Taliban's New Decree Silences Afghan Women Further

The Taliban have implemented a controversial rule banning Afghan women from hearing one another's voices in public, further erasing women's presence in society. This move has sparked widespread criticism from human rights activists and international leaders, calling for urgent global intervention to support Afghan women's rights.

The Taliban have introduced a new decree that further suppresses Afghan women's voices, prohibiting them from hearing each other in public. It's the latest effort to erase women from societal roles, as reported by the New York Post. Under the mandate of Khalid Hanafi, the Taliban Minister for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, Afghan women are now banned from hearing each other's voices.

Hanafi expressed that even during prayers, women should not pray audibly if another female is nearby. Considered "awrah," a term signifying something that should be concealed, women's voices are restricted in public, as per reports. This ruling extends beyond prayer, disallowing any form of singing or music among women.

International human rights advocates have condemned the decree, fearing it limits Afghan women's capacity to communicate. Zohal Azra, an Australian activist, highlighted the Taliban's growing oppression of women, underscoring the need for global support. Amnesty International representatives are concerned about the increasing severity of gender-based laws in Afghanistan since the Taliban's rise to power.

(With inputs from agencies.)