The Taliban is restricting Afghan women's access to work, travel, and health care if they are unmarried or don't have a male guardian, according to a UN report published on January 22. There are no official laws about male guardianship in Afghanistan, but the Taliban has said women cannot move around or travel a certain distance without a man who is related to her by blood or marriage. The Taliban's chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said the UN report was based mostly on misunderstandings and accused the mission of ignoring or criticizing Islamic law, or Shari'a.
Taliban Enforcing Restrictions On Single, Unaccompanied Afghan Women, UN Says
An Afghan woman walks past a beauty salon in Kabul.