Women banned from speaking in public by Afghanistan's Taliban rulers | BBC News

Summary

Three years after the Taliban's return to power, a new law mandates Afghan women to fully cover their faces and bodies and remain unheard in public. Despite the risk, some women have spoken out, sharing the fear and oppression they endure daily. Education for girls remains restricted, with many experiencing severe emotional distress. While the Taliban claims to be addressing these concerns, little progress has been made. A few women quietly resist through secret schools and online dissent, but the situation highlights the ongoing struggle for women's rights in Afghanistan under Taliban rule.

Takeaways

• 📜 The Taliban has enacted a new law in Afghanistan requiring women to cover their faces and bodies entirely when leaving the house and to remain silent in public.
• 🗣️ Women who defy the restrictions and speak out are at significant personal risk, hence their identities and voices are concealed in the BBC report.
• 🏠 Afghan women describe feeling imprisoned, with severe limitations on their ability to speak or act freely.
• 🚫 The Taliban's morality police have been granted extensive powers to enforce these oppressive rules.
• 📚 Teenage girls have lost three years of education, and the fear of the new law further restricts their opportunities.
• 🏫 Despite the Taliban's claim that they are working on a solution, girls remain locked out of schools with no clear timeline for change.
• 🎓 Some Afghan women are conducting a quiet act of defiance by operating secret schools for girls.
• 🌍 The new law has strained relations between the Taliban and the international community, complicating diplomatic efforts.
• 🤝 There is evidence of internal disagreement within the Taliban about the supreme leader's directives, as seen in a midwife training course.
• 📢 Afghan women are using online platforms to express dissent by posting videos criticizing the Taliban's actions.

Q & A

What is the new law passed by the Taliban regarding women?

The new law mandates that women must cover their face and body completely when leaving the house, and their voices cannot be heard in public.

How does this law affect women's daily lives?

It makes daily life extremely difficult for women, as they feel imprisoned and unable to speak or move freely.

What measures have been taken to protect the identities of the women speaking to the BBC?

Their identities have been hidden, and actors' voices have been used to protect them from potential harm.

What challenges do foreign journalists face when reporting from Afghanistan under the Taliban?

It is increasingly difficult for them to report due to the harsh restrictions and risks associated with the Taliban's rule.

How are Afghan women being pushed out of public view?

Through a relentless series of dictates that restrict their freedoms bit by bit.

What is the impact of the new law on education for teenage girls?

They have already lost three crucial years of education and fear further restrictions on their ability to learn.

How do the women in Afghanistan express dissent towards the Taliban's rule?

Some women are posting videos online singing songs that criticize the Taliban's actions.

What was the Taliban's response when asked about the law's impact on women's education?

They claim that education is important and that they are working on resolving the issue, despite the lack of progress.

What is the rare exception mentioned in the script where Afghan women are receiving education?

A midwife training course run by the Taliban government where women in their 20s are being taught how to nurse a woman in labor.

How are some Afghan women taking matters into their own hands despite the restrictions?

They are running secret schools for girls to ensure they continue to receive an education.

What are the implications of the new law on the relationship between the Taliban and the International Community?

The relationship has become increasingly difficult and unpredictable, with some questioning the value of engaging with the Taliban.