Afghan women to have rights within Islamic law, Taliban say

[superadmin]

The rights of women in Afghanistan will be respected "within the framework of Islamic law", the Taliban say.

In the group's first news conference since taking control of the country on Sunday, a spokesman said women would be free to work but gave little detail about other rules and restrictions.

Zabihullah Mujahid repeated that all Afghans must live "within the framework of Islam".

Rights groups fear women's freedoms could be eroded under the Taliban.

The militant group introduced or supported punishments in line with their strict interpretation of Islam's legal system, Sharia law, when they controlled Afghanistan between 1996 and 2001.

Women had to wear the all-covering burka, and the Taliban also disapproved of girls aged 10 and over going to school.

In the news briefing on Tuesday, Mr Mujahid fielded several questions from the international media about what women's rights could look like under a Taliban government.

"We are going to allow women to work and study within our frameworks," he said. "Women are going to be very active within our society."

But he did not expand when asked about dress codes and what roles women would be able to have within the country's workforce.


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