Sources report that the Taliban at the Ministry of Education are making harassing phone calls to several female teachers and employees. According to these sources, Taliban officials in these calls propose marriage to the women, claiming they do not intend to cause harassment but are “seeking lawful marriage.” It is also reported that, before these acts of harassment, the Taliban conduct investigations into female teachers and employees to determine who is unmarried, and these actions are carried out in a targeted manner.
Sources add that this practice by the Taliban has caused several female teachers to isolate themselves in their homes and, due to fear of further harassment, they are unwilling to continue working at the Taliban’s Ministry of Education. The sources emphasize that female teachers, out of fear of “dishonor, execution, or imprisonment” by the Taliban, have remained silent in the face of such behavior.
One of the sources, who requested anonymity in the report, says that one of the Taliban officials has repeatedly harassed her using different phone numbers. This source adds that she cannot turn to any institution to escape this harassment. According to her, she and other women who have received marriage proposals from Taliban officials are completely defenseless against this form of violence.
The source states: “I was sitting at home when I received a call; he said he liked me and wanted to befriend me. The first time, I blocked the number and did not realize he was a Taliban official; as usual, I thought it was an ordinary harasser. But after some time, he would call from different numbers, and this continued every day until one day he sent a message and introduced himself. In that message, he had written his full name, details, and even my home address; I was shocked. He wrote that he intended a lawful marriage. I told him not to harass me and reminded him that I am married, but his level of investigation was unbelievable. He works in the ministry, and his behavior has put me under pressure because I am the only person working in my family. If I do not go to work, what can I do? If I go, I am once again exposed to harassment.”
This source says she feels trapped in Afghanistan and sees no way out. She adds, “I cannot sleep at night, I have nightmares, and I am very afraid. I delete one number, but they call and send messages from other numbers. My life has turned into a nightmare. If I share the matter with my family, the situation will escalate; if I share it with the ministry, they are all Taliban, and in the end, I will be blamed. I have only told my close friend that if anything happens to me, she should tell my family that it was done by the Taliban. Where can we go? To whom can we seek refuge?”
Another source from a public school says that she has also witnessed similar behavior toward female teachers. According to this source, one of the Taliban officials had asked her to arrange a marriage proposal for one of her single colleagues on his behalf. She adds that this matter is very concerning, and she cannot share it with anyone.
This source states: “We have a female teacher who is attractive and tall. One of the Taliban officials told me several times to propose marriage to this colleague on his behalf. He insisted so much that I was exasperated. In the end, I told him, ‘Sir, I am single myself and cannot find a husband for myself, let alone for someone else’s daughter.’ I said I would not do this, and if he wants, he should directly say it himself. In the end, due to the pressure and harassment, I broke my SIM card.”
This source explains that most female teachers are facing such behavior but cannot share it with anyone, and ultimately, due to this harassment, they are forced to resign from their positions.
Previously, sources had told the Hasht-e Subh Daily that Enayatullah Khwarazmi, spokesperson for the Taliban Ministry of Defense, had proposed marriage to several female journalists. These sources added that Khwarazmi had contacted the female journalists through his personal number and told them that he was “modern” and did not behave like other Taliban members.
Saeed Khosti, former head of communications and public relations for the Taliban Ministry of Interior, had also forcibly married Elaheh, a medical student. Elaheh later divorced him and revealed in the media the torture and abuse she had suffered at the hands of this Taliban official.
Forced marriages and child marriages under the Taliban regime have increased at an unprecedented rate and have become one of the most serious human rights crises. According to sources, the Taliban not only fail to address these cases, but they are themselves a fundamental part of this problem.
Recently, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) announced that the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan under Taliban rule is deteriorating. UNAMA, on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, stated in a report that the increasing restrictions on education, work, and participation of women and girls in public life are endangering the future of the country.
Additionally, Gilles Bertrand, the European Union Special Representative for Afghanistan, after the conclusion of his six-day visit, announced that the human rights situation, especially women’s rights, in Afghanistan is alarming. In a statement, he described the Taliban’s decision to ban women from working in United Nations offices as a “negative signal” to the international community.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
آموزگاران زن: مقامهای وزارت معارف طالبان زیرنام «نکاح حلال» مزاحمت و تهدید میکنند
