Last month, the Taliban in Afghanistan introduced a new law under the “Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice,” imposing strict regulations on women’s behavior and dress. Issued on August 21 by the Ministry for Promoting Virtue and Preventing Vice, the law requires women to fully cover their bodies and faces and prohibits them from speaking or singing loud enough to be heard by non-family members.
The law is rooted in the Taliban‘s interpretation of Islamic Sharia law, which they have been enforcing since they regained power in August 2021. According to the new rules, a woman’s voice is now considered ‘awrah,’ an intimate part that must not be exposed publicly. Violations are punishable, with the Taliban’s morality police, known as Muhtaseebs, authorized to detain individuals for up to three days.
The United Nations (UN) has condemned this law. Following the UN’s criticism, the Taliban’s Ministry of Vice and Virtue urged the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) not to compare Afghanistan with “Western theories and non-Islamic societies.” The ministry also announced it would end cooperation with UNAMA, accusing the organization of spreading “misleading propaganda.”
“Engagement is the only way that plays an important role in resolving challenges and expanding relations. Countries and international organizations should engage positively with the Islamic Emirate,” a Taliban official stated.
UN officials, including spokesperson Stephane Dujarric and Ravina Shamdasani of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, have expressed deep concern, stating that the law effectively erases women’s presence in public life and violates their fundamental rights. UN High Commissioner Volker Turk has called for the immediate repeal of the law, describing it as deeply repressive.
Despite these developments, the United Nations continues to engage with the Taliban and other stakeholders in Afghanistan. The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Rosa Otunbayeva, emphasized that the new law imposes intolerable restrictions on Afghan women and girls, further isolating them from public life. She is expected to brief the UN Security Council on the situation in Afghanistan on September 18.
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