Afghanistan Peace CampaignUNAMA said that six months after the law’s enforcement, the Islamic Emirate has made more systematic efforts to implement it.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in its latest report stated that the implementation of the Islamic Emirate’s vice and virtue law has significantly impacted people’s lives, particularly women, with widespread challenges.
UNAMA said that six months after the law’s enforcement, the Islamic Emirate has made more systematic efforts to implement it.
According to the report, provincial committees were deployed to 28 provinces to enforce the law.
UNAMA stated: “These efforts include the establishment of PVPV law provincial implementation committees in 28 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces with the deployment of some 3,300 PVPV inspectors with broad discretionary powers conducting enforcement operations around the country.”
“The law on the promotion of virtue should also include commercial transactions,” said Nasir Shafiq, a university professor.
UNAMA’s report highlights that enforcing this law has had extensive social and economic impacts on both women and men. It also mentions that the law’s direct and indirect effects have further complicated and worsened Afghanistan’s economic situation.
The report also said that the social and economic impacts of this law may have aggravated Afghanistan’s already dire economic and humanitarian situation and negatively affected the capacity of UN humanitarian agencies and national and international NGOs that provide aid to millions.
“If UNAMA engages with us in substantial discussions, we can validate many of their statements. Secondly, the principles of the law on the promotion of virtue are based on Islamic values and are important in an Islamic society,” said Amanullah Hotaki, a political analyst.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Emirate’s Ministry of Vice and Virtue responded by saying that some entities are attempting to manipulate public perception through propaganda. A spokesperson added that the Islamic Emirate respects the rights of all citizens and has so far prevented 1,130 forced marriages.
Saif-ul-Islam Khyber, spokesperson for the ministry, stated: “Certain anonymous addresses and intelligence organizations are, as in the past, trying to disregard the ministry’s achievements and accuse the Islamic system and particularly this ministry based on unverified rumors.”
UNAMA, citing World Bank findings, stated that restrictions on women’s education and employment by the Islamic Emirate could cost Afghanistan’s economy $1.4 billion annually.
It is worth noting that this ministry had previously rejected a quarterly UNAMA report that pointed to violations of women’s rights and freedom of expression.