Taliban vows to uphold 'Sharia rights' of Afghan women on International Women's Day

Taliban authorities vowed to uphold the "Sharia rights" of Afghan women on Tuesday as human rights groups expressed concerns about the dire situation for Afghan women and girls under their rule.

Marking International Women's Day, the Taliban Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it was committed to addressing the plight of Afghan women within the framework of "the noble religion of Islam and our accepted traditions."

"International Women's Day is a great opportunity for our Afghan women to demand their legitimate rights," chief spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said in a separate statement. "We protect and defend the rights of our Afghan women, God willing."

Women and girls form nearly half of the population of the crisis-hit country.

The hardliners have severely restricted women's rights to work and education since returning to power last year. Women who have protested for these rights have been intimidated, disappeared, or arbitrarily detained, sparking an international outcry.

In a statement, the United Nations' special envoy for Afghanistan Deborah Lyons said the situation of women and girls in the country has become increasingly difficult due to the limits on access to opportunities.

Amnesty International said Afghan women and girls are unable to fully exercise their human rights under the Taliban, especially their right to education and work.

"Over the last six months, the Taliban have systematically discriminated against women and girls by introducing policies that have severely restricted women's freedom of movement and expression and undermined girls' access to education and employment," said Yamini Mishra, Amnesty International's South Asia Director.