A Taliban order has barred Afghan women from working for the United Nations.
The UN said the Taliban had informed them verbally but there had not yet been written communication of the move, reports BBC.
The UN has told its Afghan staff - men and women - not to report to work for 48 hours, until it has clarity on the matter in meetings with the Taliban.
There has been an increasing clampdown on women's freedoms since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in 2021.
"This is the latest in a disturbing trend undermining the ability of aid organisations to reach those most in need," a UN spokesman said.
The UN has called the Taliban order "unacceptable and frankly inconceivable".
Female workers play a vital role in on-the-ground aid operations, particularly in identifying other women in need. The UN has been working to bring humanitarian aid to 23 million people in Afghanistan, which is reeling from a severe economic and humanitarian crisis.
Foreign female workers are exempt from the ban. But if implemented, this would be the most significant test of the future of UN operations in Afghanistan, and the relationship between the organisation and the Taliban government.
Bd-pratidin English/Golam Rosul
