Salon To Gyms: A Look At Bans Imposed On Women In Taliban-Ruled Afghanistan To Crush Their Rights

n August 2022, the Taliban completed one year of ruling in Afghanistan, and since then, the condition of women has only deteriorated. The country was once a place where women had the right to choose what they wanted to wear, where they wanted to go, and what they wanted to study.

The 1970s are considered the golden era in Afghanistan, and images from the times prove it truly was a land of liberated people. Women could be seen wearing skirts and dresses while strolling the streets with friends. They did not wear hijabs (headscarves) or burqas to cover their heads or bodies.

Decades of religious wars, invasions, bombarding, and destruction have completely changed the streets of the country. People are not only captured in the four walls of their homes, but their dreams, wishes, and thoughts are also captured under the strict reign of the Taliban.

Day after day, week after week, the fundamental rights of women are struck down. Since they took over control in August 2021, the militant Islamists have been imposing laws on women regarding what they must wear, where they should go, and who should accompany them.

Here we take a look at the bans that have been imposed on Afghan women to oppress them and crush their rights and their very identities on core levels.

Banned From Entering Amusement Parks

This is the most recent ban imposed on Afghan women by the Taliban government. People who manage the park in Kabul, the capital of the country, have been given instructions to not allow women inside the premises.

The militant Islamist state has established a rule that men and women would not gather in a public place together. Women can only visit the park three days a week –- Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. The rest of the week is reserved for men.

This rule is for every woman, irrespective of the fact if she has a husband or a man escorting her. Currently, this ban is restricted to the capital; however, much like other laws, it would likely be implied all over the country.

Ban On Subjects In Universities

It was not enough for the Taliban to introduce dress codes. They have also prohibited universities from teaching women certain subjects, including engineering, economics, agriculture, journalism, veterinary medicine, etc.

This is a nationwide implication that restricts women from choosing a subject of their choice and mastering it. They can no longer dream of a future freely.

Banned From Receiving An Education After Adolescence Begins

Several reports suggest parents are marrying their teenage daughters to men decades older than them. They think that since their daughters do not have a future, it is better to marry them off than have them sit idle at home.

This practice was already prevalent in many provinces of Afghanistan, but it has rapidly increased all over the country since the Taliban took over. Many famous writers like Khaled Hosseini and Nadia Hashimi have written about the degrading lives of women where neither were they respected by their families nor their husbands. Domestic violence, marital rape, and verbal abuse came attached to the word marriage for them.

Banned From Showing Face In Public

This was in May 2022 when reports flooded the internet that the far-right militant Islamist government passed a decree for Afghan women to cover their faces in public.

It even banned women from travelling long distances without a male escort. If unchaperoned by a man, they are denied even the most basic and essential requests.

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Banned From Entering Gyms

On November 9, reports suggested that Afghan women were banned from entering gyms. The new diktat was introduced and the population was not following the gender segregation norms. Moreover, when women were in the gym, many of them were spotted without hijabs.

The Taliban government has presented its argument saying they tried not to do it, but since people did not follow the said order, they were forced to rule it out. It is one among many examples of radical Islamists trying to erase the existence of women in the public sphere.

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Ban On Salons

A new ban has been imposed on women in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. According to reports, a spokesperson from the Ministry of Vice and Virtue Sadiq Akif Mahjer said that services offered by salons are forbidden under Islam.

A report published by the BBC claimed that around 60,000 women will lose their means of earnings with this new ban. According to the International Labor Organization, there has been a drop of 25% in the employment of women since the Taliban took over Afghanistan.

While many countries may boast of their progressive culture, women around the world are fighting for basic rights – bodily autonomy, education of their choice, healthcare, and freedom to live with dignity and safety, both from strangers and husbands.

Whether a war or regional politics, women are always the first target of patriarchal structures. They promise safety but often take away all their fundamental rights.

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