8 Restrictions Imposed By The Taliban That Violate Women’s Rights
Will these women ever get their rights?
When the Taliban took over Afghanistan in 2021, we all knew Afghan women will suffer and that’s exactly what happened. At the time of the takeover, the Taliban barred women from going to schools and educational institutes claiming that the soldiers needed to be trained to respect women and sensitised. Girls were only permitted to pursue primary education till class 6 and secondary and higher secondary education was suspended for the time being with plans of the ban being lifted but the same was never done leaving the female student to come to terms with the fact that they will be denied the right to education under the Taliban rule.
Things got worse recently after, the Taliban banned Afghan women from Universities ensuring that women can only pursue education till sixth grade. In response to the new restriction on women, United Nations Security Council (UNSC) condemned the restriction and urged the Taliban to lift the ban on women’s education as well as other restrictions in order to allow women and girls to equally contribute to the growth of Afghanistan. As per the statement, UNSC is “deeply alarmed” by the new restriction placed on women by the Taliban. The council also called upon the Taliban to reverse the rules, policies and practices that violate women’s rights and freedoms.
Earlier, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, reportedly, said that a country requires the complete population in order to develop and excluding half of it will only increase the suffering of people in Afghanistan as well as pose a risk to the country that goes beyond its borders.
Ever since the takeover, there have been several restrictions on women in Afghanistan. Here’s a list of all the policies, practices and rules put in place by the Taliban for women.
1. Female TV Presenters To Cover Face
Soon after the Taliban gained control of Afghanistan, the country’s Minister of Women’s Affairs was replaced by the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice. Later, in May 2022, the ministry issued a directive ordering all-female TV presenters to cover their faces when they go on-air.
2. No Woman Can Work At NGO
Just a few days ago, in December 2022, the Taliban banned women from working in NGOs and also issued a directive to the organisations to remove all female employees. This move led to severe global outrage while adding to the suffering of people in Afghanistan. Due to this rule, NGOs are unable to provide humanitarian aid across the country.
Also Read: Afghan Women Protest Against Taliban’s Ban On Female Employment, Claim Reports
3. Ban On Girls And Women’s Education
After regaining control of Afghanistan, the Taliban temporarily banned female students in higher secondary schools from pursuing education. The ban was supposed to be lifted, allowing girls to study beyond sixth grade but it was never changed. And now, the Taliban has banned women from pursuing University education which means that the highest education that women in Afghanistan can obtain is class 6.
4. Dress Code Requiring Women To Wear Burqa Or Face Punishment
The Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice issued a directive in May 2022 which requires all Afghan women to be covered from head to toe in full-body coverings in public leaving only their eyes uncovered. As per the ministry’s directive, anyone who violates the dress code can be punished with a fine, prison time and the male “guardian” of women violating the dress code will be terminated from government employment.
5. Restrictions On Female Employment
While there is no blanket ban on women’s employment in Afghanistan just yet, their right to earn a livelihood is slowly disappearing. In July 2022, the Taliban urged all the female employees in the government to suggest the name of a male relative to replace them so they can be removed from their position. And in December 2022, women were banned from working with any domestic or international NGO. In fact, in April 2022, several female employees in government jobs were fired under Taliban rule.
Also Read: 7 Instances Where Women’s Rights Were Violated Without Remorse
6. Women Banned From Gyms, Public Baths, Public Parks, And Amusement Parks
There was severe global outrage in November 2022 after the Taliban banned women from entering parks, gyms, public baths (including the women-only public baths), sports centres and amusement parks. The Ministry spokesperson claimed that women were banned from gyms as some of them were combined gyms and because the trainers were men. Further, people were told that public baths aka hammams were banned for women as every house in the country has a bathroom so, women have no need for a hammam.
7. Men, Women Not Allowed To Sit Together Even If Married
As per media reports, in May 2022, another one of the Taliban’s rules, men and women were banned from sitting together and eating in restaurants in Afghanistan’s Herat province. The Ministry issued a directive banning women and men from sitting together at restaurants even if they are married.
8. Women Banned From Travelling Without A Male Chaperone
In March 2022, Afghan women were banned from travelling long distances alone. As per the rule, women are banned from travelling more than 7 kilometres without being chaperoned by a close male relative. This also means that women are not permitted to board a flight, domestic or international on their own.
