Before the taliban took control of Afghanistan in 1996, wearing a hijab was a woman’s choice. However, that all changed when the Taliban took over, and women were forced to wear a burqa which covered a woman’s entire body and face. Now that the Taliban is out of power, the burqa is no longer necessary, according to a CNN article by Gale Tzemach Lemon.

Women in burqas in Kabul, Afghanistan. Photo from NBC News.