 Under the Taleban, women were banned from working |
Seven Afghan women have signed up to a US-sponsored police training course, the first to do so since the fall of the Taleban regime in 2001. The women will be trained to do the same as their male counterparts, including arrest procedures, interview techniques and patrolling.
"This is the first time women have been included in this basic training programme," lead police advisor for the project Tom Moselle said.
Under the Taleban regime, between 1996 and 2001, women were banned from working and going to school.
Psychological scars
Speaking at the ceremony to mark the registrations, Deputy Women's Affairs Minister Dr Suraya Rahim said that although women still bore the psychological scars of the Taleban, female police were now needed more than ever.
"With the establishment of the transitional government of Afghanistan we are witnessing lots of changes in the lives of women in Afghanistan," said Dr Rahim.
She said that her country would not be able to progress without involvement of women in all elements of society.
All the seven recruits who have signed up are widows and the job will help them support their families.
But for some of them it means more than that.
"I was jobless and locked at home during the Taleban but now as our Afghanistan gets better, there is a chance for us to get a job," said Hanis Gul.
There are already some women in the Afghan police force but most of those were recruited during the Soviet occupation that ended 15 years ago and some returned after the Taleban were ousted.
One-Minute World News 
News services
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
I was jobless and locked at home during the Taleban but now as our Afghanistan gets better, there is a chance for us to get a job 
