Canada condemns Taliban's decision to oblige women to wear burqa in Afghanistan

Canada has condemned the recent decision by the Taliban to oblige women to wear the all-covering burqa in public places in Afghanistan. "Canada is deeply concerned about escalating restrictions on Afghan women by the Taliban, now including the ruling to wear the all-covering burka in public. The human rights gains for women and girls in Afghanistan achieved in recent decades must be preserved," said Global Affairs Canada on Saturday, according to Sputnik.

Taliban on Saturday issued a decree ordering the Afghan women to wear the all-covering burqa in public places, adding that if violated a male member of the family will be imprisoned for three days. According to the ruling, if a woman does not wear a hijab, the very first her guardian (father, brother or husband) will be advised warned. If she is found guilty again, her guardian will be summoned and later if repeated, the guardian will be imprisoned for three days, Tolo News reported in a series of tweets.

Furthermore, if the woman is found guilty again, her guardian will be sent to court for further punishment. Moreover, female public employees will be fired if they do not wear hijab. Male employees in government offices will be suspended from their jobs if female members of their families do not wear hijab.

Taliban during its regime in the 1990s made it mandatory for women to wear a burqa. Women in Kabul already cover their hair with headscarves, though some wear modest western clothing. However, outside Kabul burqa remained common, as per the media outlet. Now, the Taliban with this new decree is enforcing every woman in Afghanistan to wear the all-covering burqa. Last year in December, the Taliban issued another repressive directive that Afghan women seeking to travel long distances by road should be offered transport only if accompanied by a male relative.

Moreover, the worldwide condemnation of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan had heightened after the Taliban decided to close all secondary schools for girls. Several activists and political parties have urged the Taliban to reconsider the ban on secondary schools for girls. Psychologists have said that the Afghan girl students above grade six, banned from going to schools by the Taliban, are undergoing mental stress due to this move. According to HRW, women and girls are blocked from accessing health care as well. Reports suggest that women and girls facing violence have no escape route.