Women in Kabul protest against Taliban's policies

Kabul [Afghanistan], September 20 : After replacing the ministry of women affairs with the "vice and virtue ministry", "scores of Afghan women gathered at the gates of the Ministry of Women Affairs building in Kabul on Sunday to protest against the policies of the Taliban and demanded the rights of education and work.
"Exclusion of women is the exclusion of humans", "our freedom of speech is the conclusion of our potency" "education, work, and freedom are ways towards development" were the slogans chanted by the women, reported The Khaama Press News Agency.
Earlier, the Taliban replaced the sign at the entrance of the Ministry of Women Affairs building to Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice.
This comes as the Taliban repeatedly has been claiming that women will be given the right to education, work. However, recently some of the caretaker cabinet officials have contradicted saying women cannot work together with men.
The protest was arranged in reaction to the closure of the ministry of women affairs from the Taliban's cabinet and the closure of the ministry.
The protestors said that freedom and equity are their rights and they have to be provided with, reported The Khaama Press News Agency.
The "vice and virtue ministry," was known for suppressing women's rights during the previous period of Taliban rule two decades ago. The move is adding to concerns that women's rights will be restricted again.
Meanwhile, a number of women's rights activists said the removal of the women's ministry is against the commitment of the Taliban regarding women's right to work.
"Directly depriving the women and girls of education and work means the Taliban in no way is going to tolerate women and their presence," said former MP Shukria Barakzai.
"Limiting the rights of the women of Afghanistan and marginalizing them, in fact, does not lead to a new Afghanistan with a better situation," said Mariam Maroof Arvin, a women's rights activist.