Taliban shuts Women’s Ministry

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The Taliban have shut down the Ministry of Women Affairs in Afghanistan on Friday, in a move seen by many as further clamping down on women rights.

They have, however, replaced the disbanded ministry with a venomous vice department notorious for enforcing strict religious doctrine during their first rule two decades ago.

Workers were seen raising a sign for the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice at the old Women’s Affairs building in the capital.

Several posts have appeared on Twitter in the last 24 hours showing women workers from the ministry protesting outside the building, saying they had lost their jobs.

However, no official from the Taliban had made any statements either to confirm or to deny the story.

Despite insisting they will rule more moderately this time around, the Taliban have not allowed women to return to work and introduced rules for what they can wear at university.

Also Read: Taliban: Meet the Interim Govt

The new Taliban government announced two weeks ago had no women members or even a ministry to represent their interests.

Although still marginalised, Afghan women have fought for and gained basic rights in the past 20 years, becoming lawmakers, judges, pilots and police officers.

Hundreds of thousands have entered the workforce, a necessity in some cases, as many women were widowed or now support invalid husbands as a result of two decades of conflict.

But since returning to power on August 15, the Taliban have shown no inclination to honour those rights.

When pressed, Taliban officials say women have been told to stay at home for their own security but will be allowed to work once proper segregation can be implemented.

During the Taliban’s first rule from 1996 to 2001, women were largely excluded from public life, including being banned from leaving their homes unless accompanied by a male relative.

Enforcers from the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice were known to descend on women found walking alone.

They were also responsible for strictly implementing other hardline interpretations of Islam, such as compulsory attendance at prayers, and no trimming of beards for men.