Under new laws approved by the supreme leader, the Taliban has imposed severe restrictions on Afghan women, including a ban on women's voices and bare faces in public, as part of a campaign to promote virtue and combat vice. The laws empower a dedicated ministry to enforce the regulations and administer punishments, fueling concerns over a climate of fear and intimidation.
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Afghanistan's Taliban Impose Sweeping Restrictions on Women, Banning Voices and Bare Faces
Afghanistan's Taliban regime has implemented a draconian set of laws aimed at restricting the lives of women under the guise of promoting virtue and eliminating vice. Approved by supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, the laws have been published in a 114-page document, outlining severe prohibitions on women's conduct and freedom of expression.
Article 13 of the new laws mandates that women veil their bodies at all times in public and cover their faces to avoid tempting others. Additionally, their clothing must not be thin, tight, or short. These restrictions aim to prevent women from corrupting non-Muslim males and females.
Afghanistan's Taliban Impose Sweeping Restrictions on Women, Banning Voices and Bare Faces
A woman's voice is deemed intimate and is prohibited from being heard singing, reciting, or reading aloud in public. This regulation extends to interactions with men who are not related by blood or marriage, with women forbidden from looking at such men.
Article 17 of the laws bans the publication of images of living beings, threatening the already fragile Afghan media landscape. The restrictions on media freedom impede the dissemination of vital information and limit the expression of dissent.
Article 19 prohibits the transportation of solo female travelers and the mixing of men and women who are not related. The law also mandates that passengers and drivers perform prayers at designated times. These restrictions severely limit women's mobility and social interactions.
The laws empower the Ministry for the "Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice" to regulate personal conduct and administer punishments for violations. The ministry's role is expanding into other areas of public life, including media monitoring and eradicating drug addiction.
Last month, a U.N. report expressed concern over the climate of fear and intimidation created by the ministry's enforcement methods. The U.N.'s Fiona Frazer highlighted the expanding role of the ministry and its negative impact on Afghans, especially women and girls.
The Taliban has dismissed the U.N. report and continues to assert that its laws are necessary to promote virtue and eliminate vice. However, the severe restrictions imposed on women raise serious concerns about the fundamental rights and freedoms of Afghan women.
The new laws have far-reaching implications for Afghan women, limiting their mobility, social interactions, and access to education and employment. They also perpetuate harmful gender stereotypes and reinforce the idea of women as inferior to men.
The Taliban's restrictions on women have drawn widespread condemnation from international human rights organizations and foreign governments. The United States has labeled the laws as "abhorrent" and "appalling," while the European Union has expressed "grave concern."
