UN aid chief seeking to reverse ban on Afghan women workers

By EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. humanitarian chief and leaders of two major international aid organizations are in Afghanistan following last week’s visit by a delegation led by the U.N.’s highest-ranking woman with the same aim. They want to reverse the Taliban’s crackdown on women and girls including its ban on Afghan women working for national and global humanitarian organizations. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths was in the Afghan capital Monday along with leaders of Save The Children US and Care International. Dujarric said the ban on Afghan women working for NGOs is “sowing fears that the already dire humanitarian situation in Afghanistan will get even worse.”