Video Circulates of Taliban-Detained Girl Dressed as Boy Claiming Necessity to Work
A video circulating on social media shows a girl dressed in boys' clothing giving what appears to be a forced confession while in Taliban custody. In the footage, the girl states she has been working in a cafe for three years, initially earning 7,000 afghanis per month and later 10,000 afghanis, to support and protect her sisters.
A man's voice is heard questioning her about her identity, family, residence, workplace, and salary. When asked if she is a boy or a girl, she confirms she is a woman who dressed as a boy out of necessity to bear family responsibilities. The time and location of the video's recording are unknown.
Spokespersons for the Taliban's Ministry of Interior and Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice did not respond to inquiries about the reason for her detention or her fate.
Since the Taliban entered Kabul in August 2021, women's employment rights have been severely curtailed. Female government employees, except in health and some education sectors, were barred from work. The Taliban also restricted women in private firms and international organizations and shut hundreds of women's beauty salons, endangering the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Afghan families.
The Taliban's Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has launched widespread campaigns arresting young women from streets and markets in various cities.
The phenomenon of girls dressing as boys, known as "bacha posh," was common during the Taliban's first rule in Afghanistan. Girls adopted male attire to attend school, work, and participate in society despite restrictions.
Afghan director Siddiq Barmak made the film "Osama" about a girl who dresses as a boy under the first Taliban regime to resist exclusion from society. Barmak described it as "a real tragedy in an era where no one had the right to make decisions for themselves." The film won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film in 2004 and the Golden Camera at Cannes.
More in Society
Taliban courts flog nine people including three women in Parwan and Uruzgan
Residents of Kandahar's Miyanshin District Cite Lack of Healthcare Services Putting Lives at Risk
UNDP Assessment Finds Cannabis Most Widely Used Drug Among Men in Afghanistan
12 Killed, 3 Injured in Traffic Accident in Afghanistan's Badakhshan Province
Taliban courts flog nine people including three women in Parwan and Uruzgan
Taliban courts in Parwan and Uruzgan flogged nine people, including three women, for extramarital relations and disrespect to father, with sentences of 30-39 lashes and suspended prison terms. Over the past five days, at least 73 individuals have been flogged across Afghanistan amid criticism of the group's new penal code.
Residents of Kandahar's Miyanshin District Cite Lack of Healthcare Services Putting Lives at Risk
Residents of Miyanshin district in Kandahar province say the absence of local healthcare facilities forces dangerous long-distance travel for treatment, leading to deaths. They call for equipped clinics and medical staff amid broader national shortages.
UNDP Assessment Finds Cannabis Most Widely Used Drug Among Men in Afghanistan
UNDP assessment of over 10,000 respondents across 21 provinces finds cannabis as the top drug for lifetime and past-year use among Afghan men, despite Taliban ban, with opium, heroin and pharmaceuticals following. Provincial variations highlight tobacco, methamphetamine and Tablet K in specific areas.
12 Killed, 3 Injured in Traffic Accident in Afghanistan's Badakhshan Province
Twelve people died and three were injured when a vehicle plunged into a valley in Arghanj Khwah district of Badakhshan province due to poor road conditions, the Taliban police command spokesperson's office said.