survive for many years, especially over the past 18 months as an economic downturn and natural disasters have plunged the country into a catastrophic crisis.
More than 28 million children and adults will need humanitarian support in 2023.