Taliban Imposes New Law: Blocking Windows to Prevent Visibility of Women
The Taliban enforces stricter gender segregation measures, adding to a series of restrictions on Afghan women's rights and freedoms since their return to power.
The Taliban, Afghanistan's ruling regime, has introduced a controversial new regulation requiring windows in homes and courtyards to be designed or modified so that women cannot be seen from the outside.
The Taliban claims that the visibility of women in private spaces could lead to 'improper actions,' according to statements attributed to the group and reported by AFP.
Justification Behind the Law
The new directive highlights the Taliban's interpretation of Islamic law, which enforces rigid gender segregation.
The Supreme Leader of the Taliban reportedly stated that 'seeing women working in the kitchen, in the courtyard, or fetching water from a well could lead to inappropriate behavior,' emphasizing their belief that such visibility contradicts their moral and religious standards.
Broader Restrictions on Women
This regulation is the latest in a long list of measures curbing women’s rights in Afghanistan since the Taliban regained control in 2021.
Key restrictions include:
Education: Girls above the age of 12 are barred from attending secondary schools, significantly limiting their access to higher education.
Employment: Women have been dismissed from many public sector jobs and are prohibited from working in certain professions, particularly those involving interaction with men.
Public Movement: Women are not allowed to travel more than 15 kilometers from their homes without a male family member accompanying them.
Dress Codes: Women are required to wear a burqa or fully cover their bodies and faces in public spaces.
Behavioral Restrictions: Women are forbidden from raising their voices, laughing, or speaking publicly in a manner that could attract attention.
They are also prohibited from making eye contact with men who are not immediate family members.
The Impact on Afghan Society
These rules have had far-reaching consequences on Afghan society, exacerbating gender inequality and human rights violations.
Many women have been pushed into isolation, unable to access education, employment, or public life.
This has led to a significant increase in poverty and psychological distress among Afghan women and girls.
Human rights organizations and international bodies have condemned the Taliban's policies, describing them as oppressive and regressive.
The restrictions have drawn widespread criticism for erasing decades of progress made in women's education and empowerment during the years prior to the Taliban's return to power.
Global Reactions
The international community, including the United Nations, has repeatedly called on the Taliban to reverse these policies and uphold basic human rights.
However, the regime has shown little willingness to adapt its approach, citing its commitment to its interpretation of Islamic law.
Despite global pressure, the Taliban continues to impose new restrictions, further isolating Afghan women from public life.
Advocacy groups have expressed concerns that these measures not only violate women's fundamental rights but also undermine Afghanistan’s potential for long-term development and stability.
Conclusion
The Taliban's new law on window visibility underscores the regime's escalating efforts to enforce its vision of gender segregation and control over women's lives.
For Afghan women, these policies represent a significant regression in freedoms and rights, erasing gains made over two decades.
While the world watches and condemns, the situation on the ground for Afghan women continues to deteriorate under a regime determined to enforce its stringent ideological framework.
The Taliban claims that the visibility of women in private spaces could lead to 'improper actions,' according to statements attributed to the group and reported by AFP.
Justification Behind the Law
The new directive highlights the Taliban's interpretation of Islamic law, which enforces rigid gender segregation.
The Supreme Leader of the Taliban reportedly stated that 'seeing women working in the kitchen, in the courtyard, or fetching water from a well could lead to inappropriate behavior,' emphasizing their belief that such visibility contradicts their moral and religious standards.
Broader Restrictions on Women
This regulation is the latest in a long list of measures curbing women’s rights in Afghanistan since the Taliban regained control in 2021.
Key restrictions include:
Education: Girls above the age of 12 are barred from attending secondary schools, significantly limiting their access to higher education.
Employment: Women have been dismissed from many public sector jobs and are prohibited from working in certain professions, particularly those involving interaction with men.
Public Movement: Women are not allowed to travel more than 15 kilometers from their homes without a male family member accompanying them.
Dress Codes: Women are required to wear a burqa or fully cover their bodies and faces in public spaces.
Behavioral Restrictions: Women are forbidden from raising their voices, laughing, or speaking publicly in a manner that could attract attention.
They are also prohibited from making eye contact with men who are not immediate family members.
The Impact on Afghan Society
These rules have had far-reaching consequences on Afghan society, exacerbating gender inequality and human rights violations.
Many women have been pushed into isolation, unable to access education, employment, or public life.
This has led to a significant increase in poverty and psychological distress among Afghan women and girls.
Human rights organizations and international bodies have condemned the Taliban's policies, describing them as oppressive and regressive.
The restrictions have drawn widespread criticism for erasing decades of progress made in women's education and empowerment during the years prior to the Taliban's return to power.
Global Reactions
The international community, including the United Nations, has repeatedly called on the Taliban to reverse these policies and uphold basic human rights.
However, the regime has shown little willingness to adapt its approach, citing its commitment to its interpretation of Islamic law.
Despite global pressure, the Taliban continues to impose new restrictions, further isolating Afghan women from public life.
Advocacy groups have expressed concerns that these measures not only violate women's fundamental rights but also undermine Afghanistan’s potential for long-term development and stability.
Conclusion
The Taliban's new law on window visibility underscores the regime's escalating efforts to enforce its vision of gender segregation and control over women's lives.
For Afghan women, these policies represent a significant regression in freedoms and rights, erasing gains made over two decades.
While the world watches and condemns, the situation on the ground for Afghan women continues to deteriorate under a regime determined to enforce its stringent ideological framework.
