The Taliban, who control almost the entire territory of Afghanistan and are preparing to take power in Kabul, have promised to respect women's rights and not deprive them of the opportunity to work, Report informs, citing Al Arabiya TV channel.
"We will respect the rights of women and allow them to work on the condition that they wear a veil," the TV channel quoted a Taliban representative as saying.
After the seizure of power by the movement in 1996, women, who at that time made up a quarter of the entire employed population of Afghanistan, were forbidden to work for hire; girls were allowed to study only until the age of 8. After the onset of this age, Afghan girls were forbidden to appear on the street unaccompanied by men from among the closest relatives, they could not go out on the balconies of houses so that strangers would not see them, and they did not have the right to talk in public places.
In Afghanistan, under the Taliban, women were prohibited from wearing high-heeled shoes, jewelry, and clothing that allowed them to see their hands, feet, face, and hair. For the slightest violation, girls and women were flogged or executed.