On Tuesday, Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State called the Taliban's treatment of Afghan women and girls "ruthless" during a meeting in Washington.

Blinken said, "We continue to rally global pressure on the Taliban to reverse these repressive policies, which are hurting all Afghans."

On Tuesday, during a meeting, he said, "We’re training and empowering women civil society groups and peace builders, so that they can play a leading role in building peace, in building free and open societies, and negotiating the end of conflicts, especially in places where those in power ruthlessly repress the rights of women and girls, like Afghanistan.”

Antony Blinken, referring to the ban on Afghan women's education and work, stated that women and girls continue to fight for their rights and to build a bright future for themselves and their country.

Despite international pressure, the Taliban has refused to reconsider its policies, which human rights experts say constitute "gender apartheid”.