Afghanistan on the Brink of Civilizational Collapse: The Return of the Morality Police and the Systematic War Against Women’s Lives

Kokcha News Agency – In a recent internal meeting at the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in Kabul, Mohammad Khalid Hanafi, the head of the institution, issued a directive to local officials:
“It’s time to enforce Sharia with full force. No one with incomplete hijab should be allowed to move in the streets or markets.”

This directive is not just an administrative reminder but a political signal. The Taliban are no longer content with maintaining the status quo. They are intensifying their repressive policies against society. The morality police, known as the “Mutasib,” have returned to the streets. In Kabul, Kunduz, Mazar-e-Sharif, and Herat, groups of three to four men in uniform, often carrying black batons, patrol markets, near closed schools, and even healthcare centers.

Their mission is clear: to monitor women’s dress, enforce gender segregation, and detain anyone who violates their moral code. A witness in Kabul’s market reported:
“A few days ago, a woman was reprimanded just because her chador was slightly tilted. One of them said, ‘Don’t you fear God? We are here to save you!’”

But this is just the beginning. The Taliban are no longer satisfied with previous restrictions. They are positioning themselves as overseers of all aspects of public life, from how people pray to the type of music played at weddings.

Women: From Educational Deprivation to Social Erasure
The Taliban’s policies against women have gradually, and then unilaterally, stripped them of all aspects of collective life. These restrictions are no longer limited to education; they are part of a civilizational-economic policy pushing society towards isolation and collapse.

Education: Cutting Off the Future
Girls above the sixth grade have been banned from education since 2021. Universities are completely closed to women. According to UNICEF, over 2.2 million girls have been deprived of education. In rural areas, girls’ schools have been converted into mosques or military bases.
A young girl from Bamyan said:
“I no longer know what my identity is. Not a student, not an employee, not even a citizen. Just a woman at home.”

Employment: Mass Dismissals and Forced Poverty
Women have been dismissed from government, NGOs, and the private sector. International organizations like WFP and Oxfam have been forced to suspend operations because over 30% of their staff were women.
A former local organization manager in Herat said:
“We can no longer operate. Either we fire the women, or we shut down.”
Many educated women are now working from home, producing handicrafts or offering private tutoring in secret, earning meager incomes.

Health: A Hidden Crisis
Women’s health centers have been closed or are only accessible to female doctors, many of whom are unemployed. The WHO reports that maternal mortality has increased, and child vaccination rates have dropped.
Many women avoid hospitals out of fear of humiliation or interrogation.

Movement: Prisoners in Their Homes
Women are not allowed to travel more than 72 kilometers without a male guardian. In cities like Kunduz and Mazar-e-Sharif, women are banned from parks, sports centers, and libraries.
A female citizen of Kabul said:
“Every time I leave the house, I feel like I’m entering a minefield.”

The Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue: From Religious Institution to Repressive Force
The Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, which was a feared institution during the Taliban’s first rule (1996–2001), has once again become a key tool for social control. Under the command of Mohammad Khalid Hanafi, the ministry oversees hundreds of local morality police across the country.

But this time, they have more resources:

• Access to government vehicles
• Direct coordination with the public security police
• Direct reporting to the Taliban leadership in Kabul

Unofficial reports from across the country indicate interrogations, public humiliation, and beatings for “violating hijab” or “not praying.” In provinces like Jowzjan and Sar-e-Pol, men have been beaten for being late to mosque prayers.

Voices of Resistance Amid Silence
Amid this atmosphere of oppression, the voices of Afghan women are quietly but persistently rising. Human rights activists describe Hanafi’s policies as “a full-scale war against the lives of women and men.”

A human rights activist living in hiding said:
“They don’t just want to keep women at home; they want to change the entire identity of society. This isn’t just a restriction; it’s a reverse revolution.”

Some men—fathers, brothers, and husbands—are also unhappy with these policies but remain silent out of fear. In Kabul’s markets, one occasionally hears:
“Why are you harassing my wife? I’m her guardian!” But the morality police always respond: “This is God’s law. You can’t argue with it.”

Outlook: A Return to the Middle Ages?
The Taliban’s policies against women are so severe and systematic that many analysts call it “an unprecedented experiment in the 21st century.” The UN, UNHCR, and UNICEF have warned that Afghanistan is the only country in the world systematically stripping women of all rights.

But the international community has largely limited itself to statements of condemnation. Economic sanctions and the suspension of aid have created pressure but have had limited impact on Taliban policy. Meanwhile, the Taliban have doubled down, framing these policies as part of their “Islamic identity.”

In the long term, this approach not only creates a humanitarian crisis but also destroys Afghanistan’s economic, social, and security foundations.

Economy: The removal of 40% of the workforce (women) has led to structural stagnation.
Security: The atmosphere of pressure and despair is creating fertile ground for decentralized resistance groups.
National Identity: A young generation, especially girls, is losing its identity and hope.

Conclusion:
Afghanistan today is not just a country in a humanitarian crisis; it is at the heart of a civilizational crisis. The Taliban don’t just want to control power; they want to change the mindset of society.
Internal resistance, smart international support, and preserving space for civil society are the only ways to prevent the complete collapse of Afghanistan’s national identity. But time is running out, and women on the streets of Kabul are fewer every day.