After Taliban seized power in 2021, the women are prohibited from gyms, and classrooms, parks, and are even barred from UN employment. The latest decree enforces full-body covering except for the eyes and requires women to have a male family member accompany them beyond a 72-km radius
Taliban’s decision to shut down all hair and beauty salons in Afghanistan is a TALIBAN’S DECISION to shut down all hair and beauty salons in Afghanistan is a blatant violation of women’s rights. This latest restriction is just one of many that have been imposed on women in Afghanistan since the Taliban seized power in 2021. The Taliban have barred teenage girls and women from classrooms, gyms, and parks, and most recently even banned them from working for the United Nations. The Taliban’s latest directive mandates that women should attire themselves in a manner that exposes only their eyes.
Additionally, they stipulate that women must be accompanied by a male family member when journeying beyond 72 kilometers (48 miles).
The Taliban claim that they decided to ban beauty salons because they offered services forbidden by Islam and caused economic hardship for the families of grooms during wedding festivities. However, this reasoning is flawed and misguided. Beauty salons provide grooming service to women, allowing them to feel confident and empowered. Furthermore, the economic hardship argument is baseless, as it is up to individuals and families to decide how much they want to spend on wedding festivities.
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The ban on beauty salons has led to a rare public protest in Kabul, where dozens of beauticians and makeup artists gathered to voice their opposition. To disband the protest, security forces employed water hoses, tasers, and discharged their firearms into the sky. This violent response to peaceful protest is unacceptable and shows the Taliban’s disregard for the rights of its citizens.
The prohibition also raised apprehension among global organizations that are concerned about its repercussions on female business owners. The United Nations expressed its involvement in discussions with Afghan authorities to reverse the ban. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is endorsing the initiatives of the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), which has urged the authorities in charge to cease the decree that shuts down beauty salons.
Heather Barr, associate women’s rights director for the New York-based group Human Rights Watch, said “This isn’t about getting your hair and nails done. Approximately 60,000 women are facing unemployment due to this situation. It also signifies women losing access to one of the few havens for community and assistance, following the systematic dismantling by the Taliban of the entire framework established to address domestic violence.
The Taliban’s decision to shut down all hair and beauty salons in Afghanistan is seen as a violation of women’s rights. Women have the right to feel confident and empowered, and beauty salons provide an important service in this regard. The international community must continue to pressure Taliban to reverse these restrictions and respect the rights of all its citizens.
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