In Afghanistan, the Taliban have passed a sweeping morality law that forces women to completely cover their bodies and remain silent in public. The law is enforced by the Morality Police, which reports to the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. The law codifies many rules that have been in place since the Taliban returned to power three years ago. The law has been widely condemned. This is Ravina Shamdasani, spokeswoman for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Ravina Shamdasani: “These partners are being completely silenced and people are trying to put them in the shadows. Their voices are no longer allowed. Education is no longer allowed. You can’t even see their faces. This has to stop and we have to keep talking about it. We have to keep advocating and putting pressure on the authorities to listen to us.”

Afghan women are defying Taliban orders in videos posted on social media or shared with human rights groups. This woman living in Afghanistan hid her identity as she recorded herself singing: “You have silenced my voice until further notice. You have locked me in my house because I am a woman.”

Afghan woman: “They have forbidden me to speak until further notice. They have locked me up at home because I am a woman.”