KABUL: Thousands of beauty parlours across Afghanistan have closed their doors permanently in compliance with an order issued by Taliban authorities, effectively cutting off one of the few revenue streams available to women and depriving them of cherished spaces for socializing.
Since assuming power in August 2021, the Taliban government has imposed severe restrictions on girls and women, including barring them from attending high schools and universities, forbidding them from visiting parks, funfairs, and gyms, and enforcing strict public dress codes. In addition to these oppressive measures, a recent order by the Taliban forces the closure of thousands of salons run by women across the country. These salons often serve as the only source of income for many households and represent one of the few remaining places where women can gather outside of their homes.
The closure of salons has dealt another significant blow to Afghan women’s rights and freedoms. Bahara, a salon customer in the capital city, Kabul, expressed her frustration, saying, “We used to come here to spend time talking about our future together. Now even this right has been taken away from us. Women are not allowed to enter entertainment places, so what can we do? Where can we go to enjoy ourselves? Where can we gather to meet each other?”
Economic Consequences of Afghan Salons’ Closure
Last week, women protesting against the forced closure were dispersed by security officials in Kabul using gunfire and firehoses. On Tuesday, many salons in the city had already closed their doors, while others remained open until the last possible moment. Some salon owners reported being coerced into signing letters of consent, stating that they were willingly shutting down and would return their operating licenses.
The Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice announced the salon closures in June, allowing a grace period for using up existing stock. The ministry argued that the exorbitant spending on makeovers caused hardship for poor families and deemed some salon treatments as un-Islamic. The order cited concerns that excessive makeup interfered with proper ablutions for prayer, and it forbade practices such as eyelash extensions and hair weaving.
The ban on beauty parlours has severe economic consequences, as thousands of women who lost their jobs when the Taliban took over or were paid to stay at home will now face further financial hardship. The Afghanistan Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry estimates that approximately 60,000 women will lose their sources of income due to the closure of about 12,000 salons across the country.
The situation for women in Afghanistan has drawn international concern. A report to the UN’s Human Rights Council last month by Richard Bennett, the special rapporteur for Afghanistan, described the plight of women and girls in the country as “among the worst in the world.” Bennett expressed grave concerns about the “grave, systematic, and institutionalized discrimination” against women under the Taliban rule, leading to fears of gender apartheid.
