The Taliban's supreme leader has issued an order banning the construction of windows in residential buildings overlooking areas used by Afghan women, stating that the existing ones should be blocked.
According to a statement released yesterday by a Taliban government spokesman, new buildings should not have windows that allow one to see "the yard, the kitchen, the neighbor's well, and other areas commonly used by women."
"Seeing women working in kitchens, in yards or taking water from wells can lead to inappropriate actions," said the decree published on the Ix network by government spokesman Zabihulah Mujahid, writes AFP.
City officials will have to monitor construction sites to ensure that it is not possible to look into neighbors' houses.
In case such windows exist, owners will be advised to erect a wall or block the view "so as not to disturb the neighbors," the decree states.
Since the Taliban's return to power in August 2021, the presence of women in the public space has dwindled, prompting the United Nations to condemn the administration's "gender apartheid."
Taliban authorities banned education for girls and women beyond primary school, restricted employment and blocked access to parks and other public places.
A recent law prohibits women from even singing or reciting poetry in public due to strict application of Islamic law. The law also requires them to "disguise" their voices and cover their bodies when they are outside the house.
Some local radio and television stations stopped broadcasting women's voices.
The Taliban administration claims that Islamic law "guarantees" the rights of men and women in Afghanistan.
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