CARE will be resuming its health and nutrition operations in Afghanistan after obtaining the necessary assurances from the Ministry of Public Health that its female staff will be able to carry out their work safely and unfettered, both in community-based and support roles.

According to a statement issued by the organization, CARE suspended operations in response to the December 24 decision by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) to ban all women from working for NGOs operating in Afghanistan.

“Our female colleagues are an essential part of our organization and we cannot deliver a principled response without them, so we welcome the opportunity to resume our health and nutrition operations given the scope of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. That said, CARE depends on both male and female staff to respond to wide range of challenges facing the Afghan people,” the statement read.

“We are hopeful that the ban will be reversed, but in the meantime will continue to look for ways to move forward that will allow both female and male workers to provide life-saving work –especially to Afghan women and girls – in all sectors.”

CARE has worked in Afghanistan since 1961 and operates 30 mobile health teams in 7 provinces.