Taliban Halt Salaries for Female Government Employees in Afghanistan

The Taliban have stopped paying salaries to female government employees who had been ordered to stay home while remaining formally employed, effectively removing them from the state payroll, a move reported by Amu TV. Sources said the decision marks a further tightening of restrictions on women since the group’s return to power.

According to sources within the Taliban-run finance ministry, women were initially told after August 2021 to stop regular work but were allowed limited office visits and promised continued pay. The ministry has now informed them that salaries will no longer be issued, apart from payment for the solar month of Jadi, corresponding to December.

After taking control, the Taliban barred most women from government offices but initially retained them on reduced wages, paying thousands of women a modest monthly salary. Many of those affected worked across ministries and state institutions, including in senior, technical, and professional positions, and were often primary income earners for their families.

Several women said the decision amounts to dismissal and will have immediate economic consequences. Taliban authorities have not publicly commented. The move comes amid broader restrictions on women’s employment and education, policies that have drawn repeated criticism and condemnation from the international community.