Republican Women’s Network: Imposing the Burqa Violates Islamic Values and Human Dignity

Image: Javed Tanveer/AFP

Following the Taliban’s decision to make the wearing of the burqa mandatory for women in Herat province, the Republican Women’s Network of Afghanistan issued a statement condemning the order as “a blatant violation of human dignity and the fundamental rights of women.”

The statement says that the Taliban’s policies, including the imposition of compulsory dress codes, the deprivation of education and work, and the restriction of women’s presence in public spaces, are “in contradiction with Islamic, human, and universal rights values.”

The Republican Women’s Network stressed that men and women, as human beings, possess equal and inalienable rights, and that no group has the authority to restrict women’s freedom and right to choose in the name of religion or hijab.

The statement reads: “The growing restrictions against women reflect the Taliban’s fear of women’s awareness and active participation in society. The Taliban seek to imprison women at home and base their power on ignorance and tyranny.”

The network urged women in Herat to break their silence and protest peacefully and civilly against these oppressive policies. It also called on international organisations, media outlets, and human rights defenders to document the Taliban’s actions and apply political and legal pressure to stop these restrictions.

This statement comes as the Taliban have made the burqa mandatory for women in Herat province. According to reports, women without a burqa are denied entry to hospitals, government offices, and public transport. In recent days, a number of women in Kabul and Herat have staged symbolic protests, setting burqas on fire and calling it “a tool of oppression and the erasure of women from society.”