Save the Children's work in Afghanistan took a major hit after the Taliban banned women in the workforce.

The Organization's CEO spoke to News 12 to share her experience in the country.

Save the Children U.S. CEO Janti Soeripto just got back from meeting with nine Taliban leaders in Afghanistan.

She says 28 million people in Afghanistan are in humanitarian need - 15 million are children.

In the country's capital city of Kabul, women and children are living in shanties. Some of them have nothing to eat.

Fairfield-based Save the Children has been helping these people since 1976.

Soeripto says 50% of their staff of 5,000 on the ground there are women.

They are essential for the safe and effective delivery of services, but women are now forbidden under Taliban rule from working for organizations like Save the Children.

"Not only for us, it's a matter of principle. We think women should be able to work wherever they want, but also it's a very practical issue. We cannot reach women and children in Afghanistan if you don't do that with women in your teams," said Soeripto.

It has been a bitterly cold winter in Afghanistan. Children have no socks and holes in their clothes. People are dying. They are building fires to keep warm if they can.

As melting snow has now turned into mud, the Taliban claims it is willing and eager to work through this.

"Words are cheap action matters," said Soeripto.

Soeripto just spoke to the UN about her trip.

Save the Children is now also on the ground in Turkey and Syria helping those hit by earthquakes.