The Taliban has issued a ban on women’s beauty salons in Afghanistan, a government spokesman confirmed, marking the latest restriction on the rights and freedoms of Afghan women and girls. The decision comes as the Taliban continues to impose harsh measures since seizing power in August 2021, sparking widespread international outrage. According to a letter circulated on social media, the ban targets all provinces, including the capital Kabul, and gives salons a month’s notice to wind down their businesses before they are forced to close. The letter, dated June 24, does not provide reasons for the ban, but it has been met with fierce criticism from international leaders and human rights organizations.
The ban is part of a broader pattern of restrictions on women’s rights, including edicts barring them from education, public spaces, and most jobs. Despite initial promises of a more moderate rule, the Taliban has taken a series of steps to curtail women’s freedoms, sparking a humanitarian crisis and economic collapse. The United Nations has urged the Taliban to reverse the ban, citing the negative impact it will have on the economy and contradicting stated support for women entrepreneurship.
Taliban Imposes Ban on Women’s Beauty Salons in Afghanistan
One beauty salon owner, who wished to remain anonymous, spoke out against the ban, highlighting the devastating impact it will have on her family’s livelihood. Her salon in Kabul attracts 8-12 clients every day, and she is the sole breadwinner since her husband’s death in 2017. “Day by day they are imposing limitations on women,” she said. “Why are they only targeting women? Aren’t we human? Don’t we have the right to work or live?”
The Taliban’s latest move has been met with outrage, with many criticizing the group’s treatment of women. The UN mission in Afghanistan, or UNAMA, took to Twitter to urge the Taliban to halt the ban, citing its negative impact on the economy and contradicting stated support for women entrepreneurship. As the world watches, the fate of women’s beauty salons in Afghanistan hangs in the balance, a small but significant victory for those fighting for women’s rights in the war-torn country.
