Taliban bans Afghan women from working for NGOs.

Islamist rulers said female employees of these organizations violated Sharia law by not wearing a hijab, writes BBC.

The decree was published by the Ministry of Economy of Afghanistan. It applies to both national and international non-governmental organizations.. Taliban spokesman confirms order will remain in effect 'until further notice'.

Amnesty International South Asia described the ban as "

If the ban extends to UN-affiliated organizations that provide significant support to the country, and NGOs are now allowed to hire only men, it looks like Afghan women will not be able to receive assistance directly, as separate rules prohibit men from working with women.

This could exacerbate widespread problems in Afghanistan, such as child mortality..

The Taliban banned women from Afghan universities earlier this week..

This decision caused widespread condemnation by the international community and protests inside Afghanistan, which, however, were quickly suppressed..

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Since regaining control of the country last year, the Taliban have consistently restricted women's rights despite promises that their rule will be more lenient than the 1990s regime..

High schools for girls remain closed in most provinces. Women were also banned from entering parks and gyms and other public places..