The education of millions of girls was halted when the Taliban came to power. This was followed by a new order banning freedom of movement.
Afghanistan, First Published May 7, 2022, 7:13 PM IST
The Taliban government in Afghanistan has made the burqa compulsory for women. Hibatullah Akunzada, the Taliban’s top leader, has ordered women to enter public places only to wear face masks. The education of millions of girls was halted when the Taliban came to power. This was followed by a new order banning freedom of movement. The order also says that the parents of women who go out without covering their faces will be punished. The burqa was mandatory during the Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001. With the Taliban’s new laws, Afghanistan has become one of the most anti – feminist countries in the world.
Afghanistan has been facing a devastating humanitarian crisis since the Taliban came to power in August last year. In addition to the severe shortage of food and other necessities, serious human rights violations are taking place in the country. In particular, the lives of women are becoming increasingly unbearable under the Taliban regime. The Taliban also imposed the burqa after it issued a directive barring women from driving in Kabul and other provinces.
Before the Taliban took over, women driving was a regular sight in some major cities across the country, including Kabul. According to the AFP news agency, Taliban officials have asked driving instructors to stop issuing driving licenses to women, even in Herat, Afghanistan’s most advanced city. Jan Aga Achakzai, head of the Herat Institute of Traffic Management, said he had been verbally instructed to stop issuing licenses.
This new decision does not bother women in the slightest. Adila Adil, a 29-year-old female driving instructor, said the Taliban were trying to prevent the new generation from getting the same opportunities as mothers. “We have been told not to teach women driving and not to give them licenses,” she said. However, she added that for women, it is safer to sit in a vehicle driven by women than in a car driven by men.
In a similar recent order, the Taliban government in Afghanistan banned girls from attending classes above six. Taliban leaders later said the move was due to a shortage of teachers and that girls’ right to education would be restored soon after the sixth grade.
When the Taliban took control of the country last year, they vowed not to repeat the atrocities they committed in 1996-2001. In addition, the soft-spoken regime initially set out to convince them that their approach had changed. But as the days go by, this is proving to be untrue. Since returning to power, the Taliban government has been cracking down on the rights of girls and women. In addition, Afghanistan currently has the highest number of people in the world facing emergency food insecurity. More than 23 million people need help there. In addition, about 95 percent of the population is malnourished.
Last Updated May 7, 2022, 7:29 PM IST
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