Decrees against women become major point of controversy

Over the past two years, women’s rights have become a major point of discussion, and controversy, in light of dozens of decrees issued by the Islamic Emirate curtailing the freedom of women.

According to a recent UN report, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has issued more than 50 restrictive decrees – most of which were against women.

Closing of schools above the sixth grade and universities for girls, banning women from working in some government offices, banning women from working for foreign organizations, and closing down women’s beauty and hair salons are among the restrictions imposed against women.

However, the IEA has said on numerous occasions that schools and universities will reopen to girls and that they are looking into ways to allow women to return to work.

Calls for restrictions to be lifted have been heard from countries in the region and further afield, but so far, the IEA has not given in to these demands. The IEA’s rationale is that they will not do anything demanded by foreigners.

The latest restriction imposed by the Islamic Emirate on women was the closing of women’s beauty salons across the country. The reason for this, according to the Ministry of Vice and Virtue, is that the beauty salons disobeyed their orders.

Women and girls make up half of the Afghan society, and according to women’s rights activists, the hope for a better future has been taken from them.