In an official announcement, the Taliban said that they were banning forced marriage of women in Afghanistan. The move was announced by the reclusive Taliban chief, Hibatullah Akhuzada. The diktat supposedly means that they addressed criteria the international community considers a precondition to recognising their government and restoring aid to the war-torn country.

Akhunzada is a cleric who was chosen as the group’s supreme leader. He is believed to be in the southern city of Kandahar. The news comes on the heels of poverty surging in Afghanistan that followed after the Taliban’s takeover in August. As the US and NATO troops withdrew their forces, the Taliban swept in and took control of Kabul.

Since then the international governments have halted funds that had been a mainstay of the economy.

“Both (women and men) should be equal,” said the decree, adding that “no one can force women to marry by coercion or pressure.”

Due to international presence in Afghanistan, women’s rights improved markedly over the past two decades. However, those rights are seen as under threat with the return of the Taliban. During their last rule, the Taliban cloistered women, banned them from public life and access to education.

“Forced marriages have become more commonplace in the poor, conservative country, as the internally displaced marry off their young daughters in exchange for a bride-price that can be used to pay debts and feed their families,” AP reported.

However, the decree did not mention a minimum age for marriage, which previously was set at 16 years old.

For decades, Afghanistan women were treated like property — as an exchange token for blood money or ending disputes or tribal feuds. Now, they say that they are against the practice. They also noted that a widow will now be allowed to re-marry 17 weeks after her husband’s death, choosing her new husband freely.

Longstanding tribal traditions have held it customary for a widow to marry one of her husband’s brothers or relatives in the event of his death.

The Taliban leadership said that it has ordered Afghan courts to treat women fairly, especially widows seeking inheritance as next of kin.

Even though the announcement can be welcomed, it is to be noted that thousands of girls from grades seven to 12 are still not allowed to attend school, and a majority of women have been banned from returning to their jobs since the Taliban takeover.

(With inputs from Associated Press)