Save the Children said Sunday it was restarting some of its activities with female staff where “reliable assurances had been given for a full and safe return to work” for the women.
According to David Wright, Save the Children’s Chief Operating Officer: “Following the ban on female aid workers announced by the Ministry of Economy on 24 December 2022, Save the Children paused its activities.
Our female staff are essential for the safe and effective delivery of our services, and we simply cannot operate without them. Women make up 50% of our workforce and are crucial for reaching women and girls.
“While the majority of our programmes 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.
“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. The activities we’re working to restart will provide vital assistance, but these activities are only a small percentage of our full operations,” he said.
This comes after the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) ordered NGOs last month to suspend all female staff members. However, aid agencies have said they are not able to operate fully and reach the most vulnerable without female employees.—Ariana news
