The Taliban has imposed yet further devastating restrictions on women –many have described them as the worst in Afghanistan’s history. Women are now legally banned from showing their faces or raising their voices in public. This is unacceptable.
These new laws are a direct violation of all 30 Universal Human Rights and represent a further suppression of the dignity and freedom of Afghan women and girls. Today, in 2024, Afghan women face criminal charges for:
- Singing or reading aloud in public
- Looking directly at a man they are not related to
- Showing or uncovering their faces
Most international organisations have been cut off from Afghanistan, leaving communities with no support. But amidst this darkness, local peacebuilders remain a vital lifeline for Afghan women, risking their lives to uphold fundamental human rights.