The Taliban government’s decision to prohibit women from visiting Afghanistan’s Band-e-Amir national park in Bamiyan province has ignited outrage and concerns over the erosion of women’s rights since the group’s return to power.
The move, attributed to women not adhering to hijab rules inside the park, has been met with condemnation from international observers, human rights advocates, and Afghan citizens alike.
Afghanistan’s acting minister of virtue and vice, Mohammad Khaled Hanafi, announced the ban, asserting that women had been disregarding hijab guidelines while visiting the park.
He urged religious clerics and security agencies to enforce the ban until a resolution could be reached.
Band-e-Amir, the country’s inaugural national park established in 2009, holds significant cultural and geological importance, boasting naturally formed lakes and unique geological formations.
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The park has garnered tourist attention, serving as a destination for families and visitors seeking the natural beauty of the region.
The prohibition has been met with criticism on social media platforms and from human rights organizations.
Former Afghan MP Mariam Solaimankhil expressed her dissent by sharing a poignant poem on social media, vowing that Afghan women would reclaim their right to visit the park.
Human Rights Watch representative Fereshta Abbasi condemned the timing of the ban, coinciding with Women’s Equality Day, and labeled it a “total disrespect to the women of Afghanistan.”
Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, questioned the rationale behind the decision, probing whether it was necessary to uphold Sharia law and Afghan culture.
The Taliban’s recent imposition of bans on women’s activities, often justified as temporary measures, has sparked concerns about the erosion of rights gained by Afghan women over the past two decades.
This includes preventing women from attending schools in December 2022 and halting their participation in national university entrance exams in July.
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