The Taliban have introduced a new mandate requiring female employees in Kandahar province to obtain official documentation identifying a male guardian, or mahram, who must accompany them to their workplace, Amu TV reported.  This policy, enforced by the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, applies to women working in both public and private sectors.

Female employees who spoke with Amu TV said they had been warned that failure to comply would result in their being denied entry to the workplace.  In many cases, the male guardian is expected to remain at the office or work site for the duration of the day.

“This order has created enormous challenges,” said one woman, who requested anonymity out of fear of retaliation. “Most families cannot afford to have a man stay with a woman at work all day.”

Obtaining a mahram card is a multi-step process that can take up to three days and requires sign-off from several authorities, including the provincial director of the virtue ministry, a local council representative, a security official and the woman’s employer, according to individuals familiar with the procedure.

The cards are reported to include detailed personal information about both the employee and her designated guardian.

Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have enacted a broad array of restrictions on Afghan women and girls — barring them from secondary and higher education, prohibiting their employment in most sectors, and severely limiting their freedom of movement.  The United Nations and international rights groups have described the Taliban’s policies as systematic gender persecution.