Women’s role in Afghanistan will be decided by council of Islamic scholars, Taliban says

A Taliban leader has said that a council of Islamic scholars will decide whether or not women are allowed access to work and education in Afghanistan, contradicting assurances that women will be ‘active in society’

Women wearing a burqa are pictured in Kabul on 31 July (AFP via Getty Images)

A council of Islamic scholars will decide on the future role of women in Afghanistan, including what they will wear and whether they will be allowed to work and study, a Taliban leader has said.

Waheedullah Hashimi told Reuters that the extremist group’s ulema (theological scholars) will decide whether or not women must have their faces covered in public and if they will have access to employment and education.

His remarks seemingly contradict spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid’s assurance at a news conference shortly after the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul that women can work and study and will be “very active in society”.

There are also already reports of women being prevented from working in Afghanistan.

TOLO News journalist Miraqa Popal alleged on Twitter that RTA Pashto broadcaster Shabnam Dawran was told to “go home” by the Taliban after arriving at work because “the regime has changed”.

The New York Times has, meanwhile, reported that state TV broadcaster Khadija Amin was replaced with a male presenter and told that women will no longer be allowed to work at the channel.

Taliban leader Hashimi told Reuters: “Our ulema will decide whether girls are allowed to go to school or not. They will decide whether they should wear hijab, burqa, or only veil plus abaya or something, or not. That is up to them.”

Under the group’s 1996-2001 rule, women were required to wear burqas — robes which cover the entire body and usually the face —in public and had to be accompanied by a male relative.

They were also prevented from accessing work or education and could be subject to public beatings by religious police if they broke the rules.

"People in Afghanistan 99.99 per cent are Muslims and they believe in Islam," Hashimi said.

"When you believe in laws, definitely you should apply that law. We have a council, a very prominent council of Ulema. They will decide what to do."

But many Afghan women, including those who are Muslim, are fearful for the future.

Reports from Kabul suggest that some tried to flee the country when the Taliban took over the city, while others are cloistered in their homes.