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The International Rescue Committee (IRC), Save the Children and CARE
said this week they were again operating some programmes, mostly in
health and nutrition.
The Taliban administration last month ordered local and foreign aid
organisations to stop letting female staff work until further
notice. It said the move, condemned globally, was justified because
some women had not adhered to the Taliban's interpretation of
Islamic dress code.
Many NGOs suspended operations in response, saying they needed
female workers to reach women in the conservative country.
"Last week, the Ministry of Public Health offered assurances that
female health staff, and those working in office support roles, can
resume working. Based on this clarity, IRC has restarted health and
nutrition services through our static and mobile health teams in
four provinces," Nancy Dent, a spokesperson for IRC, said.
A spokesperson the Afghan Ministry of Public Health told Reuters
that they had not stopped any health-related activities.
"Due to a misunderstanding they stopped their health services and
now they have restarted their health services," he told Reuters.
Save the Children said it had restarted a small number of its
operations in health, nutrition and some of its education programs
where it had received clear guidance from authorities that female
workers could safely operate, but cautioned they were limited.
"The activities we're working to restart will provide vital
assistance, but these activities are only the tip of the iceberg of
what's required," said Samantha Halyk, a spokesperson for Save the
Children.
(Reporting by Charlotte Greenfield; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
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