Decree guiding the Ministry of Culture and Information to publish documents on women’s rights. File
Kabul:
The Taliban on Friday issued a decree on behalf of their supreme leader directing Afghanistan’s ministries to “take serious action” on women’s rights, but made no mention of girls’ access. schools.
The move comes after Islamist forces seized power in mid-August and as they seek to restore Afghanistan’s access to billions of dollars in assets and aid suspended when the previous regime was ousted. Western backing collapsed in the final stages of the American withdrawal.
“The leadership of the United Arab Emirates directs all relevant organizations … to take serious action to enforce Women’s Rights,” the decree stated, quoting the elusive supreme leader. capture Hibatullah Akhundzada.
The decree focuses on marriage and widows’ rights, stating that “no one can force a woman to marry by force or pressure” and that widows are entitled to a fixed portion of inheritance husband’s identification.
It instructs the Ministry of Culture and Information to publish documents on women’s rights “to prevent … ongoing repression”.
Respect for women’s rights has been repeatedly cited by key donors globally as a condition for restoring aid.
The decree specifically makes no mention of girls’ lower secondary education – which has already been suspended by millions – or the employment of women, who have been barred from returning to work in the public sector.
Women’s rights were severely restricted during the previous Taliban rule, which lasted from 1996 to late 2001.
Women were forced to wear tight burqas, were only allowed to leave the house accompanied by men, and were forbidden to go to work or study.
Akhundzada has maintained a very low public profile since becoming supreme leader in 2016, after his predecessor was killed in a US drone strike.
The Taliban on October 30 released a 10-minute audio recording of him talking to a madrassa in the southern city of Kandahar that day.
But some analysts believe he may have been killed a year or more ago.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from an aggregated feed.)
