UN: Taliban Enforcing Restrictions on Single, Unaccompanied Women
2024-01-26
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1A report from the United Nations says the Taliban are putting more and more restrictions on women in Afghanistan.
2The Taliban re-took power in Afghanistan after the United States withdrew from the country in 2021.
3Taliban leaders said at the time they would permit women to be more involved in work, school and public life than during their previous rule, between 1996 and 2001.
4However, the U.N. says the Taliban's Vice and Virtue Ministry is cracking down on single and unaccompanied women.
5In one case, the U.N. notes, the ministry told a woman to get married if she wanted to continue working at a health clinic.
6The ministry said it was not right for an unmarried woman to have a job.
7The restrictions follow a pattern of the Taliban breaking their 2021 promise that life in Afghanistan would be more open to women.
8Girls are not permitted to continue going to school after sixth grade, for example.
9Places that cut and style women's hair have been shut down.
10And women who are not wearing a hijab, the Islamic head covering, have been arrested.
11In May of 2022, the Taliban said women should go back to wearing the religious clothing called a burqa.
12A burqa is a covering that only shows a woman's eyes.
13The U.N.'s Assistance Mission in Afghanistan is reporting on the restrictions.
14The group's latest report centers on restrictions on women who leave home without a male guardian.
15There are no official rules about women needing to be accompanied by a male relative.
16But the Taliban now say women are not permitted to travel a certain distance away from their home without a man who is either their husband or a relative.
17The U.N.'s report said three female healthcare workers were held by police in October when they left home without a guardian.
18They were only released when their families signed a document saying it would not happen again.
19In the Paktia province, the Vice and Virtue Ministry stopped women without guardians from entering health centers starting in December.
20The men from the ministry are now entering women's health centers to be sure that all women inside are with a male guardian.
21The Vice and Virtue Ministry is also known as the Taliban's "morality police."
22Ministry workers have been going to bus stations, education centers and other public places to make sure women are following their rules.
23They are looking for women who are not wearing head coverings and stopping buses to make sure women are not traveling without a male family member.
24Women are also being arrested for purchasing birth control, which the Taliban have not officially banned.
25Zabihullah Mujahid is the spokesman for the Taliban.
26In a statement, he said the U.N. report is filled with misunderstandings.
27He said the U.N. is ignoring or criticizing Islamic law, known as Shariah.
28Mujahid added that the Islamic government in power in Afghanistan must fully observe "all aspects of Sharia for both men and women."
29I'm Dan Friedell.
1A report from the United Nations says the Taliban are putting more and more restrictions on women in Afghanistan. 2The Taliban re-took power in Afghanistan after the United States withdrew from the country in 2021. Taliban leaders said at the time they would permit women to be more involved in work, school and public life than during their previous rule, between 1996 and 2001. 3However, the U.N. says the Taliban's Vice and Virtue Ministry is cracking down on single and unaccompanied women. 4In one case, the U.N. notes, the ministry told a woman to get married if she wanted to continue working at a health clinic. The ministry said it was not right for an unmarried woman to have a job. 5The restrictions follow a pattern of the Taliban breaking their 2021 promise that life in Afghanistan would be more open to women. Girls are not permitted to continue going to school after sixth grade, for example. Places that cut and style women's hair have been shut down. And women who are not wearing a hijab, the Islamic head covering, have been arrested. 6In May of 2022, the Taliban said women should go back to wearing the religious clothing called a burqa. A burqa is a covering that only shows a woman's eyes. 7The U.N.'s Assistance Mission in Afghanistan is reporting on the restrictions. The group's latest report centers on restrictions on women who leave home without a male guardian. 8There are no official rules about women needing to be accompanied by a male relative. But the Taliban now say women are not permitted to travel a certain distance away from their home without a man who is either their husband or a relative. 9The U.N.'s report said three female healthcare workers were held by police in October when they left home without a guardian. They were only released when their families signed a document saying it would not happen again. 10In the Paktia province, the Vice and Virtue Ministry stopped women without guardians from entering health centers starting in December. The men from the ministry are now entering women's health centers to be sure that all women inside are with a male guardian. 11The Vice and Virtue Ministry is also known as the Taliban's "morality police." Ministry workers have been going to bus stations, education centers and other public places to make sure women are following their rules. They are looking for women who are not wearing head coverings and stopping buses to make sure women are not traveling without a male family member. 12Women are also being arrested for purchasing birth control, which the Taliban have not officially banned. 13Zabihullah Mujahid is the spokesman for the Taliban. In a statement, he said the U.N. report is filled with misunderstandings. He said the U.N. is ignoring or criticizing Islamic law, known as Shariah. 14Mujahid added that the Islamic government in power in Afghanistan must fully observe "all aspects of Sharia for both men and women." 15I'm Dan Friedell. 16Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on a report by the Associated Press. 17________________________________________________ 18Words in This Story 19crack down -v. to tighten restrictions and punish people for breaking rules 20vice -n. something seen as bad or immoral behavior 21virtue - n. good behavior or character 22pattern - n. a path or instruction that is repeated over time 23style - v. to create something in a way that is new or current or fashionable 24morality - adj. a belief about what is right and wrong 25aspects - n. parts of something, such as life 26We want to hear from you. What do you think about the future for women in Afghanistan?