Daily US Times: Afghan women will have rights “within the framework of Islamic law,” the Taliban say.
In their first news conference since taking control of the country on Sunday, Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, said women would be free to work but gave little detail about other rules and restrictions.
The Taliban spokesperson repeated that all Afghans must live “within the framework of Islam”.
Many human rights groups fear women’s freedoms could be eroded under the Taliban.
Taliban supported or introduced punishments in line with their strict interpretation of Sharia law, Islam’s legal system, when they controlled Afghanistan between 1996 and 2001.
Women had to wear the all-covering burka, and the militant group also disapproved of girls aged 10 and over going to school.
On Tuesday’s press conference, Mr Mujahid fielded several questions from the international media about what the rights of Afghan women could look like under a Taliban government.
He said: “We are going to allow women to work and study within our frameworks. Women are going to be very active within our society.”
But he didn’t expand when asked about dress codes and what roles women would be able to have within the country’s workforce.
Taliban declared a general amnesty across Afghanistan earlier on Tuesday and said it wanted women to join its government.
Analysts say the group is running a sophisticated PR campaign in an effort to win the minds and hearts of both the international community and Afghans.
The message of the new rulers has been received with mixed feelings inside Afghanistan.
A woman in Kabul, who watched the press conference, said: “I don’t believe what they’re saying.”
You may read: The Taliban’s victory will test India, and peace in South Asia
