October 30th 2024.
In Afghanistan, there are strict rules set by the Taliban that greatly limit the lives of women. One such rule forbids adult women from speaking in the presence of other women. This was announced by Khalid Hanafi, the Taliban's minister for virtue, who has also prohibited women from reciting prayers or reading the Quran.
But it doesn't stop there. Female healthcare workers are not allowed to meet with male companions of their patients, and women are also banned from reading or singing in public. These restrictions are enforced to ensure that women remain veiled at all times and only wear loose clothing, so as not to entice anyone. Men are also forbidden from looking at women who are not related to them or whom they are not married to.
Mohammad Khalid Hanafi, the Taliban's minister for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, has been at the forefront of enforcing these laws. Samira, a midwife in Herat, has been working in clinics for eight years but says that in the last two months, the Taliban's control has intensified. She explains that they are not even allowed to speak at checkpoints on their way to work, and in the clinics, they are instructed not to discuss medical matters with male relatives.
These restrictive policies have been heavily criticized by women's rights activists in Afghanistan. They believe that these rules are limiting their ability to move, work, and even speak freely. One activist questioned, "How are women who are the sole providers for their families supposed to buy bread, seek medical care, or simply exist if even their voices are forbidden?" She goes on to say that these orders are making life exhausting for all women.
According to a UN report, the Taliban's Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice is causing fear and intimidation among the people, especially women and girls. This ministry was established when the Taliban took control in 2021, making these laws the first formal declaration of vice and virtue laws under the Taliban rule. These laws give authorities the power to regulate behavior and make arrests and punishments as they see fit.
In addition to these laws, the Taliban's Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has also banned the use of images showing living beings, including in official broadcasts. This has raised concerns about the impact it will have on Afghan media and press freedom. So far, media outlets in Takhar, Maidan Wardak, and Kandahar have been instructed to comply with the ban, causing worry about the future of media in Afghanistan.
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