Taliban’s rights decree on women silent on education, work

Kabul, Dec 3 (EFE).- A Taliban decree on the rights of women Friday focused mainly on marriage and post-wedding but remained silent if females would be allowed to get the education and work under the rule of the Islamists.

“A woman is not a property but a noble and free human being. No one can give her to anyone in exchange for peace deal and/or to end animosity,” the Taliban said in the six-point edict referring to the widespread practice in Afghanistan.

The decree issued by the so-called “Amir al-Momenin” (commander of the faithful) Maulvi Haibatullah Akhundzada urged social and religious organizations, scholars, and tribal elders “to take serious action to enforce women’s rights.”

To implement the ruling, the document asked different ministries, the Supreme Court, and regional governors to publicize it as much as possible to create awareness and prevent violations.

“The Supreme Court must issue instructions to all courts to consider applications for women’s rights, especially widows’ rights and their oppression in a proper and principled manner,” the document said.

It should be done to end the oppression of women and ensure their Sharia rights, the decree said.

It emphasized that an adult woman’s consent was necessary to perform her wedding since “no one can force women to marry by coercion or pressure.”

These include widows who have “the right whether to marry and or to determine/choose her future.”

The decree noted that a widow had heritage rights and a fixed share in the property of her husband, children, father, and relatives. “No one can deprive a widow of her right.”

However, there is no mention whatsoever of several demands of women and the international community to ensure females are allowed to study and work and get proper representation in the government.

The international community has been urging the Taliban to meet these demands since the Islamist militia took control of Afghanistan on Aug.15.

The Taliban have been insisting since they came to power that women will be able to return to their jobs or schools in the future, pending a framework within the limits of the strict Islamic code.

For now, the Taliban have only allowed girls to get education up to the primary level and permitted women to work in the health sector.

Women across the country, especially in Kabul, have organized several protests demanding rights.

Amnesty International, in a statement last week, said it was “astonishing” that women were being barred from public life in Afghanistan “at a time the country is facing an economic and humanitarian crisis.”

“We urge the Taliban to respect, protect, and fulfill the rights of women and girls. We call on the international community to engage directly with Afghan women to understand their reality, listen to their pragmatic recommendations, and work with them to support women’s rights,” the Amnesty statement said. EFE

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