The Taliban has enacted a series of stringent new laws that drastically curtail the rights of women in Afghanistan. Approved by Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, these measures represent some of the most severe restrictions imposed since the Taliban regained control of the country in 2021.
These laws are part of a comprehensive 114-page document issued by the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, signaling a further tightening of the Taliban’s grip on Afghan society.
Mandatory Full-Body Veil and Silencing of Women in Public
One of the most notable aspects of the new laws is the mandatory requirement for women to cover their faces and bodies completely in public. The Taliban justifies this rule by claiming it prevents “temptation.”
Article 13 of the document explicitly mandates that women must not only wear a full-body veil but also refrain from singing, reciting, or speaking loudly in public.
The Taliban deems women’s voices too intimate to be heard by others, effectively silencing them in public spaces. This law further prohibits women from looking at men who are not their close relatives, reinforcing gender segregation in Afghan society.
These regulations mark a stark regression in women’s rights, reminiscent of the Taliban’s rule in the late 1990s. The complete veiling and silencing of women in public strips them of their autonomy and visibility, relegating them to the fringes of society.
The laws are seen as a direct attack on the freedoms and rights women had begun to reclaim in the years following the fall of the Taliban in 2001.
Restrictions on Public Transport and Media
The new laws extend beyond personal attire and behavior, impacting public transport and media as well. Women are now prohibited from traveling alone unless accompanied by a male guardian, effectively restricting their freedom of movement.
This regulation imposes significant challenges for women who need to commute for work, education, or personal reasons, as many may not have a male relative available to accompany them.
In addition, music is banned on public transport, further curtailing the cultural life of the country. This ban on music is reminiscent of the previous Taliban regime, which had also imposed a similar restriction. The cultural repression under the Taliban is now being reinforced with these new laws, stripping away even more of the limited cultural freedoms that had been regained in recent years.
Furthermore, the publication of images of living beings, including photographs of people, is forbidden. This new restriction significantly impacts Afghanistan’s media landscape, which has already faced severe censorship and repression since the Taliban’s return to power.
The ban on images effectively stifles visual storytelling, a crucial aspect of journalism and art. This law not only restricts media freedom but also erases the visual representation of Afghan society, particularly of women, from public view.
International Condemnation and Human Rights Concerns
The international community has reacted with alarm to these new laws, with several organizations expressing grave concerns about their implications for human rights in Afghanistan. The United Nations has been particularly vocal, warning that the new restrictions could worsen the already dire situation for women and girls in the country.
The UN has highlighted the growing climate of fear in Afghanistan, where women and girls are increasingly deprived of their basic rights and freedoms.
The UN’s concerns are echoed by other international human rights organizations, which have condemned the Taliban’s actions as a severe violation of international human rights standards. These organizations warn that the Taliban’s policies could lead to further isolation of Afghanistan from the international community and exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in the country.
The enforcement of these laws by the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice has also raised concerns about the potential for widespread human rights abuses. The ministry has been empowered to detain individuals for violations of these laws, raising fears of arbitrary arrests and detention.
The broad and vague nature of the laws leaves significant room for interpretation, which could lead to inconsistent and potentially abusive enforcement.
The Taliban’s latest set of laws represents a profound setback for women’s rights in Afghanistan, marking a return to the draconian measures of their previous regime. The mandatory full-body veiling, restrictions on women’s voices, and limitations on movement and media signify a deliberate effort to erase women from public life and stifle any form of dissent.
As the international community watches with concern, the future for women in Afghanistan under Taliban rule appears increasingly bleak. These laws not only highlight the Taliban’s rigid interpretation of Islamic law but also reinforce their determination to control and suppress the rights of half of Afghanistan’s population.
