Women cannot be ministers in the cabinet, they should focus on giving birth, said a Taliban in an interview, once again reinforcing the perception that the extremist group’s outlook about women didn’t really make a shift as it was claimed when they assumed control of Afghanistan.

Sayed Zekrullah Hashimi, the spokesperson to Taliban told TOLO news while addressing questions about women not being from any portfolio in the new government. 

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“A woman can’t be a minister, it is like you put something on her neck that she can’t carry. It is not necessary for women to be in the cabinet – they should give birth. Women protesters can’t represent all women in Afghanistan,” Hashimi told TOLO news.

The journalist countered the point by saying , “but women are half of the society.”

To this Hashimi responded that they (Taliban) don’t consider them half.

“What kind of half? The half itself is misdefined here. The half means here that you keep them in the cabinet and nothing more. And if you violate her rights, not an issue. Over the last 20 years, whatever was said by this media, the US, and its puppet government in Afghanistan, was it anything but prostitution in offices?” Hashimi added.

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The interview objected to the statement and said you can’t accuse all women of prostitution.

The Taliban spokesperson replied to this by saying that he is not talking about all Afghan women. Referring to the women protest in Afghanistan, Hashimi said, “The four women protesting in the streets, they do not represent the women of Afghanistan.”

The Taliban spokesperson also talked about the role of a true Afghan woman according to them. 

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“The women of Afghanistan are those who give birth to the people of Afghanistan, educates them on Islamic ethics,” said the spokesperson. 

The statement comes after Tuesday when the Taliban announced an all-male cabinet for its interim government with hardliners and globally wanted terrorists given key ministries.

The oppressive group took control of Afghanistan on August 15 this year following elected President Ashraf Ghilani’s resignation.