Taliban’s Latest Edict: No Windows Overlooking Homes with Women

Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has issued a directive banning windows in residential buildings that provide views into neighboring homes, particularly those where women reside.

Framed as a measure to “safeguard privacy and protect women from potential harm,” the decree prohibits property owners from including windows that overlook courtyards or living spaces of adjacent properties. Existing structures with such windows must be altered, either by erecting barriers or installing coverings to obscure the view.

The regulation applies not only to future construction but also retroactively, requiring homeowners to modify any non-compliant buildings. Local authorities have been tasked with strict enforcement, overseeing compliance in ongoing construction and monitoring changes to existing properties.

“Seeing women working in kitchens, courtyards, or collecting water from wells can lead to obscene acts,” read a decree shared by government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid on X.

This mandate is the latest in a series of sex-based restrictions imposed by the Taliban since their return to power in 2021. The regime has systematically dismantled women’s rights, barring them from education, most jobs, and public life.

Human rights groups have denounced these policies as a deliberate attempt to erase women and girls from public and private spaces, with many labeling it a form of apartheid.

Municipal agencies have been instructed to ensure adherence, warning of severe consequences for those who violate the order. The directive signals yet another step in the Taliban’s tightening grip over Afghan society, especially women and girls.

“We have no freedom. We are not treated as human beings. We are treated worse than animals,” a 23-year-old Afghan woman who will remain anonymous for her safety told More to Her Story. “Please help us.”