“Taliban Restricts Women, Windows, and NGO Operations”
"Taliban Imposes New Restrictions on Women’s Employment and Residential Design, Orders NGOs to Cease Hiring Women"
Image: AFP via Getty
Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has issued an order prohibiting the construction of windows in buildings where women can sit or stand. According to a four-point directive shared on X (formerly Twitter), this rule applies to both new and existing buildings. Windows should not overlook domestic areas such as yards or kitchens. If any window faces such spaces, the property owner must find a way to block it using walls, fences, or screens.
The directive instructs municipalities and other authorities to ensure new buildings do not include windows that allow views into or from residential properties. In a related move, the Taliban has also announced plans to shut down all national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) employing women in Afghanistan. Two years ago, the Taliban had already banned Afghan women from working, citing non-compliance with Islamic hijab regulations.
In a letter, the Ministry of Economy warned that organizations failing to comply with the latest order would face revocation of their operating licenses. The ministry, which oversees the registration, coordination, and monitoring of NGO activities, stated that it is once again ordering a halt to all female employment in institutions not controlled by the Taliban. The letter warned that non-compliance would result in the cancellation of all activities and licenses of the violating organization.
This directive marks the Taliban’s latest attempt to regulate or interfere with NGO operations in Afghanistan.
