Taliban has enacted new morality law for women. The Ministry of Propagation of Virtue, Prevention of Wise and Hearing Complaints published the 144 page code, which is the first formal enactment of such laws. These laws make it mandatory for a woman to veil her entire body at all times in public.
It also includes a face covering as “essential to avoid temptation and tempting others”. As per a news report by Associate Press, the 144 page document deems women’s voice as “intimate”. It says that the women should not be heard singing, reciting or reading aloud in public.
Women should not be heard singing or reading aloud even inside their homes as per the document, said a report by The Guardian. The new Taliban regime took over the country in August 2021.
Previously, Taliban regime were in power in the country from 1996 to 2001 until the US invaded Afghanistan after September 11, 2001 attacks. The group however could not be destroyed then. Experts describe the condition of women under both the Taliban regimes as “gender apartheid”, as per a report by the Indian Express.
In the first press conference after August 2021, Taliban’s spokesperson Zabeullah Mujahid said referring to the women in the country, “our sisters and men have the same rights”. He said that both men and women going to be working shoulder to shoulder with Taliban. However, soon after declaring this, the Taliban banned education for girls beyond class 6.
The United States have made its support to Taliban in part contingent on such measures being withdrawn. However, several Muslim majority countries in China have given de facto recognition to the regime.
