Afghan women face new restrictions as Taliban shuts down beauty salons

The Taliban’s recent order to close down beauty and hair salons in Afghanistan marks another restriction faced by women in the country.

According to the BBC, the Vice and Virtue Ministry spokesperson stated that businesses were given a one-month period, starting from July 2 when they were first informed of the decision, to comply with the order.

This move is just one of many anti-women measures taken by the Taliban since they regained power in 2021.

They have imposed restrictions on teenage girls and women, prohibiting them from attending classrooms, gyms, and parks. Recently, they even banned women from working for the United Nations.

READ ALSO: Taliban arrest professor for condemning ban on female education in Afghanistan

Additionally, the Taliban has mandated that women must dress in a way that only exposes their eyes and be accompanied by a male relative when traveling more than 72km (48 miles).

Despite international backlash and protests by women and activists advocating for their rights, the Taliban’s oppressive measures continue unabated.

The closure of beauty salons echoes similar actions taken by the Taliban during their previous rule from 1996 to 2001. However, these establishments reopened in the years following the 2001 US-led invasion of Afghanistan.

In response to the new closure order, an anonymous Afghan woman expressed her dismay to the BBC, stating, “The Taliban are stripping Afghan women of their most basic human rights. They are violating women’s rights by this decision, depriving women of the opportunity to serve other women. I was completely shocked when I heard the news. It seems that the Taliban lack any political agenda other than controlling women’s bodies. They are attempting to erase women from all aspects of public life.”

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