The Taliban banned education for women and girls past sixth grade since they seized power in Afghanistan in 2021. The Taliban government on Saturday released a statement claiming that women’s rights are guaranteed under Islamic laws, “which are distinct from the Western society.” The Afghan government made the comments despite the continued international criticism of their gender policies.
The Taliban’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid made a statement on his official X account but did not specifically refer to International Women’s Day, which is observed on March 8. According to Islamic law and the traditions and culture of Afghan society, the basic rights of Afghan women have been guaranteed. Nevertheless, it should not be forgotten that Afghan women’s rights are being debated within an Islamic and Afghan society that has obvious distinctions from Western societies and their culture,” Mujahid added.
Most significantly, however, the Taliban have excluded education for females and girls beyond sixth grade, the majority of jobs, and most public places since taking power in Afghanistan in 2021. In August last year, Afghanistan’s vice and virtue ministry issued laws that prohibit the voices and bare faces of women outside the home.
The comments come after the United Nations’ new appeal for the Taliban to end these restrictions. The removal of women and girls from public life cannot be overlooked,” declared Roza Otunbayeva, chief of the UN mission in Afghanistan. “We are committed to investing in their resilience and leadership because they are the future of Afghanistan.”
The United Nations, however, has continued to put pressure on the Taliban to roll back these limiting policies. Alison Davidian, the special representative for UN Women Afghanistan, stated the world could not accept an Afghan women’s future that would never be accepted elsewhere.
