Restrictions on women in Afghanistan continue to fall. Banished from political life, from several professional sectors, deprived of college and high school, women are now deprived of driving licenses. A restriction which has entered into force for the moment only in Herat, the big city in the north-west of Afghanistan.
With our correspondent in the region, Sonia Ghezali
The order was not issued by the central government in Kabul, but came from the local authorities in Herat. Driving schools have been instructed to no longer provide driving lessons or licenses to women.
The city of Herat is however considered one of the most progressive in Afghanistan. The enrollment rate for women, for example, was among the highest in the country before falling drastically after the Taliban took power. Until then, it was not uncommon to see a few women driving in the streets of Herat as in the streets of Kabul.
If the order has not been given in Herat to prohibit women from driving, the new instructions aimed at no longer issuing them a driving license will further marginalize those who are already driving, depriving future generations of women of this right and this freedom.
This order given at the local level could inspire other Taliban leaders in other provinces. Restrictions on women are increasing. The high point having been on March 23, when the middle and high school girls were unable to return to school despite the promises made by the Taliban regime which has turned around.