Statement by IPU on Taliban’s repressive new law against women in Afghanistan
The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), on behalf of the global parliamentary community, vehemently condemns the new “Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice” law issued by the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan on 21 August 2024.
The law adds to the litany of unacceptable limitations to women’s rights and freedoms in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover three years ago.
The provisions of this law, which include discriminatory dress codes, restrictions on movement, and prohibitions on women speaking in public, are not only flagrant violations of international law but also serve to dehumanize half of the population.
The IPU is deeply concerned about the potential consequences of this new law including the exacerbation of discrimination against women and the increased violence and harassment they will face at the hands of further empowered enforcers.
We urge the Taliban authorities to immediately repeal this law.
We stand in solidarity with the women of Afghanistan and pledge to continue advocating for their rights and freedoms. The IPU has been a steadfast champion of women’s rights and gender equality in parliaments and through parliamentary action for decades, notably through its Forum for Women Parliamentarians, which builds synergies and solidarity among women MPs from around the world in support of women and girls.
A Taliban security personnel gestures as women stand in a queue outside the passport office in Herat. Mohsen KARIMI / AFP
