this is bbc news. welcome if you're watching in the uk or around the globe. i'm yalda hakim, reporting live from kabul. afghanistan suffers its coldest winter in a decade. more than 120 people have died as a result of freezing temperatures. thousands of lives and livelihoods are still at risk. relief operations are hampered because women are prevented from working for aid agencies. taliban minister responsible for the disaster management says they don't need women to work. translation: they are already working with us| in the rescue efforts. and there is no need for women to work with us. and we have special reports from the underground movement trying to keep women and girls in education, despite the ban

imposed by the taliban government. welcome to the programme. it is 630 in the evening, and people from afghanistan are dealing with the coldest weather in a decade. the temperature is dropping to —34 degrees, get as cold as —21 and some evenings. there are at least 120 people who have died as a result of the freezing weather, and we are told by the taliban government that 77,000 livestock have died. what is hampering the aid effort is the fact

females, women aid workers are unable to work alongside international aid agencies to deliver much—needed aid out of the taliban issued a edict banning them. my colleague lyse doucet has been speaking to afghanistan's acting a winter wonderland. we are travelling for the hindu kush, the world's second highest tunnel, the salang tunnel, a place of legend. it is an engineering window but a death especially in winter, and other lunches and accidents. the only highway rescue at this spot is less

demand. selling chains for tyres in the coldest winter in a decade. tough stuff, in threadbare clothes. translation: it is tough stuff, in threadbare clothes. translation:— translation: it is so called, you can't see the _ translation: it is so called, you can't see the road. _ translation: it is so called, you can't see the road. you _ translation: it is so called, you can't see the road. you can't - translation: it is so called, you can't see the road. you can't walk| can't see the road. you can't walk and the heater in cars don't work. these are the lives people live here. it is so—called, but he said it is going to get colder still. he's been out, his eyebrows are frozen, and my face feels like it is going to imagine if you live day in, day out in conditions like this. this is the only way to reach his home, there's no road. nothing is easyin home, there's no road. nothing is easy in this life. this is what life

is like here, literally living on the edge. even for the littlest, little cover from this biting cold. a home made of mud, but the warmth of a large family. translation: i have heard people died of cold, my kids recently got sick, some of my animals died. until now, i haven't heard of people dying in salang. even this five—year—old helps keep him alive. he tells me how he has to carry water from the river, freezing he tells me how he has to carry waterfrom the river, freezing in the storms. they survive with a traditional stove and twigs. and under this red and golden blanket,

charcoal burns. you can taste the fumes in this room. this year the heating costs soared, just like the rest of the world. translation: h0 rest of the world. translation: i157 age agencies have come to help us, not in the last government or the taliban government. find not in the last government or the taliban government.— not in the last government or the taliban government. and aid agency to come by this _ taliban government. and aid agency to come by this month. _ taliban government. and aid agency to come by this month. this - taliban government. and aid agency to come by this month. this family i to come by this month. this family wasn't seen as needy. imagine the others. their oldest daughter did not go to school, they couldn't afford it. 14—year—olds they nabbed was the luckiest, she got to go, but the taliban should girls high schools. search hard lives in such harsh terrain. afghan rulers come and go. nature's power is ever

present. that was our chief international corresponded with that report. she has been asking him the challenges posed by the family. he remains adamant women should not be working in age agencies. translation: most of the people who lost their lives to the cold - were shepherds or people living in rural areas. they didn't have access to health care. we are concerned about those who are still living in mountain regions, shepherds with livestock and families. in afghanistan, most of the roads which pass through the mountains

have been closed due to snow. cars have got stuck there and passengers have died in the freezing temperatures. you saw personally during last year's earthquake how afghan women played a major role in helping the women who needed help. isn't this new taliban edict preventing women from working in aid sectors going to create problems for you? translation: in our society, the man is responsible for supporting his household, for providing for women and his family. we don't see any problem if you don't deal directly with women, because our main concern is the family. we provide assistance to them in the head of the household tells us how many people live there, how many people need help. but do you think it is important to include afghan women

in your responses to the disasters affecting afghan men, women, families? translation: the men are already working with us in the rescue efforts, and there is no need for women to work with us. the united nations and the other aid agencies say that if afghan women cannot work as part of the aid effort, they may need to stop. their aid to afghanistan that you desperately need. would you be willing to discuss the issue then? translation: this is an act of cruelty carried out - by the united nations and it's unacceptable in the un. there is a law that says respect should be shown to all people in our religions. 0ur religion does not allow women to work in that way. so why does the un speak against our religious beliefs?

and they say to you that you should respect international law and the humanitarian principles of the aid agencies. no, we respect them, but they don't respect us. international law says you should respect our islamic culture. you should respect all religions. why are they interfering in our religious affairs, in our religious affairs? that was afghanistan dispossessed: women, culture and the taliban there. let's go that was afghanistan dispossessed: women, culture and the taliban there. live now to london and speak to razia sultanova, who is the author of afghanistan dispossessed: women, culture and the taliban. we can see the challenges they face, the ban on girls going to school and universities, women have been banned from going to parks and gyms. it is a situation where they have been

restricted from all aspects of life. and being pushed out of public life year. and being pushed out of public life ear. . ~' and being pushed out of public life ear. ., ~ , ., and being pushed out of public life ear. ., ~ i. ., year. thank you for inviting me, hello, everyone. _ year. thank you for inviting me, hello, everyone. you _ year. thank you for inviting me, hello, everyone. you are - year. thank you for inviting me, - hello, everyone. you are absolutely right, afghanistan is where various culture traditions have developed the centuries. nowadays it has been for the whole globe synonymous with the word catastrophe, following the return of the taliban. in this country where many efforts to educate children in schools and universities, including the afghan national institute of music, where thousands of children and teenagers enjoyed learning and performing is now overflowing with orphans and school dropouts. the women of this country are hiding behind workers, stay—at—home without going out for a doctor appointment, stay—at—home without going out for a

doctorappointment, let alone stay—at—home without going out for a doctor appointment, let alone for education or work. afghanistan is experiencing severe difficulties with those sort of prohibitions and restrictions and denying its future prospect. when we say afghanistan, the image of a country... the prospect. when we say afghanistan, the image of a country. . ._ the image of a country... the point here, as the image of a country... the point here. as you _ the image of a country... the point here. as you say. _ the image of a country... the point here, as you say, is _ the image of a country... the point here, as you say, is that _ the image of a country... the point here, as you say, is that they - here, as you say, is that they weren't hard games over 20 years, this is a deeply conservative society. it went from girls not going to school in 2001, zero girls, to several millions after 2001, up until the taliban takeover. there has been a drastic change, hasn't there? , . , has been a drastic change, hasn't there? , ., , , ., there? yes, it has. let me bring to our there? yes, it has. let me bring to your attention _ there? yes, it has. let me bring to your attention some _ there? yes, it has. let me bring to your attention some statistic - your attention some statistic figures. according to the afghanistan voluntary national review, 2021, before the taliban returned, there were women, the

three largest majorities of the country with a top priorities of the government. they were women's organisations, a ministry of women affairs. the proportion of women in managerial positions was just 3.4%. however, it had a place in the light of the country prior to taliban arrive for. now let us talk about... and ijust want arrive for. now let us talk about... and i just want to ask a little bit about your book, your book deals with how people cope in situations where there is turmoil, where the has—been conflict and war. we saw some levels of progress over the last 20 years. that is rolling back, women are being pushed out of the public eye. how can they help in an environment like this? it is

public eye. how can they help in an environment like this?— environment like this? it is a good auestion environment like this? it is a good question because _ environment like this? it is a good question because in _ environment like this? it is a good question because in my— environment like this? it is a good question because in my book, - environment like this? it is a good question because in my book, i i environment like this? it is a good. question because in my book, i was concentrating in the rich tapestry of culture, i've chosen to unravel the threat of music to help define the threat of music to help define the country's image. women musicians are very, you know, strong, strongly represented in the country because the country has a century long, very interesting cultural heritage, and female musicians unfortunately are not allowed to perform any more. they missed the music—making when women were gathering together, enjoying celebrations, religious holidays or wedding preparations, wedding celebrations, are now no involved because to go out is even a problem. involved because to go out is even a roblem. , .., �* .,

problem. indeed... they can't leave their homes — problem. indeed... they can't leave their homes without _ problem. indeed... they can't leave their homes without a _ problem. indeed... they can't leave their homes without a male - problem. indeed... they can't leave i their homes without a male chaperone or a male guardian, their homes without a male chaperone ora male guardian, live their homes without a male chaperone or a male guardian, live has increasingly become difficult for afghan women and children. thank you forjoining us. women continue to be restricted, their rights have been upended since the taliban came to power in 2021, in august 2021. it's been almost 500 days since afghan girls 0viedo 12 have been prevented of go to school. the taliban continues to say until further notice, despite international pressure and attempts even within the taliban movement to allow this band to be lifted, some of the leadership of that heals and saying they are not yet ready to live that ban because the environment isn't the correct environment, they want

to create an environment where sharia law is followed and practice. the girls i've been speaking to remain defiant and want to continue to learn. many have been attending what is known as secret schools, they been popping up over the country, and certainly here in kabul, they are dangerous and risky to run, but it is a risk these young girls and their teachers say they are willing to take. a basement in kabul, now a place of learning. this 21—year—old used to be a jeweller. she started this secret school seven months ago, running classes the girls of all ages, every day. "despite all the risk, i don't want students to forget what going to school means," she tells me.

"i want them to still feel that they can learn, and they should learn." if the taliban authorities find out the secret school is operating, they will be in trouble. usually, more than 30 teenage girls come here. today, only ten. schools closed for girls over the age of 12 when the taliban first swept to power. in march last year, they were told they could come back to their classes, only to be sent back. translation: when i travel here, i'm really frightened. _ the situation is really bad under taliban rule, and we are banned from school. but i want to keep coming here for as long as our schools are closed. the taliban government says the ban is temporary. but a 15—year—old student says she doesn't understand why afghan girls are being denied this basic right. translation: | find it - so painful that they are not allowing us to our schools. this decision is against islam. it's illegal.

why can boys learn and girls can't? winter in afghanistan poses all sorts of challenges. some days, it gets as cold as —21 in kabul, but still, the students and the teacher come. "seeing their passion gives me energy," their teacher tells me. "they're full of hope. so i have no choice but to take this risk." it's unclear when these girls will return to their schools. until then, women like their teacher are the only hope they have. yalda hakim, bbc news, kabul. some of the students and a teacher at the secret school in the afghan capital. joining me now is a former afghanjudge, who lives in exile in manchester. thank you joining us. we

are running a story about secret schools in afghanistan. in the 19905, schools in afghanistan. in the 1990s, there were many secret schools across the country, away women and girls could continue to get educated. quite extraordinary some 22, 23 years get educated. quite extraordinary some 22,23 years since get educated. quite extraordinary some 22, 23 years since the fall of the first taliban government, they've now returned across this country. they've now returned across this count . , , ,, country. yes, this is shocking time and time for _ country. yes, this is shocking time and time for women, _ country. yes, this is shocking time and time for women, future, - country. yes, this is shocking time l and time for women, future, women education and life in afghanistan. there are organisations helping the girls to have online courses, school studies, but i know this is not enough because there is a lack of safety and security and some of the girls are not in this position to pay their internet and for the

system of online education. {line pay their internet and for the system of online education. one of the challenges _ system of online education. one of the challenges is _ system of online education. one of the challenges is this _ system of online education. one of the challenges is this can't - system of online education. one of the challenges is this can't be - system of online education. one of the challenges is this can't be a - the challenges is this can't be a replacement to formal education. i spent some time in secret schools, not just this spent some time in secret schools, notjust this one, in several others, and they are very informal. they cannot replace a formal learning environment for these children. , , ., ., learning environment for these children. , , ~ ~ ., children. this is like kind of basic education. _ children. this is like kind of basic education, they _ children. this is like kind of basic education, they can't _ children. this is like kind of basic education, they can't help - children. this is like kind of basic education, they can't help girls i children. this is like kind of basic| education, they can't help girls to have a proper education or training. the women activists and other organisations, they are trying to help the girls, but of course, this is not a proper education, there is no qualification for this. you is not a proper education, there is no qualification for this.— no qualification for this. you and i soke no qualification for this. you and i spoke many _ no qualification for this. you and i spoke many months _ no qualification for this. you and i spoke many months ago, - no qualification for this. you and i | spoke many months ago, certainly after the fall of kabul in august

2021, and the taliban government sweeping back to power. 0ne 2021, and the taliban government sweeping back to power. one of the things we talked about was the issue is the male judges were facing in the country. you are a judge, you manage to leave the country, but just tell us some of those who have been left behind. fiee just tell us some of those who have been left behind.— just tell us some of those who have been left behind. five months ago we lost one of our— been left behind. five months ago we lost one of our female _ been left behind. five months ago we lost one of our female judges - been left behind. five months ago we lost one of our female judges in - lost one of our female judges in kabul, they killed her and they put her body in front of her brother's house. because of safety problems, we kept this quiet, but today is the time i should tell the world, we lost our colleague five months ago. we have 70 judges left behind, and we tried very hard to ask the uk government to help other female judges, but they are hiding because the preventions are in place and the

situation became more worse for femalejudges in situation became more worse for female judges in afghanistan. situation became more worse for femalejudges in afghanistan. and. female 'udges in afghanistan. and, of female judges in afghanistan. and, of course, female judges in afghanistan. and, of course. they— female judges in afghanistan. and, of course, they also _ female judges in afghanistan. and, of course, they also cannot work, there is no position for them. most women are now, in all sectors, other than the health sector, female doctors can work and nurses in some hospitals, but in most sectors, women are unable to go back to work. of women are unable to go back to work. of course, but the taliban, i have a of course, but the taliban, i have a question, the muslim people, how can they take the people's food and happiness, and how can the women, thejudges, the other women activists, how can they deal with their lives? i think for me, it is a war against women by the taliban. they are anti—women. if they don't like thejudges, they they are anti—women. if they don't

like the judges, they don't like all the women in afghanistan, the teachers, nurses, just want to have a pr to allow the doctors do their job, that is all they do.— job, that is all they do. well, the taliban, when _ job, that is all they do. well, the taliban, when we _ job, that is all they do. well, the taliban, when we asked - job, that is all they do. well, the taliban, when we asked them . job, that is all they do. well, the i taliban, when we asked them about it, they say they are trying to create the right environment, they are trying to follow sharia practices, and that is why they've asked women and girls to stay at home until that environment is created. how would you respond to that? �* ., , ., , ., created. how would you respond to that? ., ,.,. that? afghanistan is an islamic count , that? afghanistan is an islamic country. a _ that? afghanistan is an islamic country. a lot— that? afghanistan is an islamic country, a lot of— that? afghanistan is an islamic country, a lot of women, - that? afghanistan is an islamic country, a lot of women, we i that? afghanistan is an islamic i country, a lot of women, we don't need the taliban to teach us. pakistan is our neighbour, an islamic country, but women have the

scarf, they don't have a burqa, and they go in for work and education. every thing for women in afghanistan, kind of islam, the taliban want to bring afghanistan in. this is against islam. they are just having business, the name of islam, that is all i know. i am a muslim, i know what islam allows me, or doesn't allow me. i don't need the taliban to teach me. aha, or doesn't allow me. i don't need the taliban to teach me. a former aft han the taliban to teach me. a former afghan church. — the taliban to teach me. a former afghan church, thank _ the taliban to teach me. a former afghan church, thank you - the taliban to teach me. a former afghan church, thank you for - the taliban to teach me. a former l afghan church, thank you forjoining us. as we've been hearing, the impact on women not working in certain sectors

has had a huge impact. the taliban mentioned women aid workers couldn't work with aid agencies. the un says 28.3 million people in this country are in need of life—saving aid. just to give you a sense of perspective, 38 million people in this country, so more than two thirds in need of that life—saving aid, many girls and women in some of the remotest, hard to reach areas where conditions are freezing and extremely cold, where children are suffering from malnutrition, and that aid that needs to be treated and sent to them is being hampered because women aren't part of the aid deliveries. i asked mehbouba seraj about that, let's listen to what she said. at this point, you know, what is happening, actually, the people of afghanistan and the women of afghanistan for sure.

they are becoming a, how shall i say, a kind of a, you know, they are becoming the ones that all of the games are turning around them and they are being used. and for that matter, i don't believe that this thing should continue. we should start a conversation with the taliban and start a game of give and take, because this is not going the right way. and the ones that are suffering. absolutely. even though the taliban might say that they are not using the woman as a political chip, but we are becoming these political chips and we are being played that way. and that, honestly, for the women of this country is becoming absolutely unbearable. that was mehbouba seraj. all day we have been dealing with the stories of afghan women. you can find out on our website. we've got lots more

coming up in the next edition of bbc news. stay with us. hello. yet again, another start to the day with dramatic temperature contrasts across the uk this tuesday. —9 first thing in rural 0xfordshire. travel all the way north to the highlands, plus 12 degrees. the big disparity comes because we've got atlantic air to the north of the uk and arctic air to the south. we tend to see things the other way round more typically. in the next few days certainly we are going to return to a more average temperature picture across the uk. we're going to squeeze away this arctic air from the south and we're going to start to introduce some relatively milder airfrom the north. for this evening and overnight, our temperatures will hold up across scotland and northern ireland. a weather front comes into the north—west. there'll be some rain

for western scotland and the north of northern ireland by the end of the night. further south, clearer skies, temperatures will plunge again across parts of england and wales. perhaps not so much though for northern england and north wales. some cloud coming in here. but where we're set to see the lowest temperatures, across the midlands, east anglia and the west country, also the areas where we're likely, i think to see some freezing fog around for first thing on wednesday. through wednesday daytime, this weather front will work its way south across the uk. a cold front, normally with a north—westerly coming in behind it, we'd expect our temperatures to fall, but actually this air has worked its way in originally from the atlantic, so it's relatively milder than this arctic air to the south. what we will see is, as the front comes south, yes, there will be some thicker clouds, there will be some outbreaks of rain, nothing especially heavy, but we'll see milder conditions returning to southern reaches of the uk. it will then start to turn somewhat cooler across scotland and northern ireland, returning to average temperatures here. under high pressure on thursday, a lot of fine weather to come across the uk.

a bit of a northerly wind off the north sea into eastern coastal counties, pulling in a bit more cloud here at times, the odd shower, and definitely adding a rawerfeel to proceedings, but, as you can see, for southern england it is much milder than it has been in recent days. in contrast, the temperatures start to come down for scotland and northern ireland. we're very much going to continue, i think, with similar temperature profiles to those on through into the weekend. we will lose those very harsh frosts. there's a lot of fine weather to come, but some of us mayjust be plagued with some rather stubborn cloud.

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