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IEA imposes strict dress codes on the few girls schools still open
Despite the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (IEA) decision to suspend schooling for teenage girls, Human Rights Watch found that a number of girls’ schools, mostly in Balkh province, are still open but have strict dress codes in place.
According to the watchdog, many girls’ secondary schools have remained open in the province since the IEA took power but that they have been threatened with closure if they refuse to comply with the rules.
HRH stated in a report that one Balkh school was closed for several days after some students had their faces uncovered, while another school now has a teacher assigned to “prevent vice and promote virtue.”
“The requirements on hijab are getting tougher day by day,” said a teacher.
“They have spies to record and report.… If students or teachers don’t follow their strict hijab rules, without any discussion they fire the teachers and expel the students,” the teacher said.
She shared a photo with HRW of her school’s assembly; students and teachers all wore uniforms allowing only their eyes to show.
A student at another school explained: “We are not allowed to wear belts. Our sleeves should be large to hide our elbows and the shape of our arms. But then we were reprimanded because when we write on the board, our sleeves roll back and our arms are revealed.… One day we are asked to have loose sleeves, and the next day we are admonished for it.”
The latest order, she said, was to wear loose sleeves but pin them at the wrist.
“All the girls in my school believe the Taliban (IEA) authorities want to make it so harsh and strict on us that we give up on education on our own,” the student said, adding that she and her classmates are still determined to study.
Following these demands, the US Representative for Women in Afghanistan reiterated that the issue of girls’ schools should be taken seriously by the Islamic Emirate.
In an interview with VOA, Rina Amiri said that the closure of girls’ schools puts not only girls and women but the entire population at risk of poverty; it creates widespread hardship and instability
“It is not possible to deprive 50% of the population of their rights altogether and expect that this action will have better results, any measure that continues in this way and is not taken seriously by the Taliban, the country will suffer catastrophic consequences,” said Amiri.
Roza Otunbayeva, Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), recently visited the city of Maimana in northern Afghanistan, where she met with local officials, entrepreneurs, and UN staff.
UNAMA wrote on its Facebook page on Sunday, that during the visit, entrepreneurs — including women — met with Otunbayeva, and requested support to facilitate access to new markets, particularly in Uzbekistan.
UNAMA further stated that among these entrepreneurs was a group of women who, with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), had established a tailoring workshop.
They expressed their appreciation for the support received and spoke about the significant growth and development of their business.
UNAMA added that the organization remains committed to promoting economic opportunities and empowering Afghan communities, especially women.
Anand Prakash, head of the Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan Division of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, met with Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul for talks on various issues.
According to a press release issued Sunday by the Afghan Foreign Ministry, bilateral political relations, trade, transit and recent political developments in the region were discussed in the meeting.
Muttaqi stressed the need for the expansion of diplomatic and economic relations between the two countries and explained that Afghanistan currently offers favorable opportunities for investment. He said Indian investors should take advantage of these opportunities.
He also said that facilities should be created for the movement of people between Afghanistan and India and the issuance of visas for medical purposes, students and businessmen should return to normal.
Meanwhile, Prakash said that relations with Afghanistan are important for India and he hopes that these relations will expand further in various fields.
He stressed that India will continue its cooperation with Afghanistan and wants to invest in some infrastructure projects and restart projects that were paused for some time.
The two sides also emphasized the expansion of relations, the exchange of delegations, visa facilitation and bilateral cooperation.
Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has said in a phone call with his Uzbek counterpart that Afghanistan is fully prepared for the implementation of the Trans-Afghan railway project.
During the call, the two sides discussed strengthening bilateral and multilateral relations, as well as expanding political, economic and transit cooperation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul said in a statement on Sunday.
Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov noted that Afghanistan’s exports to Uzbekistan have tripled in the first four months of 2025 compared to last year. He vowed to create more facilities in the field of trade and transit between the two countries, especially in issuing visas to Afghan citizens.
Meanwhile, Amir Khan Muttaqi said that Afghanistan is fully prepared for the implementation of major economic projects such as the Trans-Afghan railway project and for the strengthening of political, trade and transit cooperation with Uzbekistan. He said that the existing opportunities should be utilized for the mutual benefit of the two countries.
The two sides also discussed the holding of a trilateral meeting between Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Pakistan at the level of foreign ministers and agreed to coordinate through diplomatic channels to determine the exact date and place of the meeting.
The three neighboring countries signed an agreement in February 2021 to construct a 573-kilometer railway line through Afghanistan, connecting landlocked Central Asia to Pakistan seaports, with an estimated cost of $4.8 billion to enhance regional economic connectivity.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held a telephone conversation with Uzbek foreign minister last Thursday to discuss the Trans-Afghan railway project.
Dar expressed hope that the three countries would soon sign a framework agreement on this important regional project.
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