Taliban Bans Women from Visiting Popular National Park in Afghanistan

Security forces will be deployed to prevent women from visiting the renowned Band-e-Amir National Park in Bamiyan province, according to an announcement by the all-male Ministry of Vice and Virtue, reports The Guardian.

Minister Mohammad Khalid Hanafi stated that women had not been observing proper hijab attire in the park after he visited the region. Hanafi informed officials and clergy of this likely breach, adding that "women are not necessary for sightseeing."

"Women should be barred from visiting Band-e-Amir until a new rule is established," Hanafi told religious clerics and security service personnel after his trip to the park. "Sightseeing is not mandatory, but the hijab is," the minister insisted.

The park in the impoverished Afghan province is popular among both local and foreign tourists. UNESCO describes the park as "a naturally occurring group of lakes with unique geological formations and structure, as well as natural and unique beauty." The ban on female visitors will deprive many of the opportunity to enjoy the park.

Therefore, Hanafi's statement has elicited a negative reaction from human rights advocates.

"This latest ban is part of a continuum of abuses and possibly an escalation of the Taliban's repression of women's and girls' rights. The Taliban have already taken so much away from women and girls, including education, employment, and freedom of movement," said Heather Barr of Human Rights Watch to Voice of America.

In recent years, the rate of female suicides in Afghanistan has significantly increased.

The radical Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021 and imposed their strict interpretation of Islamic law, or Sharia. They have prohibited girls from attending school beyond the sixth grade.

The oppressive regime has also forbidden the majority of Afghan women from working in public service and in national and international non-governmental organisations.

The international community has refused to recognise the Taliban as the legitimate rulers of Afghanistan, citing restrictions and unacceptable treatment of women.

Earlier, in state schools across France, a decision has been made to ban the wearing of abayas — the large, long dresses with sleeves often chosen by Muslim women to accompany their hijabs.