Taliban have stopped paying salaries to female government employees who were previously told to stay at home while remaining formally employed, effectively removing them from the state payroll, sources said on Saturday.
The women had been instructed to stop regular work after the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, but were allowed to report to their offices once a week or once a month and were promised continued pay, the sources at the Taliban-run finance ministry said.
The ministry has now informed the women that their salaries will no longer be paid and that only wages for the solar month of Jadi (December) would be issued, the sources added, speaking on condition of anonymity.
After seizing power, the Taliban barred most women from government offices but initially maintained their employment status, later paying a reduced monthly salary of 5,000 afghanis ($70 at the time) to thousands of women, many of them household breadwinners.
The women worked across ministries and state institutions, including in senior, technical and professional roles, the sources said.
The Taliban have not publicly commented on the move.
Several affected women said the decision amounted to dismissal and would have immediate consequences for their families.
“Even though the salary was small, it allowed us to meet basic needs,” said one former government employee. “Without it, our situation becomes very difficult.”
The Taliban have imposed wide-ranging restrictions on women since returning to power, including bans on most employment and education beyond primary school, policies that have drawn international condemnation.
