The Taliban, Afghanistan’s ruling group, has issued a new order banning women from receiving dental treatment from male dentists in Kandahar province, local media report.
Following the decree, Taliban members reportedly forced women out of dental clinics and instructed facilities not to allow female patients to be treated by male practitioners, according to Al Arabiya.
This move follows other restrictive measures by the Taliban, including a recent ban on what they called “bold” erotic poetry. Since taking control of Afghanistan in August 2021 after the U.S. withdrawal, the Taliban has increasingly restricted women’s rights and freedoms.
Women and girls have been barred from universities, high schools, and religious schools. They are also prohibited from working in government roles and most humanitarian organizations.
In some areas, the Taliban has cut wireless internet and fiber optic services, limiting women’s access to online education and communication.
Recently, the Taliban also removed books written by women from university curricula and banned teaching subjects related to human rights, sexuality, and gender, further undermining education in Afghanistan.
