Women arenot property but Talibans latest decree on marriages property

Women were banned from leaving the house without a male relative and full face and head covering and girls from receiving education by the Taliban during their previous rule.

The Taliban government in Afghanistan said on Friday women should not be considered "property" and must consent to marriage as it released a decree on women's rights.

The Taliban government decree failed to mention women’s access to education or work, which have been major concerns from the international community.

"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 said, according to Reuters.

The decree released by spokesperson Zabihillah Muhajid stated the rules governing marriage and property for women, saying women should not be forced into marriage and widows should have share in their late husband's property.

It also said courts should take into account the rules when making decisions and religious affairs and information ministries should promote these rights.

Women were banned from leaving the house without a male relative and full face and head covering and girls from receiving education by the Taliban during their previous rule in Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001.

The Taliban have said they have allowed high schools for girls in some provinces to open but, many women and rights advocates have remained sceptical of the assurance made by the Sunni Pashtun group.

Hundreds of thousands of Afghans have fled the country after the Taliban recaptured the country in August this year, looking to escape persecution and a collapsing economy in the face of international sanctions.

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