Medical and Hospital News
THE STANS
How the Taliban restrict women's lives in Afghanistan
How the Taliban restrict women's lives in Afghanistan
by AFP Staff Writers
Hong Kong (AFP) Jan 24, 2025

The Taliban authorities that rule Afghanistan have imposed a severe interpretation of Islamic law on the population, heavily restricting all aspects of women's lives.

This week, the International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor said he was seeking arrest warrants against senior Taliban leaders over the persecution of women, a crime against humanity.

The government claims it secures Afghan women's rights under Sharia law, but many of the edicts are not followed in the rest of the Islamic world and have been condemned by Muslim leaders.

The United Nations has called it a "gender apartheid", and no country has formally recognised the government since they swept to power in a lightning but largely bloodless military offensive in 2021.

- Education -

Taliban authorities banned girls from public secondary classes at the start of the new school year in 2022.

A year later, universities were also closed to women.

The last options for education -- midwifery and nursing - were banned from teaching women late last year.

Afghanistan is the only country in the world where girls and women are barred from education and the move has been widely criticised by Muslim leaders -- including the Saudi-based Muslim World League.

- Work -

Taliban authorities have made it increasingly difficult for women to work in a bid to keep them segregated from men.

While they held positions throughout the civil service of the foreign-backed government ousted by Taliban insurgents, women have been mostly been fired, forced to stay home, and have had their pay slashed.

Officially, women can no longer work for NGOs and the United Nations apart from in education and health, although the ban has not been strictly enforced.

Women are allowed to work from home or in women-majority businesses, such as textiles.

Private businesses can employ women, but in offices that are supposed to be segregated.

- Public life -

In cities, where women once generally already wore modest clothing and headscarves, huge billboards and posters on shop windows order them to cover their hair, faces and their bodies with a long cloak and face mask.

Women rarely appear on television, and many journalists have been pushed off screen.

They are banned from public spaces such as parks and gyms, while baths and salons have been closed down.

Women travelling long distances must be accompanied by a male chaperone.

In one of the latest orders, women cannot sing or recite poetry in public, and their voices and bodies must be "concealed" outside the home.

The Ministry of Women's Affairs was shut down and their offices taken over by the Ministry of Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, the Taliban authority's morality police.

Related Links
News From Across The Stans

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
THE STANS
China lodges protest with Afghanistan over mine worker killing
Beijing (AFP) Jan 23, 2025
China said Thursday it had lodged "solemn representations" with Afghanistan's Taliban government over the killing of a Chinese mine worker in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group. "The Chinese side urgently lodged solemn representations with the Afghan side, demanding that (they) thoroughly investigate and punish the perpetrators," foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said. "China is deeply shocked by the attack, strongly condemns it and expresses condolences to the victims," Mao said. ... read more

THE STANS
Director of apocalyptic Sundance film lost home in LA fires

Trump orders 1,500 extra troops to US-Mexico border

US defense chief says military will keep aiding 'mass deportations'

Despite truce, Lebanese from devastated Naqura cannot go home

THE STANS
Sierra Space resilient GPS Satellite Program achieves major development milestone

Slingshot Aerospace to enhance USSF technology for GPS jamming and spoofing detection

SATELLAI introduces satellite and AI-driven pet wearables

SpaceX launches Space Force Rapid Response Trailblazer

THE STANS
Trump signs order to get 'transgender ideology' out of military

Three million years ago our ancestors relied on plant-based diets

China says population fell for third year in a row in 2024

Early humans adapted to extreme environments over a million years ago

THE STANS
Empty headed? Largest study of its kind proves bird brain is a misnomer

Rare wildlife species found in Cambodian national park

Elephants are not people, US judges say

Indian elephants on epic journey to tycoon's giant zoo

THE STANS
China says 'extremely unlikely' Covid pandemic came from lab leak

Wuhan keen to shake off pandemic label five years on

China marks muted 5th anniversary of first Covid death

China reports 5 cases of new mpox strain

THE STANS
China travel peaks as millions head home for Lunar New Year

UN urges Thailand not to deport Uyghurs to China

Lanterns light up southern Chinese city ahead of Lunar New Year

Thailand denies plans to send 48 Uyghurs back to China

THE STANS
Clashes between police, gang leave 11 dead in Brazil

Charred bodies in Ecuador are missing adolescents, say officials

Blast kills two Mexican soldiers, five wounded

Four killed in Colombia airstrike against drug cartel

THE STANS
Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.