Between July and September 2024, UNAMA documented significant human rights infringements in Afghanistan, primarily due to the Law on Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. This legislation imposes strict restrictions on women, necessitating male guardianship for travel and mandating their dress and public behavior. As a result, women’s freedoms and rights continue to diminish under harsh enforcement measures.
In the July to September 2024 update, UNAMA observed a severe decline in human rights in Afghanistan following the implementation of new laws by the Taliban. The Law on Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice imposes rigorous restrictions disproportionately affecting women’s freedom of movement and expression. It mandates women to wear a hijab and accompany males during travel, while also placing substantial power in the hands of virtue inspectors, who may detain violators. The new Law, published on August 21, consolidates previously issued decrees and introduces harsher measures. Women must cover their faces and conceal their voices in public, while men are prohibited from looking at women they do not know. This regulation revokes personal freedoms and furthers the segregation of men and women in society. In a noteworthy shift, the Law completely removes any distance limit for unaccompanied travel for women, effectively barring them from traveling alone altogether. When female staff of public hospitals in Kandahar and Helmand were instructed to have a male guardian accompany them to work, it exemplified the Law’s potentially stifling impact on women’s professional lives. With taxi drivers refusing service to unaccompanied women, the practical implications of the Law have quickly spread, reinforcing social isolation. UNAMA’s earlier report highlighted the negative effects of the Taliban’s moral edicts on human rights before the Law took effect. It found a continued trend of diminishing liberties, particularly for women, leading to a more oppressive atmosphere across Afghanistan. The report warns that these developments might further entrench gender discrimination within society, a concern echoed by numerous rights advocates.
The update reflects the ongoing concerns regarding human rights in Afghanistan under Taliban rule, particularly for women and girls. Following the establishment of the Law on Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, the already fragile rights previously held by Afghan women have been eroded even further, cementing their marginalization. UNAMA’s regular monitoring provides critical insights into the situation, revealing a pattern of increasing restriction and punitive measures that reverberate throughout daily life.
In summary, the period from July to September 2024 marks a substantial regression in human rights protections in Afghanistan. The newly enacted Law on Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice imposes severe limitations on women’s freedoms, reflecting an overarching trend of intensified enforcement of gender-based segregation. As civil liberties erode, the lives of many women are increasingly trapped within an oppressive framework that stifles their voices and rights.
Original Source: reliefweb.int
