UN Halts Cash Assistance to Afghan Returnees Amid Taliban’s Ban on Women Workers

UN Halts Cash Assistance to Afghan Returnees Amid Taliban’s Ban on Women Workers
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The UN refugee agency has suspended cash aid programs for Afghan returnees after the Taliban barred women from working with humanitarian organizations, further deepening the country’s humanitarian crisis, Shia Waves Persian revealed.

The UNHCR announced that its operations at cash distribution centers across Afghanistan have been put on hold. The agency explained that it cannot conduct interviews or collect vital data from returnees when 52 percent of them are women, given the absence of female staff.

The suspension comes as tens of thousands of Afghans are returning from neighboring countries, often with little support or resources. Humanitarian groups warn that the ban on women’s work not only violates human rights but also undermines the delivery of critical assistance in health, education, and relief services.

Analysts stress that this move highlights the broader consequences of the Taliban’s restrictive policies on women, which continue to isolate Afghanistan internationally and jeopardize aid programs essential for millions of vulnerable people.