At a press conference held at the Government Media and Information Center, officials from the Ministry of Vice and Virtue, and the Hearing of Complaints presented their annual performance report.
Over the past year, the Ministry has undertaken key initiatives, including drafting legislative and regulatory frameworks, promoting virtuous conduct and preventing vices within civilian and military sectors as well as public spaces, activating a toll-free complaints hotline (191), organizing capacity-building programs, and overseeing the enforcement of decrees and directives.
Ministry officials highlighted that, under the directive of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Emirate, the Ministry successfully prevented 338 cases of forced marriages and 295 cases of women being sold, while facilitating the resolution of 1,313 enmities into reconciliations. Furthermore, 789 deprived women were granted their rightful inheritance, 2,638 cases of violence against women were averted, and 2,469 meetings were convened to address vices, harmful customs, and ideological deviations.
Officials reported that the Law on the Hearing of Complaints has been ratified by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, and 11 legislative and regulatory documents have been drafted and forwarded to the relevant authorities for further processing.
The Ministry’s strategic plan has been finalized, with religious directives and pertinent provisions integrated into the policies and strategic plans of 11 government entities.
In addition, the Ministry has implemented extensive measures to promote virtuous conduct and prevent vices across 27,518 governmental and non-governmental organizations, 419,369 mosques, 96,355 educational and healthcare facilities, 68,979 hotels and restaurants, 39,218 bathhouses and barbershops, 15,575 sports clubs, 500 tailoring shops, and other public spaces.
Furthermore, in the past year, 25 liquor stores were closed, 21,328 musical instruments were destroyed, the use of 13,250 narcotic tablets was prevented, and the offenders were handed over to the relevant authorities. Moreover, 25,647 obscene films were blocked from use on personal computers.
Ministry officials also noted that 90% of audio, visual, and print media broadcasts have undergone reforms. In pursuit of societal reform, 30,000 immoral films were destroyed at the central and provincial levels, hookah lounges and gambling establishments were closed, and 448 talisman makers and 528 individuals practicing sorcery were apprehended and handed over to judicial authorities.
Furthermore, officials highlighted that the call to prayer (Adhan) has been standardized across the city, 460 loudspeakers were installed in Kabul, and with the activation of the toll-free hotline 191 over the past year, a total of 9,808 complaints were registered, of which 5,486 have been addressed.
In addition, over the past year, continuous monitoring of the implementation of decrees and directives was conducted in 54 governmental institutions, 104 capacity-building programs were organized for 7,022 employees and monitors, and a curriculum on outreach and guidance was developed for government employees.
According to the Ministry, the top priorities for the coming year include the finalization of legislative and regulatory documents, policy development, promoting virtuous conduct and preventing vices within military units, organizing capacity-building programs, processing complaints, and reforming public perceptions. #
