The Taliban’s new vice and virtue laws, which enforce a ban on women’s voices and bare faces in public, paint a bleak picture of Afghanistan’s future, according to a United Nations official. Roza Otunbayeva, head of the UN mission in Afghanistan, expressed concern over the severe restrictions imposed on women and girls, including the prohibition of female voices outside the home.
The recently introduced laws by Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers empower the Vice and Virtue Ministry to regulate personal conduct and administer punishments for violations. Despite claims of upholding Islamic law and women’s rights, these laws have sparked global outrage.
While some countries in the region have engaged with the Taliban, the UN has raised concerns about the legitimacy of the Taliban regime due to their oppressive treatment of women. The situation remains volatile, with uncertainties surrounding the reopening of schools and universities for female students.