A statement issued by Spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said that Secretary-General António Guterres was “deeply disturbed by the reported order of the de facto Taliban authorities" and that the UN chief “reiterates the rights of all women to participate in the workforce thus contributing to the greater good.” 

According to media reports, the Taliban ordered all foreign and domestic non-governmental groups (NGOs) in Afghanistan to suspend employing women after reportedly receiving “serious complaints” about their dress code.

Reports of this latest restriction come less than a week after the Taliban authorities banned women from attending universities, prompting strong condemnation from the UN and sparking reported protests in some parts of Afghanistan.

The statement issued on Saturday by the UN Spokesman went on to note that the United Nations and its partners, including national and international NGOs, are helping more than 28 million Afghans who depend on humanitarian aid to survive.

“The effective delivery of humanitarian assistance requires full, safe and unhindered access for all aid workers, including women. The reported ban on women working with the international community to save lives and livelihoods in Afghanistan will cause further untold hardship on the people of Afghanistan,” the statement concluded.