tl:dr

Christophe Petit Tesson/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo UNITED NATIONS, Sept 24 (Reuters) -

Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, who was shot by a Taliban gunman in Pakistan as she left school in 2012, pleaded with the world on Friday not to compromise on the protection of Afghan women's rights following the Taliban takeover.

As countries and organizations take the first steps to engage with the hardline Islamist group, the 24-year-old Yousafzai said she worried the Taliban would act as they did when they were in power 20 years ago despite a sharp increase in work and education opportunities for Afghan women since then.

"Now is the time that we stick to that commitment and ensure that the rights of Afghan women are protected.

And one of those important rights is the right to education," said Yousafzai, who joined the panel by video.

The Taliban say they have changed since their 1996-2001 rule, when they also barred women from leaving home without a male relative.