Security officials in Kabul used force to disperse a group of Afghan women who were protesting against the Taliban’s order to close down beauty parlours.
The order, issued last month, shut down thousands of beauty parlours across the country, which were often the primary source of income for many households and provided a rare opportunity for women to socialize outside of their homes.
“Don’t take my bread and water,” read a sign carried by one of the protesters on Butcher Street.
The protest, which is a rare occurrence in Afghanistan, attracted around 50 women and was met with security personnel using firehoses and firing shots into the air.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) condemned the suppression of peaceful protest, emphasizing the importance of allowing Afghans to express their views without violence.
The Taliban’s decision to close beauty parlours was justified by claiming that excessive spending on makeovers caused financial hardship for poor families, and some salon treatments were considered un-Islamic. These actions against women’s rights are part of a larger pattern of discrimination and oppression faced by women and girls in Afghanistan under Taliban rule.
