The radical Islamic Taliban have apparently replaced the Afghan government’s women’s ministry with a “ministry of virtues”. On Friday, workers posted a sign on the building of the former Ministry of Women, referring to the Ministry of Promoting Virtue and Preventing Vice. This is the name of the authority that was responsible for flogging women during the first Taliban rule in the late 1990s.
On Twitter you could see employees of the Ministry of Women protesting against their dismissal in front of the building in the capital Kabul. The Taliban did not respond to an AFP inquiry on Friday about the incident.
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When the first parts of their internationally unrecognized government were presented two weeks ago, there was neither a female member among those responsible, nor did any of the appointees have explicit responsibility for the protection of women’s rights.
The new rulers have promised to respect women’s rights this time, unlike in the past. However, the Taliban have since instructed women to stay at home for their own safety and not come to work until gender segregation can be implemented.
During the first Taliban rule between 1996 and 2001, women in Afghanistan were largely banned from public life. They were only allowed to leave the house in the company of male relatives. If a woman was out alone, she was flogged by staff from the Ministry of Virtue. At that time, the authority was also responsible for enforcing the obligation to pray and forbidding men to shave. (AFP)
