<p>The Taliban appeared Friday to have shut down the government's ministry of women's affairs and replaced it with a department notorious for enforcing strict religious doctrine during their first rule two decades ago.</p>.<p>Workers were seen raising a sign for the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice at the old Women's Affairs building in the capital.</p>.<p>Several posts have appeared on Twitter in the last 24 hours showing women workers from the ministry protesting outside the building, saying they had lost their jobs.</p>.<p>No official from the Taliban responded Friday to requests for comment on the matter.</p>.<p>Despite insisting they will rule more moderately this time around, the Taliban have not allowed women to return to work and introduced rules for what they can wear at university.</p>.<p>A new Taliban government announced two weeks ago had no women members or even a ministry to represent their interests.</p>.<p>Although still marginalised, Afghan women have fought for and gained basic rights in the past 20 years, becoming lawmakers, judges, pilots and police officers.</p>.<p>Hundreds of thousands have entered the workforce -- a necessity in some cases as many women were widowed or now support invalid husbands as a result of two decades of conflict.</p>.<p>But since returning to power on August 15 the Taliban have shown no inclination to honour those rights.</p>.<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/starvation-is-as-much-a-threat-to-afghan-women-as-the-taliban-1031235.html" target="_blank">Starvation is as much a threat to Afghan women as the Taliban</a></strong></p>.<p>When pressed, Taliban officials say women have been told to stay at home for their own security but will be allowed to work once proper segregation can be implemented.</p>.<p>During the Taliban's first rule from 1996 to 2001, women were largely excluded from public life including being banned from leaving their homes unless accompanied by a male relative.</p>.<p>Enforcers from the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice were known to lash women found walking alone.</p>.<p>They were also responsible for strictly implementing other hardline interpretations of Islam, such as compulsory attendance at prayers, and no trimming of beards for men.</p>.<p>People reacted angrily on social media Friday in support of a group of women seen on Twitter protesting outside the ministry.</p>.<p>"No-one hears our women," said Twitter user Somaya, while another asked, "what else can we expect from these animals?"</p>
<p>The Taliban appeared Friday to have shut down the government's ministry of women's affairs and replaced it with a department notorious for enforcing strict religious doctrine during their first rule two decades ago.</p>.<p>Workers were seen raising a sign for the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice at the old Women's Affairs building in the capital.</p>.<p>Several posts have appeared on Twitter in the last 24 hours showing women workers from the ministry protesting outside the building, saying they had lost their jobs.</p>.<p>No official from the Taliban responded Friday to requests for comment on the matter.</p>.<p>Despite insisting they will rule more moderately this time around, the Taliban have not allowed women to return to work and introduced rules for what they can wear at university.</p>.<p>A new Taliban government announced two weeks ago had no women members or even a ministry to represent their interests.</p>.<p>Although still marginalised, Afghan women have fought for and gained basic rights in the past 20 years, becoming lawmakers, judges, pilots and police officers.</p>.<p>Hundreds of thousands have entered the workforce -- a necessity in some cases as many women were widowed or now support invalid husbands as a result of two decades of conflict.</p>.<p>But since returning to power on August 15 the Taliban have shown no inclination to honour those rights.</p>.<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/starvation-is-as-much-a-threat-to-afghan-women-as-the-taliban-1031235.html" target="_blank">Starvation is as much a threat to Afghan women as the Taliban</a></strong></p>.<p>When pressed, Taliban officials say women have been told to stay at home for their own security but will be allowed to work once proper segregation can be implemented.</p>.<p>During the Taliban's first rule from 1996 to 2001, women were largely excluded from public life including being banned from leaving their homes unless accompanied by a male relative.</p>.<p>Enforcers from the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice were known to lash women found walking alone.</p>.<p>They were also responsible for strictly implementing other hardline interpretations of Islam, such as compulsory attendance at prayers, and no trimming of beards for men.</p>.<p>People reacted angrily on social media Friday in support of a group of women seen on Twitter protesting outside the ministry.</p>.<p>"No-one hears our women," said Twitter user Somaya, while another asked, "what else can we expect from these animals?"</p>