Afghanistan's supreme leader said the country's women had been saved from "traditional oppression" and restored to dignity by the Islamic Taliban government.
In a statement marking Eid al-Adha, Afghanistan's supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, who rarely appears in public, said today that steps had been taken to give women a "comfortable and prosperous life according to Sharia law".
The United Nations last week expressed concern that Afghan women were being deprived of many basic rights under the Taliban regime, warning of systemic gender discrimination.
Afghan women wearing headscarves walk past a security guard in Jalalabad. Photo: AFP
Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban have banned girls and women from attending high school or university, banned them from parks, gyms and public baths, and issued many other harsh regulations.
The Taliban also banned women from working for the United Nations or non -governmental organizations, while most female civil servants have been fired or paid to stay home.
However, Supreme Leader Akhundzada still affirmed that "the status of Afghan women is improving as half of society" and "every organization and institution has the duty to help women secure marriage, inheritance and other rights".
He stressed that a six-point decree issued in December 2021 guaranteed women's rights by banning forced marriages and protecting their inheritance and divorce rights.
According to a report released last week by the UN Human Rights Council's special envoy for Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, the situation of women and girls in the country "is among the worst in the world ".
“Severe, systematic, institutionalized discrimination against women and girls is central to Taliban ideology and rule,” the report said.
"Over the past 22 months, every aspect of the lives of Afghan women and girls has been restricted," added UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif. "They have been discriminated against on every level."
Although he rarely appears in public, Mr. Akhundzada often makes lengthy statements to the nation on major and important Muslim holidays.
Afghan Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada in a photo released by the Taliban in 2016. Photo: Reuters
"At the national level, Afghanistan's independence has been restored once again," he said, praising the country's economic resilience, efforts to eradicate poppies and improve national security. "Let's stand together, eliminate conspiracies, build security and prosperity, and work together for further development."
Vu Hoang (According to AFP )
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