The United Nations has raised concern about the recent detention of Afghan women and girls by the Taliban for allegedly not following strict dress code rules.
Between July 16 and 19, several women and girls were taken into custody in Kabul for not wearing the Islamic headscarf as directed by authorities.
The exact number of those arrested and their current status remain unclear.
Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban has continued to enforce rigid rules on how women should dress in public.
A decree issued in May 2022 instructs women to cover themselves from head to toe, allowing only their eyes to remain visible.
These rules are part of a broader set of restrictions that affect many aspects of women’s daily lives.
The U.N. mission in Afghanistan expressed its concern that such actions are creating fear among the population and increasing the isolation of women and girls.
The mission urged the Taliban to remove these rules, which limit the basic rights and freedoms of Afghan women.
In addition to dress restrictions, Afghan girls are still banned from attending school beyond sixth grade.
This ongoing limitation on education, combined with arrests linked to clothing, continues to affect the social and personal lives of Afghan women.
The situation reflects the growing challenges faced by women and girls under Taliban rule, especially in urban areas like Kabul, where surveillance and enforcement have increased.