Taliban Leader's Decree on Building Windows: Women Should Not Be Seen

Hibatullah Akhundzada, the leader of the Taliban, issued a five-article decree on Saturday, January 8, regarding the installation of windows in buildings, stating that women should not be visible from the windows of neighboring houses while cooking or moving about. The decree was published on the social media account of the 'Ministry of Affairs' of the ruling group in Afghanistan on platform 'X'. In the first article of the decree, Akhundzada stated that if someone wants to build a structure and there is another building within one road's distance, that person cannot place 'the window of their building facing the kitchen, water well, or a place where women usually sit and can be seen.' Additionally, it was noted that if someone has placed their window facing a neighbor's house, they must build a tall wall, at least the height of a person, in front of it or otherwise 'prevent harm' to the neighbor. He mandated municipalities and other institutions under the control of the Taliban government to supervise construction to prevent windows facing neighboring houses. The online newspaper 'Etemad-e-Rooz' pointed out that since regaining control over Afghanistan, the Taliban has imposed extensive restrictions on the way citizens, especially women, live. Etemad-e-Rooz wrote that according to the laws and orders of this group, women have been ostracized from society, and even the sound of their voices outside the home is prohibited. The Taliban has barred women from studying in medical fields; the U.S. has called this unfair. The International Organization for Migration reported that millions of Afghans are in a state of displacement. The Taliban faces threats from the International Court of Justice for mistreatment of women and girls. The European Parliament has passed a resolution recognizing 'gender apartheid' in Afghanistan.