The Hijab Debate In Afghanistan: Between Custom And Compulsion

In May 2022, the Taliban decreed that it is required for all respectable Afghan women to wear a hijab. The Taliban's Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice announced that the chadori (the blue-coloured Afghan burqa or full-body veil) is the best hijab of choice. The decree also states that any garment covering the body of a woman is considered a hijab, as long as it is not tight-fitting or thin enough to reveal the body. The Taliban's ruling has been met with widespread condemnation and outrage by Afghan women and activists, who argue that it is a violation of their rights and an attempt to turn women into invisible, private citizens.

The Taliban's hijab decree contradicts Islamic tradition and Afghan culture

The hijab decree also contradicts Afghan culture. The burqa, or chadari, is a relatively modern and foreign phenomenon in Afghanistan. It was introduced to the country from Persia and India in the 20th century. Before the Taliban's rise to power, the burqa was rarely worn in cities, especially Kabul. In Afghanistan, an agricultural country, women have been active in farming and have worn loose clothing and headscarves to allow them to work.

The Taliban's hijab decree is an attempt to resurrect the full control they had over women and girls when they ruled in the 1990s. The decree is also an attempt to reinforce Afghanistan's patriarchal system, where men decide for and on behalf of women. The decree legitimises men's control over women and the humiliation of women in public, paving the way for increased domestic violence, harassment, and oppression of Afghan women and girls.

The decree is the latest in a series of restrictions on women's freedoms

The Taliban's hijab decree is the latest in a series of restrictions on women's freedoms in Afghanistan. Since taking power in August 2021, the Taliban have issued a number of edicts that limit women's rights and freedoms. These include:

• Banning women from higher learning. Initially, women and men were strictly segregated at universities. Later, a decree by the Afghan Education Ministry expelled women from universities completely.
• Banning women from working in most sectors, including with the United Nations or non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
• Banning women from travelling more than 45 miles (70km) without a close male relative or chaperone.
• Banning women from accessing gyms, public baths, parks and amusement parks.
• Banning women from riding bicycles or motorcycles, even with male relatives.
• Banning women from riding in a taxi without a male relative.
• Introducing segregated bus services to prevent males and females from travelling on the same bus.
• Banning women from appearing in the streets without a male relative or without wearing a burqa.
• Banning women from wearing high-heeled shoes, as it was considered that no man should hear a woman's footsteps.
• Banning women from speaking loudly in public, as it was considered improper for a stranger to hear a woman's voice.
• Banning the modification of any place names that included the word "women".
• Banning women from appearing on the balconies of their apartments or houses.
• Banning women from participating in sports or entering a sports club.
• Banning women from laughing loudly, as it was considered improper for a stranger to hear a woman's voice.
• Banning women from accessing the traditional hammam (public baths).
• Banning women from attending general hospitals in the capital, leaving only one hospital where they could seek treatment.
• Banning women from working with male doctors unless accompanied by a male chaperone.
• Banning women from being treated by male doctors.
• Banning the sale of contraception.
• Banning women from working in the Ministry of Women's Affairs.
• Banning women from working in the country's Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice Ministry.
• Banning women from working in the country's finance ministry.

Women's relatives and employers are responsible for enforcing the decree

The Taliban's hijab decree has placed the onus of enforcing the rule on women's male relatives and employers. The decree states that if a woman is seen in public without a hijab, her male "guardian" will first receive a warning, then be summoned to a government office, and then imprisoned for three days. If the woman or her guardian works for the government, they will be fired.

The Taliban's decree has been met with widespread condemnation and outrage by Afghan women and activists. Marzia, a 50-year-old university professor from Kabul, expressed anger at the idea that women are being treated as "third-class citizens" and reduced to objects that are being sexualized. She also pointed out the irony of the Taliban's decree, given that she, as a Muslim, values what Islam has taught her, and that if Muslim men have a problem with her hijab, they should lower their gaze and practice self-control.

The Taliban's decree not only goes against Islamic tradition and Afghan culture but also reinforces the country's patriarchal system, where men make decisions for and on behalf of women. The decree legitimizes men's control over women and paves the way for increased domestic violence, harassment, and oppression of Afghan women and girls.

The Taliban's hijab decree has real-world implications for women's mobility, education, health, and safety. For example, a bank employee in Jowzjan shared that due to the decree, she now wears a burqa when she goes to work in the districts for her job, even though she finds it difficult to breathe in the hot weather. She also shared that her male customers have told her that the order is making life difficult for their female relatives.

The Taliban's strategy of making men responsible for enforcing the hijab decree on their female relatives is particularly disturbing as it takes away women's agency and prevents them from making their own decisions about the risks they are willing to take.

The decree is symbolic of the Emirate's desire to turn women into invisible citizens

The Taliban's hijab decree in Afghanistan has been met with widespread criticism and outrage from Afghan women and activists, who argue that it is a blatant attempt to erase women from public life and render them invisible citizens. The decree, which mandates that all "respectable" Afghan women cover their faces in public, is part of a series of restrictive edicts that have systematically curtailed women's freedoms and participation in society.

The requirement to wear a hijab or burqa, with the punishment of male guardians for non-compliance, is a regressive step that undermines Afghan culture and imposes a strict interpretation of Islam that contradicts Islamic tradition and Afghan values. It reinforces Afghanistan's patriarchal system, where men hold power over women and make decisions on their behalf. This includes controlling their clothing, movement, and access to education and employment.

The decree's impact extends beyond dress code, as it effectively encourages the harassment and oppression of women, making them vulnerable to abuse and violence. It also reinforces the notion that women are responsible for men's behavior and implicitly blames them for any sexual harassment or assault they experience.

The Taliban's justification for the decree, rooted in their interpretation of Sharia law and Islamic tradition, is disputed by many Islamic scholars and activists. They argue that the Quran and other Islamic texts do not support such extreme measures and that the Taliban's understanding of Islam is narrow and ignorant.

The international community has largely condemned the Taliban's actions, with organizations like Human Rights Watch and the United Nations calling for urgent action to protect Afghan women's rights. However, the Taliban have shown resistance to external pressure, and the future of women's rights in Afghanistan remains uncertain.

The decree's implications are far-reaching, and its enforcement has varied across Afghanistan, with some women choosing to comply for their safety or to protect their male relatives from punishment. The decree is a powerful symbol of the Emirate's regressive ideology, seeking to control and confine women, rendering them invisible and without agency.

The Taliban's actions reflect a broader pattern of oppressive regimes using decrees to control women's bodies and lives, with devastating consequences for gender equality and women's empowerment.

The Taliban's ruling has impacted what women wear differently across Afghanistan

The Taliban's ruling on women's dress has impacted what women wear differently across Afghanistan. The ruling has been met with dismay and outrage by Afghan women and activists, with some even going into hiding due to fear of the Taliban.

The ruling states that women must wear a hijab, with their faces covered entirely, except for the eyes. The best option for women, according to the Taliban, is to wear a burqa, which has been described as "part of Afghanistan's dignified culture for centuries". The ruling also states that women should not leave their homes unless necessary.

The impact of the ruling varies across Afghanistan. In some places, like Kandahar and Badghis, women's local dress already largely complies with the new code. In other provinces and places, where women have been used to greater freedom and variety, many women have felt forced to amend what they wear, but are reluctant to cover their faces when they go outside.

In Herat, for example, the ruling has made no difference to what women are wearing. Some women are wearing face masks, perhaps out of fear of the Taliban, but most continue to wear a long manteau and not cover their faces. In contrast, in Panjshir, a young, unemployed woman said she had always worn "proper clothing" but now her father has told her to get an abaya and her older brother has told her to wear a burqa outside the house.

In Kabul, known for its relative freedom when it comes to women's clothing, the ruling has restricted what women can wear. Many more women are now wearing abayas, and some are even wearing niqabs and black gloves.

The Taliban's ruling has also impacted women's education and employment. Only women working in primary education or healthcare are still able to work, and most are not being paid due to the financial crisis. The Taliban have also banned women and girls from secondary and higher education.

The ruling has also led to a sense of insecurity among women, as the Taliban have dismantled the formal police force and the Women's Affairs Ministry. Women who worked for foreign organisations and the previous Afghan government are in hiding, moving locations frequently, and living in constant fear of the Taliban.

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