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Afghan supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada claimed on Sunday that the Taliban is allegedly working to improve the status of women in the country through "concrete measures" and that they have begun to be considered "free and dignified" human beings.

"Under the rule of the Islamic Emirate, concrete measures have been taken to save women from many traditional oppressions, including forced marriages, and their...rights have been protected ... By issuing the six-article decree on women's rights, the status of women as a free and dignified human being has been restored," Akhundzada said in his statement.

He further argued that the Taliban succeeded in restoring the country's independence and strengthening "brotherhood and national unity" while abolishing "all kinds of prejudices such as race, language, and religion."

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Back in December 2022, Afghanistan's Ministry for Higher Education said that the Taliban authorities implemented a nationwide ban on university education for females, a move that came just three months after thousands of women sat for entrance examinations for higher education across the country.

"You all are informed to immediately implement the mentioned order of suspending the education of females until further notice," said a statement signed by the Minister for Higher Education, Neda Mohammad Nadeem, delivered to all public and private academic institutions.

A week later, its neighbor Iran condemned their decision and an Iranian Foreign Ministry official expressed Iran’s readiness to provide university education for Afghan women.

BREAKING: The Taliban have banned women from universities.

This is a shameful decision that violates the right to education for women and girls in Afghanistan. The Taliban are making it clear every day that they don't respect the fundamental rights of Afghans, especially women. pic.twitter.com/Ydf13rvsbF

— Human Rights Watch (@hrw) December 20, 2022