International Women's Day

Marking International Women's Day, the United Nations says that the ruling Taliban in Afghanistan are showing a new flexibility in their attitude towards women.

The UN Coordinator for Afghanistan, Mr Ahmed Farah said in Islamabad that the change in attitude reflected the Taliban's desire to end its international isolation.

Correspondents say that following their takeover in Kabul, the Taliban came under strong criticism for banning education and jobs for women, but now women teachers are being allowed to teach girls at home, and women can work in limited areas such as the health sector. In France, the Prime Minister Lionel Jospin will mark Womens' Day, which France has recognised since 1982, with a lunch for the 10 women ministers in his 28-strong cabinet.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service