Shillong, July 4: The Taliban-led government in Afghanistan has issued an order to close all beauty and hair salons across the war-torn nation, marking the regime’s latest crackdown on women’s rights. The Vice and Virtue Ministry spokesman informed businesses of the shutdown on July 2, giving them one month to comply.
The spokesperson did not provide a reason for this new measure. However, during the Taliban’s previous rule from 1996 to 2001, beauty salons were shut down as part of a range of oppressive measures enforced by the extremist group. After the US-led invasion in 2001, these businesses gradually reopened.
Following the fall of Kabul in August 2021, the salons continued to operate, albeit with covered shop windows and obscured images of women to conceal their faces.
Since assuming power, the Taliban regime has imposed various restrictions on women, including barring teenage girls and women from attending schools, gyms, and parks. They have recently extended the ban to working for the United Nations. Furthermore, the Taliban has enforced a strict dress code for women, allowing only their eyes to be visible, and requiring them to be accompanied by a male relative if they travel more than 72 kilometers.
These restrictions have drawn widespread condemnation from the international community, highlighting concerns about the erosion of women’s rights in Afghanistan under the Taliban’s rule.