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Kabul: The United Nations has told all Afghan staff not to report to work in Afghanistan for 48 hours for security reasons while it seeks additional information from the authorities about a ban on Afghan women working for the world body, UN sources told Reuters on Tuesday.
“We remind de facto authorities that United Nations entities cannot operate and deliver life-saving assistance without female staff,” UNAMA said in a statement.
In December, the ruling authority stopped most female NGO employees from working, which aid workers say has made it more difficult to reach female beneficiaries and could lead donors to hold back funding.
The restrictions did not initially apply to the United Nations and some other international organizations. The UN Deputy Secretary-General in January flagged concerns that Afghan women restricted on working at international organizations.
A scheduled UN briefing to update member states on the situation in Afghanistan in New York on Wednesday was postponed at the last minute without explanation.
Spokespeople for UNAMA and the UN humanitarian operations in Afghanistan did not comment on whether staff in rest of the country was affected.
