Bringing to light the true state of women under the new Taliban rule, the group seems to have closed down the women’s affairs ministry. It is now replaced with a department, which used to once enforce strict religious doctrines.
The sign at the ministry was removed on Friday and in its place a sign for the ministry of virtue and vice was put up.
Some videos have also surfaced on social media which also showed women employees outside the offices, urging the Taliban to let them return to work.
In another measure curbing women’s freedom in Afghanistan, the new Taliban government’s higher education minister Abdul Baqi Haqqani had earlier said that women in Afghanistan can continue to study in universities, but classrooms will be gender-segregated and Islamic dress is compulsory. The women will be allowed to study at post-graduate levels too.
The minister laid out the new policies at a news conference, days after Afghanistan’s new rulers formed the government.
At this time, the whole world has been watching the new government’s actions closely to find out whether the group remains true to its words and the type of rule it imposes on the country this time.
During their last rule, girls and women were denied education and were totally excluded from public life.
The Taliban have claimed to have changed, including in their attitudes towards women. But in recent days, they have used violence against women protesters demanding equal rights.
