Qatar expresses ‘extreme concern’ over Taliban bar on women staff

DOHA (Reuters): Qatar expressed “extreme concern” over the order by Afghanistan’s Taliban-run administration to stop women employees from working, calling on the administration to review its decision, a foreign ministry statement said on Sunday.

The ministry “stresses the need to respect women’s right to work, given that the freedom to choose and accept work is a human right”, it said. Qatar hosted a representative office for the Taliban during the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan, and served as a venue for peace talks before the group took power in 2021.