burqa

The Taliban authorities in Afghanistan have ordered female patients, caretakers and staff to wear a burka – a full Islamic veil – to enter public health facilities in the western city of Herat, medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) says.

MSF said the restrictions came into effect from 5 November.

“These restrictions further impede women’s lives and limit women’s access to health care,” Sarah Chateau, the agency’s programme manager in Afghanistan, told the BBC. She said even those “in need of urgent medical care” had been affected.

A spokesman for the Taliban government has denied MSF’s account. Reports say restrictions have been partially relaxed since the alarm was raised.

MSF, which supports paediatric services at Herat Regional Hospital, said it had observed a 28% drop in admissions of patients whose conditions were urgent during the first few days of the new enforcement.

Ms Chateau said Taliban members had been denying entry to women without the burka by standing at the entrance of the health facilities. A burka is a one-piece veil that covers the face and body, often leaving just a mesh screen to see through.

A Taliban spokesperson for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice Ministry, which enforces strict religious doctrines, dismissed reports that women were being forced to wear the burka.

“This is totally false. The position of the vice and virtue ministry is generally on the wearing of hijab,” Saif-ul-Islam Khyber said.

Hijab means covering up generally but also describes the headscarves worn by Muslim women.

The Taliban official also rejected reports that women were banned from medical centres for not wearing the burka.

At the same time, the Taliban official said: “Hijab is interpreted differently in different parts of the country, most of which are in conflict with Sharia [law].”

Activists have also alleged that Taliban guards have been enforcing the wearing of burkas for women to enter key facilities for the past week.

One female activist from Herat province told the BBC that the dress code was applicable for those who want to enter hospitals, schools and government offices.

There has also been criticism on social media over the Taliban’s reported decision to impose the burka in Herat.

An Afghan activist posted a video on X showing some women setting fire to the garments in protest at the Taliban’s rule. The BBC has not independently verified the video.

The Taliban enforced the burka during their first stint in power in the 1990s.

Since seizing power in August 2021, the Taliban government has imposed numerous restrictions, particularly for women, in accordance with their interpretation of Islamic Sharia law.

In 2022, the Taliban issued a decree ordering women to wear an all-covering Islamic face veil in public. Taliban officials then described the face veil edict as “advice”.

“Even though the veil edit was announced earlier, this is the first time we are seeing the enforcement of the burka in Herat. In the past few days more and more women are coming to the hospital with burkas,” Ms Chateau said.

Since returning to power, the Taliban have barred women from most workplaces and universities and girls from secondary schools. The UN has repeatedly urged the Taliban to end what it describes as “gender apartheid”.

Last week, the UN said it had suspended operations at a key border crossing between Afghanistan and Iran because of restrictions on Afghan women staff working at the border.

Islam Qala, in Herat province, has been the main crossing point for hundreds of thousands of Afghans forced to leave Iran in the past year.

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka’s Cabinet on Tuesday approved a proposed ban on wearing full-face veils including Muslim burqas in public, citing national security grounds, despite a U.N. expert’s comment that it would violate international law.

The Cabinet approved the proposal by Public Security Minister Sarath Weerasekera at its weekly meeting, Weerasekara said on his Facebook page.

The proposal will now be sent to the Attorney General’s Department and must be approved by Parliament to become law. The government holds a majority in Parliament and the proposal could easily be passed.

Weerasekara has called burqas, a garment that covers the body and face worn by some Muslim women, a sign of religious extremism and said a ban would improve national security.

Wearing of burqas was temporarily banned in 2019 after Easter Sunday suicide bomb attacks killed more than 260 people. Two local Muslim groups that had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group were blamed for the attacks at six locations — two Roman Catholic churches, one Protestant church and three top hotels.

Last month, Pakistani Ambassador Saad Khattak tweeted that a ban would hurt the feelings of Muslims. The U.N. special rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, Ahmed Shaheed, tweeted that a ban would be incompatible with international law and the right to free religious expression.

Muslims make up about 9% of Sri Lanka’s 22 million people, with Buddhists accounting for more than 70%. Ethnic minority Tamils, who are mainly Hindus, comprise about 15%.