Taliban Bans Afghan Women from Visiting National Park
Afghanistan’s Band-e-Amir National Park, once a symbol of progress with its first female park rangers, is now off-limits to women due to the Taliban’s growing oppressive rule. The country’s Minister for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice declared that women cannot visit the park, located in a poverty-stricken region. Previously established as a peaceful haven with blue lakes and mountains, the park has fallen victim to the Taliban’s restrictions.
Human Rights Watch’s Heather Barr noted how women in Afghanistan are losing their freedoms progressively. The Taliban’s history in the region is infamous, marked by massacres and cultural destruction. After retaking power in 2021, the Taliban reversed decades of human rights progress, confining women to their homes and erasing their presence from society.
Recent restrictions include banning women from beauty salons, affecting both their freedom and economic independence. Women face a wide range of prohibitions, from working outside the home to attending public places. They must wear concealing garments and are often not allowed to leave home without a male guardian.
A UN report documented these dire conditions, highlighting the rise of domestic violence and forced marriages due to imposed restrictions. As the Taliban’s grip tightens, Afghan women continue to face increasing challenges to their autonomy.
Re-reported from the article originally published in CNN
