The supreme leader of the Taliban has made a controversial claim that his government has taken actions for the "betterment of women's lives" in Afghanistan. Since the Taliban regained power in August 2021, women have been banned from public life, restricted from work, and faced severe limitations on girls' education.
Hibatullah Akhundzada, an Islamic scholar who rarely appears in public, released a statement ahead of the Eid al-Adha holiday. He is typically based in the Taliban heartland of Kandahar province and surrounded by like-minded religious scholars and allies who oppose women's education and employment.
In his Eid message, Akhundzada claimed that under the rule of the Islamic Emirate, tangible measures have been implemented to protect women from traditional oppressions such as forced marriages. He asserted that women's Shariah rights have been safeguarded, and steps have been taken to improve their lives within the framework of Islamic Shariah law.
In recent times, Akhundzada appears to have assumed a more direct role in shaping domestic policies. The Taliban leader has imposed bans on girls' education beyond the sixth grade and has restricted Afghan women from participating in public life and work, particularly within non-governmental organizations and the United Nations.
The message, disseminated in Arabic, Dari, English, Pashto, and Urdu, emphasized that negative aspects related to women's dress codes and what he referred to as "misguidance" during the previous 20-year occupation would soon be addressed.
Akhundzada stated that women's status as free and dignified human beings has been restored, and all institutions are obliged to support women in securing their rights to marriage, inheritance, and other areas. However, despite initial assurances of a more moderate rule compared to their previous reign in the 1990s, the Taliban has implemented strict measures since seizing control of Afghanistan, including restricting women from public spaces like parks and gyms, as well as cracking down on media freedoms.
These measures have sparked international outcry, further isolating the country at a time when its economy is in turmoil and exacerbating an ongoing humanitarian crisis. Akhundzada reiterated his call for other nations to refrain from interfering in Afghanistan's internal affairs and expressed the Taliban government's desire for positive political and economic relations with the world, particularly Islamic countries.
In addition to addressing internal matters, the Taliban leader condemned Israel's treatment of Palestinians and urged the people and government of Sudan to reconcile their differences and work towards unity and brotherhood.
