Afghanistan: Taliban prohibits women from taking part in Eid celebrations

Kabul(ANI): In yet another draconian ban, the Taliban has banned women from attending Eid celebrations in two provinces of Afghanistan, Khama Press reported. Women in the country’s Baghlan and Takhar provinces received instructions from the actual authorities on Friday not to go out in groups during the days of Eid al-Fitr.

Only these two provinces of Afghanistan have so far been mandated to follow the instructions.
In Afghanistan’s Herat region, Taliban officials earlier this month prohibited families and women from eating in establishments with gardens and outdoor spaces, Khama Press reported.

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Officials said gender mixing and not wearing the headscarf (hijab) were reasons for the restrictions.
Afghanistan, which has been wracked by decades of conflict, is grappling with a host of challenges including food shortages as foreign governments cut development funding and imposed sanctions largely due to Taliban restrictions on women.

Despite widespread condemnation, there are still restrictions on how many women can work for the UN, including a ban on girls’ higher education after the sixth grade, the Afghan news agency reported.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, women are not allowed to work in education, in gyms or in public places with domestic and international organizations.