The Belgian international development minister Caroline Gennez (Flemish socialist) is calling on the international community to provide a “clear, loud and unanimous condemnation” of an Afghan government decision that makes it virtually unfeasible for women to work as aid workers in the country. The Taliban regime has banned female aid workers from going outside to do their work.
Ms Gennez says the Afghan government’s decision is “very disturbing” but not entirely unexpected after women were recently banned from universities and earlier from schools (above the age of 12).
“The impact on the Afghan population will be enormous: 28 million Afghans are reliant on foreign aid” the new development minister told VRT. She favours a condemnation that is louder than the one we have heard so far. “Josep Borrell, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, has taken a strong position. I hope all organisations do this at all levels”.
No Belgian aid organisations are active in the country, but Belgium does provide emergency aid via the UN. In recent years 2.5 million girls received basic health care and sanitary products.
“This is the way we are trying to have some influence on the regime” explains Ms Gennez. “It’s not easy. A dialogue is virtually impossible, but we can’t allow ordinary people to become even greater victims”.
The Belgian international development minister won’t have it said that Belgium is ending aid: “Every human life that you rescue in this way is worth the investment, but the context needs to be evaluated and the impact considered. We will do this day by day”.