KABUL, Afghanistan — The head of a significant worldwide assist company mentioned Tuesday that key Taliban officers informed him in conferences that they're near finalizing tips that can permit Afghan girls to renew working for nongovernmental organizations. But they have been unable to provide a timeline or particulars when pressed.

The Taliban final December barred Afghan girls from working at NGOs, allegedly as a result of they weren't sporting the hijab - the Islamic scarf - appropriately and weren't observing gender segregation guidelines. In April, they mentioned this ban prolonged to U.N. workplaces and businesses in Afghanistan. There are exemptions in some sectors like well being care and schooling.

Days earlier than the NGO order got here into impact, the Taliban barred girls from universities, having already stopped ladies from going to high school past sixth grade. Last November, girls have been banned from public areas, together with parks.

In January, the Taliban mentioned they have been engaged on tips for girls to return to work at NGOs. They beforehand mentioned they have been engaged on tips in order that ladies and younger girls may return to schooling however these have but to materialize.

Jan Egeland, the secretary-general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, is visiting Afghanistan for the second time in 5 months to influence the nation’s Taliban rulers to reverse the ban on the group’s feminine employees.

Egeland met the Kandahar deputy governor, Maulvi Hayatullah Mubarak, who he described as having “direct contact with and links” to the Taliban chief Hibatullah Akhundzada, who ordered the schooling and NGO bans. He additionally met the pinnacle of Kandahar’s Economy Directorate, Mawlawi Abdul Salam Baryali.

“The authorities in Kandahar have a special position since the emir (Akhundzada) sits in Kandahar,” he informed The Associated Press. “Whatever agreement we can get in Kandahar can have a national impact. These guidelines are close to being finalized and should soon be put into effect, that is what was conveyed.”

Egeland mentioned he pressed the Taliban officers for a timeline and readability on the phrase “soon” however they didn’t elaborate.

He was informed the Taliban couldn’t assure something as all the things wanted to be put to the supreme management. They additionally informed him that they had been engaged on the NGO matter for months and that the majority points have been resolved.

The tips are more likely to cowl gown codes, gender segregation within the office, and a chaperone for journey. Egeland warned that it might not be a lifting of the ban if the rules went past that.

The Norwegian Refugee Council stands to lose 40% of its funding for Afghanistan due to the bans on feminine employment and schooling, he mentioned.

He mentioned the potential loss meant a 40% drop within the variety of folks reached. The company has additionally laid off 220 of its 1,500 workforce and closed 5 workplaces. But it retains female and male Afghan employees who're unable to work due to the bans. The company will not be deploying male-only groups.

“I believe their promises,” he mentioned of the Taliban. “But I can only accept the facts.”

Abdul Rahman Habib, a spokesman for the Economy Ministry, mentioned it was too early to speak concerning the NGO tips.

“If it comes from another source we are not responsible for it,” he mentioned. “We are the only source for confirmation. When the time is right we will announce it officially.”

The Taliban have repeatedly informed senior humanitarian officers visiting Afghanistan since December that the NGO restrictions are non permanent suspensions, not a ban.

But the order is being actively enforced by the nation’s intelligence company, which studies to the Taliban’s management in Kandahar.

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