Taliban Support Enforced Full-Face Veil for Schoolgirls in Religious Schools

A video released by Taliban forces and supporters shows schoolgirls in a religious school wearing full-face coverings, with only their eyes visible, answering religious questions in Arabic.

This type of attire, which does not align with the customs and culture prevalent in large parts of Afghanistan, has been deliberately promoted by the Taliban administration in recent years to establish it as a normal standard for women and girls.

The Taliban administration supports a dress code that completely covers women’s faces or requires them to wear the burqa; critics view this policy as part of increasing restrictions on women’s public presence.

After the official ban on education for girls above the sixth grade in formal schools, many girls deprived of education have, out of necessity and to escape severe domestic restrictions, turned to religious schools. These schools operate based on the Taliban’s strict and extreme interpretation of Islamic law and deprive girls of diverse and free educational opportunities.