All beauty salons are closed in Afghanistan.
It orders the Taliban’s top leader Haibatullah Akhundzada – and gives the companies a month to close operations.
– It is really another restriction and many women will react strongly to this, says Cajsa Wikström of the Swedish Afghanistan Committee.
Since the Taliban took over power in Afghanistan, women’s rights and freedoms have become increasingly restricted. Girls are no longer allowed to go to school after they finish grade 6. It is therefore not possible for women to study at university and their options in the labor market are few. Today came another hard blow.
The Taliban in Afghanistan give orders to close all the country’s beauty salons. It is the Ministry of Morals that is behind the decision and the highest leader of the Taliban who gave the order.
– Since they came to power, the Taliban have restricted women’s rights and freedoms more and more. This is really just another step in that, says Cajsa Wikström at the Swedish Afghanistan Committee.
“Now that possibility is curtailed”
Many women are alone in providing for the family due to poverty. Many are widows after decades of war.
The salons have been one of the few opportunities to make a living after the Taliban came to power. Cajsa Wikström tells us that the beauty salons also played an important role socially, where women were able to talk without men around them.
– Now that possibility is also restricted, she says.
But no purpose for the decision has been specified, writes TT. All beauty salons will have one month to wind down operations. After that, a report on winding up must be submitted.
Leader: Women should get better
Just a few days ago, Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada claimed that several necessary steps had been taken to improve the lives of women in Afghanistan.
Cajsa Wikström was recently herself at a beauty salon in Afghanistan. During one of the Swedish Afghanistan Committee’s projects, disabled women were trained in beauty. She describes the women’s joy at finally being able to support themselves. A strengthened self-esteem by being able to contribute to the family’s finances.
All that has fallen apart.
– Their dreams about the future will be extinguished with this decision, she says.