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When a few brave women protested against the Taliban diktats on working women, there was hope worldwide that the women of Afghanistan would stand up to the Islamists who captured power. But a few months down the line, the women are increasingly being shut out from colleges, offices and now television shows.
The Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has a new directive. It has asked television networks to stop broadcasting shows, mainly soap operas featuring women. The guidelines also have set a dress code for women newsreaders, which includes wearing of the hijab. (https://www.dw.com/en/afghanistan-taliban-issue-guidelines-against-women-actors/a-59895874)
This may go against the Taliban’s pledge before the international community that it would follow moderate policies towards women and that girls could attend schools and colleges. Many promises have been broken in the past. And the latest directive also goes against its own pledge. Not that the Taliban would be concerned about international uproar.
The latest guidelines are not just about women. They have asked the filmmakers not to do anything against “Islamic or Afghan values”; Their broad definition means the ministry could interpret anything that it doesn’t like as un-Islamic or against Afghanistan. (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-59368488)
The Taliban have been accused of spreading fear among women activists. Take the case of Forouzan Safi, a Mazar-e-Sharif based professor who was one of the protesters against the Taliban in September. Recently, she and three other activists were shot dead, sending a chill down the spine of many women in the country. There have been reports of such incidents taking place in other parts of the country too. (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-21/afghanistan-women-activists-killed-disappearing/100622994)
Before the latest diktat, Afghan women are banned from wearing heels, perfume, snazzy colors or even makeup.
Read more:
The latest Taliban order:
https://www.voanews.com/a/taliban-edict-targets-immoral-afghan-tv-shows-featuring-female-artists/6322144.html
Taliban has repeatedly broken pledges:
https://www.dw.com/en/un-rights-chief-slams-taliban-over-broken-promises/a-59166424