The United Nations mission in Afghanistan has expressed concern over the arrest and detention of women in a western province for allegedly failing to comply with “dress requirements” and urged Taliban authorities to treat all people equally.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (Unama) did not specify how many women had been affected, although local media reported last week that at least 21 women and girls were detained in Herat province.
The Afghan Taliban did not respond to Reuters request for comment.
“Unama is concerned about the multiple arrests and detentions of women in Herat… for alleged non-compliance with dress requirements, which raises serious human rights concerns,” Unama said in a post on X late on Sunday.
“We remind the authorities that all people have the right to freedom of movement and that all people, both women and men, have the right to equality before the law,” he said.
The reported arrests follow a Taliban directive issued last week prohibiting women from appearing in public without what authorities described as a “proper hijab,” according to local media.
The board warned that women who did not comply with the dress code, including those who showed their face or wore makeup, would face punitive measures, according to reports. Reuters was unable to independently verify the directive.
Since seizing power in Kabul in 2021, the Taliban have imposed extensive restrictions on women and girls in the war-torn country, including limitations on access to education, employment and sport, drawing widespread international criticism.
A Unicef report published in April warned that the country risked losing more than 25,000 teachers and health workers by 2030 if restrictions on girls' education and women's employment were maintained.
The Taliban say they respect women's rights according to their interpretation of Islamic law.
