The Taliban has announced a ban on women’s beauty salons in Afghanistan, adding to the increasing restrictions on the rights and freedoms of Afghan women and girls. The ban was confirmed by a government spokesperson and is the latest in a series of measures that have curtailed women’s access to education, public spaces, and employment.
Mohammad Sidik Akif Mahajar, a spokesperson for the Taliban-run Virtue and Vice Ministry, did not provide specific details about the ban but confirmed its contents based on a letter circulating on social media. The letter, dated June 24, stated that it conveyed a verbal order from the supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada. The ban applies to the capital city, Kabul, and all provinces, and salons across the country have been given one month’s notice to wind down their operations. After the specified period, they must close and submit a report about their closure. The letter did not provide reasons for the ban.
The release of the letter comes shortly after Akhundzada claimed that his government has taken steps to improve the lives of women in Afghanistan. However, the ban on beauty salons demonstrates the increasing limitations being imposed on women by the Taliban.
One beauty salon owner, who preferred to remain anonymous out of fear of reprisals, spoke about the impact of the ban. Following her husband’s death in a 2017 car bombing, she became the sole breadwinner for her family. On a daily basis, eight to twelve women visit her salon in Kabul. Expressing her concerns, she questioned why women were being specifically targeted and denied the right to work and live freely.
Despite initial promises of a more moderate rule compared to their previous regime in the 1990s, the Taliban has been implementing harsh measures since seizing control of Afghanistan in August 2021. Women have been barred from public spaces, such as parks and gyms, and there has been a crackdown on media freedoms. These measures have triggered international condemnation, further isolating the country and exacerbating its economic and humanitarian crisis.
The ban on women’s beauty salons adds to the growing concerns about the deteriorating situation for women and girls in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. The international community continues to voice outrage and call for the protection of women’s rights in the country.