A recent United Nations report highlights the Taliban’s intensifying constraints on the rights of unmarried Afghan women. The report, covering the period from October to December last year, details instances where officials from the Vice and Virtue Ministry advised women to get married if they wished to keep their jobs. This signifies a troubling regression in women’s access to work, travel, and healthcare under the Taliban’s rule, raising global concerns about human rights violations and setbacks to gender equality.
Crackdown on Single Women:
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan reports that the Taliban is increasingly targeting Afghan women who are single or lack a male guardian (mahram) to accompany them. While there are no official laws regarding male guardianship in Afghanistan, the Taliban insists that women cannot travel a certain distance or move around without a male relative by blood or marriage. Three female healthcare workers were detained in October for traveling to work without a mahram, and similar incidents have been reported, indicating a systematic crackdown.
Restricted Access to Health Facilities:
In Paktia province, the Vice and Virtue Ministry has prevented women without mahrams from accessing health facilities since December. The ministry conducts regular visits to health facilities in the province to ensure compliance with their imposed restrictions. Furthermore, the morality police are enforcing hijab and mahram requirements at public places, offices, and educational institutes through checkpoints and inspections, further curtailing women’s freedom.
Arbitrary Measures and Arrests:
In December, officials visited a bus terminal in Kandahar province to ensure women were not traveling long distances without mahrams, instructing bus drivers not to permit women to board without one. Additionally, women have been arrested for purchasing contraceptives, despite no official ban on such products by the Taliban. These arbitrary measures demonstrate the extent of control the Taliban seeks to exert over women’s lives.
Taliban Response:
In response to the UN report, the Taliban’s chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, dismissed the findings, citing misunderstandings and accusing the mission of ignoring or criticizing Islamic law, or Shariah. Mujahid emphasized the need to fully implement Shariah for both men and women, defending the enforcement of rules related to the hijab, male guardianship, and gender segregation in education and employment. Any critique or opposition to these measures, according to Mujahid, is deemed an insult to the beliefs of the Afghan people.
The UN report sheds light on the alarming situation faced by unmarried Afghan women under the Taliban’s rule, with increasing restrictions on their rights to work, travel, and access healthcare. The international community expresses deep concern over these human rights violations, urging the Taliban to reconsider its policies and respect the fundamental rights of Afghan women. As Afghanistan grapples with a complex humanitarian crisis, the plight of women remains a focal point for advocates of global justice and gender equality.
