Algeria’s People’s National Assembly has elected Khalida Boudfesh as the first woman in the country’s history to serve as speaker of parliament. The election of a woman to lead the legislature in Algeria, a Muslim-majority country, has drawn attention. The development comes as women and girls in Afghanistan continue to face extensive restrictions imposed by the Taliban since the group returned to power. For nearly five years, millions of Afghan women and girls have been denied access to secondary and higher education, as well as many employment opportunities. Meanwhile, comments by some Taliban officials regarding the role of women in society have sparked widespread criticism. One official from the group recently claimed that the presence of girls in society could encourage young men and contribute to moral corruption.
