Macron: Freedom for Afghan women but not for French Muslim women

French President Emmanuel Macron's attempt to speak out in support of Afghan women has been derided online as hypocritical given the country's treatment of its own Muslim women.

In a televised speech earlier this week, Emmanuel Macron said that "Afghan women have the right to live in freedom and dignity."

The Taliban's austere and extreme interpretation of Islam has meant that it has often forced women to don the hijab and a full face veiling.

However, some people have argued that France has its own policies against Muslim women, particularly those who choose to wear veils, which in turn diminishes its voice to speak out against the Taliban's practices.

"This place where women are ordered what to wear and if they don't conform they can't study or work and can even be arrested…is called France," said one user in a comment that was widely shared online.

Another online user also reacted to the perceived double standard in France's concern towards Afghan women "The west worries about women's dress in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Macron and France can mandate Muslim women can't choose to wear longer skirts or head coverings."

France has banned young girls from wearing the headscarf in schools since 2005. There have also been attempts to ban women in headscarves in France from attending school trips with their children.

"Muslim women aren't even allowed to live in peace and with dignity in France. #Macron should be the last person to lecture #Afghanistan about women's rights," said one social media user after the French president's remarks about Afghan women.

While the Taliban's treatment of women in the past is still not comparable to the ability of many Muslims to study and work in France, discrimination in the country has resulted in many women being excluded from opportunities.

Recently the EU's highest court ruled that Muslim women can be fired from their jobs for refusing to take off the headscarf. In addition, the court ruled that businesses can ban headscarves from being worn if it protects the businesses image.

France has also banned the full-face veil from being worn by Muslim women in public spaces who see it as a part of their religious conviction. Muslim women in France can face fines and even prison if they wear they choose to wear the face veil in public.