In a controversial move, Afghanistan’s Taliban minister for vice and virtue, Mohammad Khalid Hanafi, has announced a ban on women from visiting the scenic Band-e-Amir national park due to alleged improper wearing of headscarves or hijabs during their visits. The decision has raised concerns over women’s rights and their freedom to access public spaces.
The announcement follows Minister Hanafi’s recent visit to Band-e-Amir, a picturesque park located in the central Bamiyan Province. During his trip, Hanafi expressed his disapproval of women’s attire and behavior at the park. He asserted that “going sightseeing is not a must for women,” according to statements reported by the Associated Press. Security forces are expected to enforce the ban, preventing women from entering the park.
Band-e-Amir is described by CNN as a serene haven, boasting deep blue lakes surrounded by majestic mountains. The ban has triggered widespread backlash from both domestic and international human rights advocates. Heather Barr, the associate women’s rights director at Human Rights Watch, condemned the move, stating, “Step by step, the walls are closing in on women as every home becomes a prison.” Barr criticized the Taliban’s increasing restrictions on women’s rights, which now extend to leisure activities such as visiting parks.
This ban is just one of several restrictions imposed by the Taliban on Afghan women. Alongside the ban on park visits, the Taliban has prevented girls from attending school beyond the sixth grade and has restricted women from working with local and international non-governmental organizations.
The decision to bar women from Band-e-Amir has ignited a debate on the state of women’s rights in Afghanistan under the Taliban’s rule, drawing attention to the broader challenges women face in their pursuit of education, employment, and personal freedom.
(With inputs from VOA and the AP)
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