The Taliban are further curtailing the already scarce rights of Afghan women. After the girls were banned from working and going to school, they are now banned from parks and amusement parks in the capital Kabul. Mohammed Akif Sadeq Mohajir, spokesman for the so-called Ministry for Protection from Vice and Promotion of Virtue, justified this drastic step by saying that “the existing rules of gender-segregated access have been violated in many places”.
“There was mixing, veils were being ignored, so this decision was made for now,” he explained. The Taliban had made access to the parks conditional on separate visits by men and women. According to Mohajir, attempts have been made to make this possible, for example through special visiting days for women only. The ban, issued this week, was greeted with dismay by women and park operators.
Women are tired of sitting at home all day
“There are no schools, no jobs,” said one mother, “we should at least have a place to have fun.” They were “bored” and “tired from being at home all day”. The 21-year-old student Raihana said: “In Islam, of course, it is allowed to go outside and visit parks. If you have no freedom in your own country, what does it mean to live here?”
Habib Jan Sasai, operator of a large amusement park on the outskirts of the capital, fears it will have to close if the new rule is enforced. “Without women, the children don’t come,” he said.
Freedom of movement in public space is severely restricted
The rule, introduced this week, further restricts women’s freedom of movement in public spaces in Afghanistan. Since the Taliban came to power in August 2021, they have been banned from traveling unaccompanied by a man. They are also denied access to many professions and government positions. Outside your own home, wearing a hijab or burqa is mandatory. In most of the country teenage girls are not allowed to go to school.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
