Official government announcements or reports from UNHCR

Taliban's Minister for Virtue Bans Women from Speaking to Each Other in Afghanistan, Continuing Three Years of Restrictions on Women's Rights

Oct 28, 2024, 11:09 AM

The Taliban has implemented a new decree forbidding women in Afghanistan from speaking to one another, a move that adds to the extensive restrictions already imposed on women's rights since the group's return to power three years ago. The Minister for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice stated that a woman's voice is considered 'awrah' and should not be heard in public, even by other women. This latest rule is part of a broader pattern of limitations affecting Afghan women's education, employment, travel, and participation in public life. Reports indicate that Afghan women are increasingly marginalized, with many calling for international intervention to protect their rights. The situation has drawn global criticism, with observers highlighting the severe implications of such gender-based restrictions in 2024.