The Foreign Office says the Taliban will have to live up to their obligations on the rights of women if it wants acceptance. It comes after the group's leadership ordered all Afghan women to wear an all-covering burka in public.
The move evokes similar restrictions imposed on women during the Taliban’s previous hardline rule between 1996 and 2001. The group says all women who are not 'too young or old' should cover their face.
A Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office spokesman said: “Responsibility for what happens in Afghanistan lies with the Taliban. We will judge them by their actions, not their words. If they want international acceptance, they must live up to their obligations and commitments, particularly on the rights of women and girls.”
The AP earlier today reported that Khalid Hanafi, acting minister for the Taliban’s ministry of vice and virtue, said the group "want our sisters to live with dignity and safety". The Taliban has previously decided against reopening schools to girls above grade six (around 11 years old), reneging on an earlier promise and opting to appease their hardline base at the expense of further alienating the international community.
Shir Mohammad, an official from the vice and virtue ministry, said: “For all dignified Afghan women wearing Hajib is necessary and the best Hajib is chadori (the head-to-toe burka) which is part of our tradition and is respectful. Those women who are not too old or young must cover their face, except the eyes.”
The decree added that if women have no important work to be done outside, it is better for them to stay at home. The Foreign Office spokesperson added: “The UK has taken a leading role in the humanitarian response in Afghanistan and will continue to do so.
“We have doubled UK aid to Afghanistan this year to £286 million to provide urgent life-saving assistance.”
