Afghan women ‘banned from hearing each other’s voice’ in new Taliban rule | World News - The Indian Express

The Taliban in Afghanistan have reportedly issued a new decree banning women from praying aloud in the presence of each other, further restricting their freedoms.

According to Amu TV, a Virginia-based Afghan news channel, the order was delivered by Mohammad Khalid Hanafi, Taliban minister for the propagation of virtue and the prevention of vice, who stated that women should avoid reciting the Quran audibly when around other women.

“When women are not allowed to call Takbir or Azan (the Islamic call to prayer), they certainly cannot sing songs or enjoy music,” Hanafi said, according to the report.

The Telegraph also reported Hanafi’s assertion that a woman’s voice is considered “awrah”— something that must be concealed — meaning it should not be heard in public, even by other women.

Currently, this directive applies specifically to prayers, but experts are concerned it could have broader implications, limiting women’s ability to speak freely in public and pushing them further out of society. The latest order follows a string of restrictions imposed on Afghan women by the Taliban, including a rule introduced in August mandating full-body coverage, including faces, when outside.

Local reports also indicate that women are forbidden from speaking publicly. A midwife in Herat told Amu TV that female healthcare workers are barred from talking in public, particularly with male relatives. These healthcare workers are among the few Afghan women permitted to work outside the homes.

“They don’t even allow us to speak at checkpoints on our way to work, and in clinics, we are instructed not to discuss medical issues with male relatives,” the midwife shared with the channel.

It remains unclear if the latest decree has been formally implemented or how extensive its reach may be.

Since their return to power in 2021, the Taliban regime has enforced severe restrictions on women in Afghanistan, drastically curtailing their freedom.

The committee headed by Dr K Radhakrishnan has submitted recommendations to the Education Ministry to enhance data security, improve exams and review the NTA's structure. They propose conducting online entrance exams, using a hybrid model for paper transmission, rationalizing subjects for the Central University Entrance Test, and increasing permanent staff at the NTA.

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