The Taliban has implemented a new directive requiring all women - including patients, caregivers, and medical staff - to wear burkas when entering public healthcare facilities in Herat, Afghanistan. According to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), this rule has resulted in a 28% decline in emergency admissions since its enforcement began on November 5th.
Taliban members stationed at hospital entrances have been denying entry to women not wearing the full-body veil, which features only a mesh screen for vision. MSF reports that female patients with serious medical conditions are being turned away, exacerbating the country's humanitarian crisis. While Taliban officials deny issuing a burka mandate, claiming they only emphasize general hijab observance, local witnesses confirm the rule is being enforced at hospitals, schools, and government offices.
This policy represents the latest in a series of restrictions on women's rights since the Taliban regained power in 2021, including bans on education and employment. Human rights organizations have condemned the measures, with the United Nations describing them as "gender apartheid" and some local women protesting by burning burkas.
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