Taliban Ruling: Women Prohibited from Using Taxis Without a Mahram
My husband was an officer in the national army, but after the Taliban came to power, he was forced to flee to Iran. I am now left with two children, aged six and three.
Before this, I worked four days a week at a doctor’s house. The distance between my home and the doctor’s house is a 20-minute taxi ride. There are no public buses along this route, so I had to rely on taxis to get to work.
Recently, the Taliban banned women from using taxis without a mahram. A few days ago, when I tried to take a taxi to work, Taliban intelligence officers arrived. One of them scolded the driver harshly, shouting, “Didn’t I tell you yesterday not to let unveiled women or women without a mahram into your taxi?” He even struck the elderly driver with a stick.
The driver trembled in fear and couldn’t speak. I decided not to go to work that day and returned home. Since then, I have been left wondering what to do. I cannot afford to hire a private taxi every day, nor can I afford to bring a mahram with me. If I take my children, my employer will not allow them to stay with me until my shift ends.
Now, I often cannot go to work. On some days, I take back alleys and side streets to avoid Taliban patrols because I have no choice. I must work to provide for my children and cover our household expenses.
The situation is getting worse for women each day. I no longer know what the future holds. I just hope someone can help us women living in these harsh conditions. Our children need support to survive. We need your assistance.
