A women’s rights campaigner living in Oldham who fled Afghanistan following a failed assassination attempt is calling on the international community to act after women were banned from working for non-profit organisations by the Taliban government.

Marzia Babakarkhail, 56, who now lives in Failsworth, has urged the international community to send ‘peace makers’ to Afghanistan after the country’s Taliban rulers banned women from working at international and local non-governmental organisations on Sunday (December 25).

It came just days after women and girls were denied an education in the country.

The NGO ban was introduced a day earlier, allegedly because women were not wearing the Islamic headscarf correctly.

Foreign aid groups including Save the Children and the International Rescue Committee have suspended their operations in Afghanistan following the decision as they cannot effectively reach children, women, and men in desperate need without the women on their workforces.

Marzia was left for dead 14 years ago after a member of the Taliban ran her over in a car.

They tried to kill the former family court judge as she was a committed campaigner for women's rights.

The Oldham Times: Marzia Babakarkhail Marzia Babakarkhail (Image: Marzia Babakarkhail)

After six months in hospital, she fled to the UK, and is now a case worker for Oldham East and Saddleworth MP Debbie Abrahams and women’s rights activist.

Discussing the latest developments in Afghanistan, she said: “By not letting women work in the NGOs it will take the country in a very dark direction that will not just affect women.

“The international community stands by women in Afghanistan, but sympathy is not the solution. They have the power to act and send peacemakers. How long do they need?

“Words on Twitter are not the solution for women in Afghanistan. As activists we have the power to share our anger with the world, but I urge the international community to take quick action against the Taliban and make women feel safe.

“When the Taliban took over Afghanistan it was heart breaking and my heartbreak has given me the strength to not be silent but I’m just a person and not the United Nations.

“Thousands of people want to bring peace to Afghanistan, it’s not just me and my voice it’s the women of Afghanistan’s voice and policy makers cannot ignore us.”.

The ban on women working in NGOs is the latest blow to female rights and freedoms since the Taliban seized power last year, following bans on high school and university education and restrictions on clothing and travelling alone.

Commenting on the latest move by the Taliban to curtail women’s freedoms, Marzia said: “I think this will bring a big revolution in Afghanistan.

“All women are against this decision by the Taliban. Afghan women and people have become more united, there is people power”.