Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has announced that one of its female employees in Herat Province was detained by personnel from the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice for allegedly failing to comply with prescribed hijab regulations. She was released after two days in detention.
In a statement, the organization said that the employee was on her way to work when she was arrested by Taliban authorities and taken into custody. According to MSF, upon her release, she and her family were required to pledge that she would comply with the Taliban’s prescribed dress code and hijab requirements.
MSF described the incident as another example of the continuing restrictions imposed on women and warned that such measures could negatively affect the delivery of healthcare services.
The organization emphasized that female healthcare workers play a vital role in Afghanistan’s healthcare system and that restrictions on their work can have serious adverse consequences for patients, particularly women and children.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
