US welcomes Taliban decree on women's consent to marriage

Official urges the group to take more steps to ensure women's rights in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON:

US Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas West on Saturday welcomed the decree issued by the Afghan Taliban regarding a woman's consent to her marriage, urging more steps to ensure women their rights in the war-stricken country.

"Welcome today’s decree reinforcing a woman’s right to determine if & whom she marries," West said on Twitter.

The official further stated, "At the same time, much more is needed to ensure women’s rights in every aspect of Afghan society including schools, workplaces, politics and media."

Welcome today’s decree reinforcing a woman’s right to determine if & whom she marries. At the same time, much more is needed to ensure women’s rights in every aspect of Afghan society including schools, workplaces, politics and media.

— U.S. Special Representative Thomas West (@US4AfghanPeace) December 3, 2021

Afghanistan's Taliban government on Friday released a decree on women's rights which said women should not be considered "property" and must consent to marriage but failed to mention female access to education or work outside the home.

Also read: Taliban leader decrees Afghan women's rights must be 'enforced'

"A woman is not a property, but a noble and free human being; no one can give her to anyone in exchange for peace...or to end animosity," the Taliban decree, released by spokesman Zabihillah Muhajid, said.

It set out the rules governing marriage and property for women, stating women should not be forced into marriage and widows should have share in their late husband's property.

The Taliban say they have changed and high schools for girls in some provinces have been allowed to open. But many women and rights advocates remain skeptical.

The international community, which has frozen billions in central bank funds and development spending, has made women's rights a key element of any future engagement with Afghanistan.