International charities are preparing to suspend operations in Afghanistan, where millions of people are facing starvation, if the United Nations’ World Food Program (WFP) complies with a Taliban edict banning the employment of women and restarts food deliveries only by men to men. Sources in the aid sector said that the WFP plans to resume distribution despite the Taliban restrictions, raising fears that Afghanistan’s new rulers can act with impunity to impose their harsh brand of government.
Sources in local and international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) told Foreign Policy that the WFP plans to comply with an order by the Taliban, issued last month, banning it and other NGOs from employing women—even though Taliban leaders have said the edict does not apply to U.N. agencies. The potential unilateral move has caused dismay and anger among charity representatives, who say it would force other charities to either comply with the Taliban ruling or suspend their operations in Afghanistan on principle. The U.N. does not deliver aid itself but funnels it through other NGOs as implementing partners.
