KABUL: The United Nations said Thursday that it has suspended its assistance to Afghans returning from neighboring countries after the Taliban government prevented women staff members from working.
“On 9 September, in light of instructions from the de facto authorities preventing Afghan female staff from working, UNHCR was compelled to halt activities at its encashment centers across Afghanistan,” the UN’s refugee agency said.
It explained that these are places where Afghans returning from Pakistan and Iran receive money and other support.
The UN said in a separate statement that its women employees had been prevented from accessing their workplaces in several locations across the country this week.
“Security forces are visibly present at the entrances of UN premises in Kabul, Herat, and Mazar-i-Sharif to enforce the restriction. This is particularly concerning in view of continuing restrictions on the rights of Afghan women and girls,” the statement said.
The Taliban authorities have been back in power for four years in Afghanistan after ousting a US-backed government, and have drawn international criticism for their human rights record, particularly the treatment of women.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in July for two senior Taliban leaders, accusing them of crimes against humanity over the persecution of women and girls, who are banned from most education and work.
Women and girls are also barred from parks and gyms, and from traveling without a male guardian.
The UN said it was ending its support for returnees due to operational concerns. For cultural reasons it needs female employees to interview the many women returning from neighboring countries.
The organization said it is holding discussions with the Taliban government in hopes of getting its female staff back to work.
Pakistan has hosted Afghans fleeing violence for more than four decades, from the Soviet invasion to the 2021 Taliban takeover.
However Pakistan’s government, citing an uptick in violent attacks and insurgent campaigns, launched a crackdown in 2023 to evict them, painting the population as “terrorists and criminals.”
More than 2.1 million Afghans have returned from Pakistan and Iran so far this year, according to the United Nations refugee agency.
They join earlier rounds of mass expulsions from the neighboring countries, deported or driven out by fear of arrest.
UN halts Afghan returnee aid over curbs on women staff
https://arab.news/7mn2n
UN halts Afghan returnee aid over curbs on women staff
- “UNHCR was compelled to halt activities at its encashment centers across Afghanistan,” the UN’s refugee agency said
- The UN said it was ending its support for returnees due to operational concerns
Report highlights role of British Muslim charitable giving in supporting UK public services
- The study, “Building Britain: British Muslims Giving Back,” finds that donations from British Muslims are helping to bolster overstretched service
LONDON: British Muslim charitable giving is playing an increasingly significant role in supporting frontline public services across the UK, according to a new report by policy and research organization Equi.
The study, “Building Britain: British Muslims Giving Back,” finds that donations from British Muslims are helping to bolster overstretched services, including local councils, the NHS and welfare systems, at a time of growing financial pressure.
The report estimates that Muslim donors contribute around £2.2 billion ($2.9 billion) annually, making them the UK’s most generous community.
This figure is around four times the national giving average and rises to almost 10 times the average among higher earners.
According to the findings, Muslim-led charities are providing a wide range of support, including housing assistance, emergency cash grants, food provision and mental health services, easing demand on statutory services.
Equi points to evidence from 2023 showing that housing support delivered by the National Zakat Foundation helped prevent evictions that would have cost councils an estimated £28.8 million, with every £1 of charitable spending generating £73 in public sector savings.
The report also highlights a generational shift, with younger British Muslims increasingly directing their donations toward domestic causes such as homelessness, child poverty and mental health challenges.
Despite their growing impact, Muslim charities face a number of barriers, including de-banking, restrictive funding rules, securitization measures and what the report describes as limited recognition from government. Equi argues that these challenges are constraining the sector’s ability to maximize its contribution.
“British Muslim giving is not just generosity but a lifeline for public services that needs recognizing,” said Equi Managing Director Prof. Javed Khan.
“From preventing evictions to supporting mental health, these donations are saving millions for the taxpayer and strengthening communities across Britain. The evidence is clear that Muslim-led action is delivering frontline support where the state is struggling,” he added.
Equi is calling on policymakers to engage more closely with Muslim-led charities and to move beyond what it describes as symbolic recognition.
The report recommends measures such as UK-based match-funding schemes and greater faith literacy within policymaking, which it says could unlock billions of pounds in additional domestic spending while maintaining the UK’s global humanitarian commitments.
The study concluded that with greater collaboration between government and Muslim charities, charitable giving could play an even more transformative role in strengthening public services and social cohesion across the country.
