The Taliban’s supreme leader has issued a new decree banning the construction of windows in residential buildings that allow views into areas used by Afghan women.
Existing windows with such views must also be blocked, according to the order.
The decree, issued late Saturday by Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, stated that new buildings should not include windows that overlook courtyards, kitchens, or wells — places where women are often present.
“Seeing women working in kitchens, in courtyards, or collecting water from wells can lead to obscene acts,” the statement read, adding that municipal authorities and construction teams must ensure these restrictions are followed.
If such windows already exist, property owners are being encouraged to build walls or obstruct the view to “avoid nuisances caused to neighbours.”
Since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in August 2021, women have faced increasing restrictions. The United Nations has criticized these measures as a form of “gender apartheid.”
Women have been banned from attending school beyond primary education, barred from most jobs, and restricted from entering parks, public spaces, and even beauty salons.
A recent decree also prohibits women from singing or reciting poetry in public and encourages them to “veil” their voices in addition to their bodies.
Local radio and television stations in some areas have stopped broadcasting female voices altogether.
The Taliban administration insists that its interpretation of Islamic law “guarantees” the rights of both men and women. However, international organizations and human rights groups continue to express outrage at the systemic removal of women from public life.
This latest decree has sparked fresh concern about the tightening grip of the Taliban on Afghan women’s freedoms.
