Afghan women’s voices and bodies are deemed ‘intimate’ by the Taliban and banned from public.
In a chilling echo of previous decrees that have systematically erased women from public life, a new Taliban law enforces strict restrictions on Afghan women’s dress codes. The law—the latest dystopian edict out of the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice—embodies the continued, full-scale implementation of the Taliban’s gender apartheid regime.
Reportedly authored by Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, the new law forces Afghan women to fully cover their bodies and faces in public spaces, avoid any form of tight clothing and dress in a manner that entirely conceals their body shape. The new law also prohibits women from speaking in public, further tightening the noose of oppression that has been steadily constricting since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021.
Silencing Afghan Women
In a further attempt to strip Afghan women of their humanity, the new law mandates that women’s voices be “concealed” to prevent allegedly tempting men. The law categorizes women’s voices as “intimate” and suggests that anything intimate should be neither seen nor heard in public. These restrictions forbid women from loudly reciting the Quran, Islam’s holy book, speaking or singing. In essence, the law demands that women’s voices be silenced.
The majority of Muslim scholars argue the teachings of Islam emphasize the dignity and respect of women.
This decree not only prohibits women from speaking in public but also silences their participation in all aspects of public life.
In defiance of the Taliban’s new edict, Afghan women are taking to social media, recording themselves singing and reciting poetry. Many powerfully shared that their voices are not a source of shame and cannot be concealed or treated as “intimate.”
Women are now also required to cover their entire bodies, including their faces, with thick veils when in public. The Taliban’s rationale is to prevent women from “tempting” men. The use of thick clothing is specifically mentioned, to make sure that no part of a woman’s body or face is visible, or noticeable, effectively rendering Afghan women invisible in public spaces.
Despite the Taliban’s claims that they are acting following Islamic principles, many Muslim-majority countries and Islamic scholars have rejected the Taliban’s interpretation. The majority of Muslim scholars argue the teachings of Islam emphasize the dignity and respect of women.
Afghan women say these new regulations are part of a broader campaign by the Taliban to impose their extreme interpretation of religion and culture on Afghan society. Since their return to power in August 2021, the Taliban has systematically erased the rights and freedoms that Afghan women had fought for over two decades. The Taliban has issued over 100 edicts specifically targeting women and girls. Girls are barred from attending school beyond the sixth grade and cannot pursue modern education even if at home. Women are prevented from working in most jobs, their movement is restricted, and cannot travel without a close male member of the family as a guardian.
The Taliban’s Vice and Virtue Ministry—which currently occupies the building of the former Ministry of Women’s Affairs—is tasked with enforcing these laws and has been instrumental in the implementation of the Taliban’s gender apartheid policies. The Taliban has reinstated public punishments, including flogging and stoning, and women who defy the new regulations risk severe penalties, including detainment, character shaming and assassinations.
Global Community Condemns the New Law
Since the release of the new law, the international community has reacted with alarm and dismay, calling it an “affront to human dignity,” “frightening” and a “gross violation of fundamental rights.” Human rights organizations have condemned it as a blatant violation of women’s rights and are calling on the global community to take stronger action against the Taliban’s oppressive regime.
As the Taliban continues to tighten its grip on Afghanistan and expands its repressive measures, the future for Afghan women grows increasingly bleak. Each new order strips away another layer of human rights and dignity, plunging women and girls further into darkness. These new laws aren’t just an assault on human rights and freedoms; they represent a profound loss of the very humanity of women—their identity, their voices and their presence. It places the burden of men’s actions on women and suggests that women are inherently responsible for the sins and wrongdoings of men—whether at home or outside the home.
While the international community condemns these brutal and oppressive restrictions, it now faces a critical challenge: how to effectively respond to the Taliban’s gender apartheid policies and increasing human rights abuses. The need for the international community to codify gender apartheid as a crime against humanity grows more urgent.
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