A coalition of women activists has launched a campaign against the Taliban’s newly imposed law, particularly the provision that bans women from raising their voices in public. The activists have rallied around the slogan, “My voice is not ‘awrah’, my face is not a provocation; your eyes are the problem.”
This message was also prominently featured in a statement by the Afghan Women’s Exiled Movement, which has been at the forefront of condemning the Taliban’s law. The group denounced the decree as “misogynistic and draconian.”
In a video statement, members of the movement further challenged the restrictions, asserting, “My voice is not a sin; your ears are the problem.”
The 114-page decree, referred to as the “Law on Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil,” imposes sweeping restrictions on citizens’ rights, with women being disproportionately affected. Among its many provisions is a ban on women raising their voices in public spaces where men are present, which the Taliban have declared forbidden.
The new law has sparked widespread condemnation both domestically and internationally. Human rights activists, political leaders, and global figures have labeled the decree as oppressive, calling it “114 pages of hatred against women” and a blatant violation of human rights.
In response, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid dismissed the criticism as “baseless” and vowed that the law would be fully enforced.
