The Taliban has implemented new, strict regulations in Afghanistan targeting women’s public presence. Announced on Wednesday and approved by Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, the rules address various aspects of daily life, including public transport, music, and gender interactions.
Key changes include a mandate for women to fully cover themselves in public and adhere to strict dress codes to avoid temptation. Women are also prohibited from singing, reciting, or reading aloud in public, as their voices are now deemed “intimate.”
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These regulations mark the first formal set of vice and virtue laws since the Taliban regained control in 2021. The Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice will enforce these rules, which also ban music, solo female travelers, and interactions between unrelated men and women.
The UN has voiced concern about these measures, highlighting the growing atmosphere of fear and intimidation, especially for women and girls in Afghanistan.
