Taliban’s practice in Damascus: Women banned from sitting at front of buses
The authorities in Damascus have banned women and men from sitting next to each other on public transport buses and women from sitting at the front of buses.
RAMA HALEF
Damascus- An unofficial decision has sparked anger in Syria’s capital Damascus. People taking public transport buses see notices saying that women and men cannot sit next to each other and front seats are reserved for men. The notices have sparked discussion on social media platforms while Syria’s interim government led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has not issued a statement about the notices.
Some social media users criticize the notices, saying, “This practice reinforces gender inequality and gender bias.”
‘A step backwards’
“This decision is a step backwards and does not reflect any progress,” said Reem Al-Ahmad, one woman in Damascus. “Problems faced by women such as harassment, theft and immoral behavior can not be stopped through gender discrimination but through deterrent laws and education.”
‘This practice will deepen gender discrimination’
The search for balance between protecting women and defending individual freedoms further complicates the debate over gender discrimination in public transport vehicles. Social media users criticize the practice stressing that this practice “will deepen gender discrimination” in the city.