Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, fell to the Taliban on Sunday, August 15, 2021 (24 Asad 1400). With this, the group regained control of Afghanistan after twenty years and settled in the presidential palace. A new wave of brain drain has emerged in the country due to the lack of opportunities, poverty, the Taliban's revenge, and the political instability of Afghanistan. Mahnaz Hejran, a former military woman, was forced to flee Afghanistan due to threats from the Taliban.
Upon taking power, the Taliban closed the Ministry of Women's Affairs and replaced it with the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice. Since then, women and girls have been increasingly deprived of their basic rights, including work and education. With restricted access to public spaces, women and girls—who make up half of society—have been officially excluded from social life through various decrees.
These harsh laws against women have not silenced them. Women and girls have continued to protest against the Taliban's rule, and today, another protest has gathered here to raise their voices for justice and make their plight known to the world.
On August 23, 2024, the Taliban approved a new law on the promotion of virtue and prevention of vice, signed by the Taliban leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada. This law contains four chapters and 35 articles. It dictates the clothing and lifestyle of women and girls. Among other things, it requires women to hide their faces to prevent "sedition" and prohibits women from raising their voices in public. The law also bans mature women from traveling without a male guardian (mahram). Additionally, the celebration of Nowruz, playing music, and the creation and viewing of images or movies are prohibited. The Taliban have warned that those who oppose these rules will face consequences.
