The Taliban government in Afghanistan has implemented a series of strict new laws, placing severe restrictions on women’s lives and public roles. These regulations, approved by the Taliban’s supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, are part of the regime’s ongoing efforts to enforce their interpretation of ‘virtue’ and curb what they deem ‘vice.’
The new laws mandate that women cover their entire bodies, including their faces, in public. Clothing must be neither thin, tight, nor short, and face coverings are mandatory to prevent ‘temptation’ and protect others from it. Women are also forbidden from making eye contact with men outside their immediate family.
These restrictions extend beyond dress codes, silencing women in public spaces. The new regulations label a woman’s voice as ‘intimate,’ prohibiting activities like singing, reciting poetry, or reading aloud in public. This effectively silences women from participating in social and cultural settings.
The comprehensive 114-page, 35-article document outlining these regulations was issued by the Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice. This ministry, re-established after the Taliban’s 2021 takeover, has significant power in enforcing these laws.
Article 17 of the document bans the publication of images of living beings, further threatening the already fragile media landscape in Afghanistan. Article 19 restricts the playing of music, solo female travel, and interactions between unrelated men and women. The regulations also dictate specific prayer times, reflecting the Taliban’s strict interpretation of Islamic practices.
These laws have sparked widespread concern among international human rights organizations. A recent United Nations report highlighted the increasing climate of fear and intimidation in Afghanistan, exacerbated by the Taliban’s enforcement methods. The report warns that the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice is expanding its influence into various aspects of public life, including media oversight and drug eradication efforts. The implications of these restrictions on the fundamental rights and freedoms of Afghan women are a cause for grave concern.
