The Taliban interim government in Afghanistan has recently imposed a new law that imposes stricter limitations on women’s freedom in public spaces. According to local media reports, the Ministry of Justice of the Taliban administration enacted the legislation on August 21, aiming to regulate daily life in the country.
The law, justified under the premise of preventing temptation, demands that women cover their entire bodies and faces with headscarves and burqas when in public. It also prohibits women from speaking loudly in public or engaging in activities such as singing. Furthermore, the regulation forbids women from looking at men who are not their relatives.
United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) head Roza Otunbayeva expressed concern over these measures in a statement on August 25. Otunbayeva highlighted that these actions represent an escalation in the severe restrictions imposed on Afghan women’s human rights. The UNAMA vowed to persistently engage with the Taliban interim government to encourage improvements in the status of women’s rights in Afghanistan.
This development comes after the Taliban administration banned the entry of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Afghanistan in August, a figure who has consistently advocated for better women’s rights. This move signals a deepening rift between the Taliban and the international community.
The new law is a stark reminder of the Taliban’s previous rule in the 1990s, when they imposed severe restrictions on women, including banning them from education and most jobs. The current interim government, which took control in 2021 following the withdrawal of international forces, initially promised a more moderate approach. However, these recent measures indicate a return to more conservative policies.
The international community, particularly women’s rights advocates, have been closely monitoring the situation in Afghanistan since the Taliban’s takeover. The new law has sparked renewed concerns over the rollback of women’s rights, which were significantly advanced over the past two decades under the previous government.
In response to the Taliban’s actions, several countries and organizations have called for the protection and promotion of women’s rights in Afghanistan. The United States, European Union, and United Nations have all emphasized the importance of respecting human rights, including women’s rights, as a precondition for any formal recognition or financial assistance to the Taliban-led administration.
As the world watches, the implementation of this new law will undoubtedly test the international community’s resolve in holding the Taliban accountable for their commitments to human rights. The Taliban’s actions will also shape the future of Afghanistan, particularly for the millions of women who have already faced immense challenges in exercising their basic rights.
The situation underscores the delicate balance between diplomacy and the protection of human rights, highlighting the need for continued dialogue and pressure to ensure that women’s rights are not compromised in the pursuit of stability and peace in Afghanistan. The international community’s response will be crucial in determining the trajectory of women’s rights in the country, as the world awaits the Taliban’s next move in this complex and evolving landscape.
【source】https://nwapi.nhk.jp/nhkworld/rdnewsweb/v6b/zh/detail/20240826_02.json
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