Women Face Horrible New Restrictions Under Taliban Rule
The Taliban has begun enforcing a new set of austere rules, with severe restrictions under Taliban rule reshaping Afghan society according to their strict interpretation of Islam. Recent days have seen the Taliban’s morality police actively implementing these rules, aimed at “promoting virtue and preventing vice.”
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There is evidence that Afghans are becoming more self-policing in order to stay out of trouble with the law. Despite the ongoing enforcement, many elements of the new law have yet to be rolled out.
The law, announced on August 21, includes 35 articles with several controversial mandates. It is against the law for women to sing or read aloud from poetry or raise their voices in public. In addition, unrelated men and women are not allowed to glance at one another, and when ladies are with non-Muslim women, they are required to cover completely.
Men face new restrictions under Taliban rule as well, including growing beards longer than a fist and wearing loose-fitting clothing. Sodomy, even with one’s own spouse, is explicitly banned. The law also prohibits mocking or humiliating Islam, mandates prayer time adjustments for transport companies, and forbids friendships with non-Muslims.
Traditional games and the use of photos on electronic devices are banned, and disobedience of parents is outlawed. Since the law’s announcement, increased scrutiny from Taliban officials has been reported, with patrols in Kabul warning women about improper attire and men about not having beards.
In response, Kabul’s bank staff have swapped Western attire for traditional dress to comply. Despite these changes, women’s voices still occasionally appear on TV and radio. The Taliban’s return to power in 2021 saw intermittent social curbs, with many overlapping with the new laws.
Restrictions Under Taliban Rule Ban Women from Education and Raise Alarming Questions
It is now forbidden for women to attend universities and for girls to attend secondary schools. Public segregation of men and women is enforced, and public music and gambling are outlawed.
The new law, however, is the most comprehensive declaration of the Taliban’s vision since their return. It outlines a range of punishments for disobedience, from warnings to fines and detentions. Yet, the law raises many unanswered questions, such as what constitutes an “urgent need” for women to leave their homes and how it affects interactions with international organisations.
A United Nations report noted existing ambiguities in the enforcement of morality measures, leaving uncertainties about how uniformly these new regulations will be applied.
