Afghanistan: How could Taliban rule affect women, girls and education?

Taliban fighters - the group has managed to regain control of Afghanistan

Following the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, many people, including girl's education activist Malala Yousafzai, have said they are worried about how this will affect the rights of women and children living in the country.

The Taliban follow an extreme version of Islamic code and when they were last in power in Afghanistan - between 1996 to 2001 - they enforced strict rules which meant that women and girls couldn't do a lot of things, like work or go to school.

In the group's first news conference since taking control of the country on Sunday, a spokesman said women would be free to work but gave little detail about other rules and restrictions.

Read our guide to find out more about what the new regime could mean for women and girls in Afghanistan now, and how it impacted them the last time the Taliban were in control.

What have the Taliban said about women and girls in Afghanistan now?

The rights of women in Afghanistan will be respected "within the framework of Islamic law", the Taliban say.

In the group's first news conference since taking control of the country on Sunday, a spokesman said women would be free to work but gave little detail about other rules and restrictions.

In the news conference on Tuesday, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid was asked several questions about what women's rights could look like under a Taliban government.

"We are going to allow women to work and study within our frameworks," he said. "Women are going to be very active within our society."

But he did not explain further when asked about dress codes and what roles women would be able to have within the country's workforce.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Taliban said it wanted women to join its government.

However, many people have expressed concerns for women in Afghanistan.

Due to fear and uncertainty over what could happen under the Taliban's rule, thousands of residents and foreign nationals have been trying to escape Kabul.

There are reports that in some areas of the country the Taliban is already ordering women to change the way they dress and sending women home from university and their jobs and telling them not return to work.

What was life like for women and girls under Taliban rule in the past?

During the Taliban's previous rule of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, girls weren't allowed to get a normal school education and women weren't allowed to work.

The Taliban also had strict rules on the way women should dress and look.

Make-up was banned, and women had to wear burkas - a long one-piece veil covering the face and body.

Women were not allowed to leave their homes unless they were accompanied by a male relative, even if they wanted to go to the shops.

Any women who broke the rules could be punished very harshly, including being publicly humiliated or beaten.

During this time the Taliban also banned many other things, such as television, music, kite-flying and the cinema, saying that these activities were against Islam.

In the 20 years since the Taliban were last in power, girls have been able to get an education at school, study at university and work, women were able to work and to take on senior roles like judges and politicians in Parliament.

Malala Yousafzai - the girl who spoke out against the Taliban

Malala Yousafzai is a famous campaigner for girls' education from Pakistan who became the youngest person ever to win the world-famous Nobel Peace Prize.

She was shot by the Taliban in 2012, when she was 14 years old, for speaking out about life for girls living under Taliban rule.

She began writing a diary when she was 11 years old, speaking of her wish to stay in education, saying girls everywhere should be free to go to school.

Lots of people all over the world read the diary and Malala became well-known for fighting for girls' rights to education.

But the Taliban didn't like this. And because of what she said in her diary she was shot by Taliban soldiers in October 2012.

She was treated for her injuries in a hospital in Pakistan and brought to the UK for more treatment. Malala recovered and was eventually able to leave hospital.

Her family settled in Birmingham, where she started at new school and continued her campaign for education for all children.

This photo was taken of a group of women wearing traditional burka clothing in 1996.

Now aged 23, Malala has given speeches at huge events all over the world, published a book, appeared on the cover of a famous magazine, graduated from Oxford University with a degree in philosophy, politics and economics, and met lots of famous people, including environmental activist and friend Greta Thunberg.

Malala has spoken out about the recent Taliban takeover in Afghanistan on her social media saying she is in "complete shock".

She said she is "deeply worried about women, minorities and human rights advocates." and calls for "an immediate ceasefire", "urgent humanitarian aid" and protection for refugees and civilians.