Taliban Enforce Burka Mandate for Healthcare Access in Herat, Afghanistan
Taliban authorities in the western Afghan city of Herat have ordered all women – patients, caretakers, and staff – to wear a burka when entering public health facilities, raising concerns about access to vital medical care.
The restrictions, which came into effect on November 5th, have already led to a noticeable decline in urgent patient admissions, with medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reporting a 28% drop in the first few days of enforcement. “These restrictions further impede women’s lives and limit women’s access to health care,” said Sarah Chateau, MSF’s programme manager in Afghanistan, adding that even those “in need of urgent medical care” have been affected. This latest move builds on a pattern of increasing restrictions placed on women’s freedoms since the Taliban regained power in 2021.
A spokesperson for the Taliban government initially denied MSF’s account, but reports indicate the restrictions have been partially relaxed following the outcry. Saif-ul-Islam Khyber, a Taliban official from the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice Ministry, stated, “This is totally false. The position of the vice and virtue ministry is generally on the wearing of hijab,” clarifying that hijab generally means covering up, including headscarves. However, Khyber also acknowledged that interpretations of hijab “differ in different parts of the country, most of which are in conflict with Sharia [law].” Activists have reported enforcement of the burka mandate extending beyond healthcare to schools and government offices, and some women have publicly protested by burning their burkas in defiance of the rules.
The enforcement of the burka in Herat marks a significant escalation of existing restrictions on women, following a 2022 decree ordering all-covering Islamic face veils in public. The United Nations has repeatedly condemned such policies as gender apartheid and has recently suspended operations at a key border crossing due to restrictions on Afghan women staff. Taliban officials maintain that the measures are in accordance with their interpretation of Islamic law and have indicated they will continue to enforce them.
