Taliban ban sale of contraceptives alleging a Western conspiracy

In two of Afghanistan's major cities, the Taliban have banned the sale of contraceptives, alleging that their use by women is part of a Western conspiracy to dominate Muslims.

It is the latest step that the Taliban have taken to oppress women’s freedom of choice. Following their takeover in 2021, the Taliban have enforced multiple policies that infringe on women's rights, resulting in significant obstacles to women's and girls' health and education. As a substantial amount of women are not allowed to work anymore, it has caused many families to lose income. Moreover, the Taliban now dictate what women must wear, as well as how they should travel.

Banning contraceptives in a nation with an already vulnerable healthcare system will have a substantial impact. Already one in fourteen Afghan women dies during pregnancy, which is now likely to increase even further.

The ban applies to the cities of Kabul and Mazar-i-Sharif, where according to The Guardian's findings, the Taliban have been conducting door-to-door visits, intimidating midwives, and directing pharmacies to remove all birth control medications and devices from their shelves. They told people that the use of contraceptives and the concept of family planning is a western agenda that is used to “keep control” of the Muslim population. 

It is expected that the prohibition will also be applied to other Afghan cities soon, and may eventually also affect rural villages that do not have the medical facilities to cope with the likely consequences of the ban. 

Activists are calling the ban a violation of Human Rights and are saying the Qur’an does not prohibit the use of contraceptives. In a reaction, Taliban official Ustad Faridoon from Kandahar said a complete ban on the products would not be right, as they should stay available for women whose life could otherwise be at risk.

source: commonspace.eu with The Guardian
photo: AFP/Wakil Kohsar

 

Related articles

Editor's choice
News
Borrell tells the European Parliament that the situation in Afghanistan was critical, but the EU will remain engaged

Borrell tells the European Parliament that the situation in Afghanistan was critical, but the EU will remain engaged

Borrell underlined that the European Union will make every effort to support the peace process and to remain a committed partner to the Afghan people. "Of course, we will have to take into account the evolving situation, but disengagement is not an option.  We are clear on that: there is no alternative to a negotiated political settlement, through inclusive peace talks.
An Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement before the end of the year appears to be within reach
Senior officials of Armenia and Azerbaijan are in Brussels this week to prepare for a leaders summit, scheduled to be held in Granada, Spain on 5 October. Armenian National Security Council Secretary, Armen Grigorian, and Azerbaijani Presidential Foreign Policy Assistant, Hikmet Haciyev will meet with representatives from the EU, France and Germany to prepare for the summit. This was announced simultaneously in Baku and Yerevan immediately after the visit to the region of the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus, Toivo Klaar on Friday and Saturday. Such meetings between Haciyev and Grigorian have taken place in the past, but usually without much publicity. The announcement comes amongst increased speculation that Armenia and Azerbaijan are close to agreeing the text of a peace agreement between them and that this could be signed before the end of the year, a pre-document, may even be signed in Granada. This development comes despite the fact that recent weeks have seen a high level of tension in the region, which culminated on Tuesday (19 September) in a 24 hours Azerbaijani military operation which re-asserted Azerbaijani control over Nagorno-Karabakh - even whilst leaving hundreds of casualties and thousands of refugees. The operation led to the Armenians of Karabakh agreeing to disarm, and the two sides are now holding talks for the eventual reintegration of the territory within the Azerbaijani state. The process has been mediated by the command of the Russian military contingent in Karabakh. commonspace.eu political editor says that a picture is emerging, whereby Russia is taking the leading role in the mediation between Baku and the Karabakh Armenians, and with supervising any agreement between them through the Russian military contingent in Nagorno-Karabakh, which numbers around 2000 personnel. The EU, through the wider format involving both the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, and the leaders of France and Germany, can now focus on Armenia-Azerbaijan relations, and the eventual signing of a peace agreement. This arrangement looks very neat on paper, but of course there are many cross cutting issues. How the two processes will evolve in parallel yet in harmony is yet to be seen.
dennis2020 Mon, 09/25/2023 - 07:55

Popular

An Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement before the end of the year appears to be within reach
Senior officials of Armenia and Azerbaijan are in Brussels this week to prepare for a leaders summit, scheduled to be held in Granada, Spain on 5 October. Armenian National Security Council Secretary, Armen Grigorian, and Azerbaijani Presidential Foreign Policy Assistant, Hikmet Haciyev will meet with representatives from the EU, France and Germany to prepare for the summit. This was announced simultaneously in Baku and Yerevan immediately after the visit to the region of the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus, Toivo Klaar on Friday and Saturday. Such meetings between Haciyev and Grigorian have taken place in the past, but usually without much publicity. The announcement comes amongst increased speculation that Armenia and Azerbaijan are close to agreeing the text of a peace agreement between them and that this could be signed before the end of the year, a pre-document, may even be signed in Granada. This development comes despite the fact that recent weeks have seen a high level of tension in the region, which culminated on Tuesday (19 September) in a 24 hours Azerbaijani military operation which re-asserted Azerbaijani control over Nagorno-Karabakh - even whilst leaving hundreds of casualties and thousands of refugees. The operation led to the Armenians of Karabakh agreeing to disarm, and the two sides are now holding talks for the eventual reintegration of the territory within the Azerbaijani state. The process has been mediated by the command of the Russian military contingent in Karabakh. commonspace.eu political editor says that a picture is emerging, whereby Russia is taking the leading role in the mediation between Baku and the Karabakh Armenians, and with supervising any agreement between them through the Russian military contingent in Nagorno-Karabakh, which numbers around 2000 personnel. The EU, through the wider format involving both the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, and the leaders of France and Germany, can now focus on Armenia-Azerbaijan relations, and the eventual signing of a peace agreement. This arrangement looks very neat on paper, but of course there are many cross cutting issues. How the two processes will evolve in parallel yet in harmony is yet to be seen.
dennis2020 Mon, 09/25/2023 - 07:55