RASC News Agency: Maud Petit, a member of the French Parliament, has strongly condemned the Taliban’s recent restrictions targeting Afghanistani women, describing them as an overt act of “erasing women.” In a statement on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, December 30, Petit denounced the move, questioning, “How can this be possible in the 21st century?” Her remarks were made in response to a new decree reportedly issued by the Taliban’s supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, on Saturday, December 28. The directive prohibits the construction of windows that allow views into neighboring properties, specifically targeting areas where women may be visible.
The decree stipulates that windows overlooking spaces such as kitchens, courtyards, or wells areas where women often perform household tasks due to traditional customs must be designed to ensure that women remain unseen from neighboring homes. The Taliban argue that this measure is necessary to preserve cultural norms and protect women’s privacy. Afghanistani women’s rights activists have vehemently criticized the decree, calling it a blatant example of the Taliban’s ongoing campaign to “oppress and demean Afghanistani women.” Members of the Lanterns for Freedom women’s movement have drawn parallels between homes without windows and the notorious Sednaya Prison in Syria. In video messages, they highlighted that the Taliban’s prohibition on constructing such windows demonstrates their relentless drive to suppress women’s presence in public and private life.
The activists described the decree as further evidence of the Taliban’s systematic oppression of women and called on the global community to intervene. “This is not just an attack on Afghanistani women it’s an affront to humanity. The international community must act decisively and prevent the Taliban from crossing even more egregious lines,” they asserted.
