The Taliban have issued a directive banning women from travelling long distances by road without a male relative. The order, announced on Sunday, applies to journeys over 45 miles (72km) and marks the latest restriction on women's rights since the group seized power in August.
Under the directive, vehicle owners are instructed to refuse rides to women not wearing Islamic head or face coverings, though no specific type is mandated. Most Afghan women already wear headscarves. The Taliban's Ministry of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice issued the order, which also calls for women to be accompanied by a close male family member on longer trips.
Human Rights Watch condemned the move, with associate director Heather Barr stating it "shuts off opportunities for [women] to be able to move about freely" or "to be able to flee if they are facing violence in the home." Afghan women expressed dismay, with one midwife in Kabul telling the BBC: "I cannot go out independently. What should I do if either I or my child is sick and my husband is not available?"
Another woman noted that while some may feel at ease with a male escort, it offers no guarantee against violence, citing a 2015 incident where four women were kidnapped from their family at gunpoint. She urged the Taliban to create an environment where women feel safe.
Since taking power, the Taliban have barred most women from work and kept secondary schools closed for girls, calling the restrictions temporary. Donor nations have demanded respect for women's rights before restoring financial aid, as Afghanistan faces a deepening humanitarian and economic crisis.
