Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, women in Afghanistan have been systematically pushed out of the public sphere. In a shocking new decree, the Supreme Leader has ordered that windows overlooking spaces where women work or gather, such as kitchens, yards, and wells, must no longer be built in residential buildings. The Taliban claims that these views could lead to “obscenity.”
The Taliban government spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, stated that construction projects will now be monitored to ensure compliance, and any windows with a view of such private spaces should be blocked or covered. The aim is to prevent the “nuisance” of neighbors seeing women in these traditionally female spaces.
Since regaining control, the Taliban has imposed severe restrictions on Afghan women, including a ban on studying beyond primary school, going to parks, gyms, or beauty salons, and leaving their homes without a male chaperone. Women are also prohibited from singing or performing poetry, and many media outlets have stopped broadcasting female voices. The Taliban justifies these actions by claiming they are in line with an ultra-strict interpretation of Islamic law, which they argue guarantees the rights of both men and women, despite widespread international condemnation. The UN has even labeled this situation as a form of “gender apartheid.”
