Women protested the closure of beauty parlors in Afghanistan today in the capital, Kabul. At that time, the members of the security forces dispersed them by spraying water with blank bullets and hose pipes. Beauty parlors are the only source of income for many families. But last month, the ruling Taliban ordered the closure of thousands of parlors across the country. The parlor was one of the few opportunities for social interaction outside the home for women. "Don't cut off my bread or my water," a placard held by a protester on Kabul's Butcher Street today read.
Since the Taliban took power in August 2021, women and children have been banned from attending secondary schools and universities. Women were banned from going to parks and gymnasiums. Even women are ordered not to appear in public without a burka.
Protests are rare in Afghanistan, and security forces often use force to disperse them. But despite this situation, AFP saw that today about 50 women gathered to protest, which quickly caught the attention of the security forces.
Protesters later provided videos and photos to reporters. It can be seen that the security forces are vigorously spraying water with hosepipes to disperse them. Blank shots can also be heard during the protest in the video.
A Parlor worker told AFP, Today, we have organized this protest for discussion and reconciliation. But today, no one came to talk to us or listen to us. They didn't care about us. On the contrary, they dispersed us by throwing water from water cannons and blank bullets. Last June, the Ministry of Ethics set a one-month deadline to shut down beauty parlors. According to them, during this period, the salons will be able to finish using the cosmetics they have in stock. Explaining the reason for this order, the ministry said that so much money has to be spent on education, which has become a burden for poor families. Apart from this, some services are provided in the parlors that are pre-Islamic. Apart from this, women do not perform ablution properly if they are overdressed. On the other hand, artificial eyelashes and hair transplants were also banned. A copy of the order was obtained by AFP. There, the news agency observed, the order was given on the verbal orders of the Supreme Leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada. During the last 20 years of US-led forces in Afghanistan, many beauty parlors were established in Kabul and other cities in the country. It becomes a safe space for women to go out and socialize with men. It also creates opportunities for women to do business. After coming to power, the Taliban administration continued to impose various restrictions on women. In the meantime, women have been banned from going to educational institutions. Rain Mubarak is a makeup artist by profession. He said, Many men do not have jobs. In this situation, women have to work to manage the family. Many have found work in beauty salons. Now, if the beauty salon is closed, what will they do? Parks and recreation centers are also closed to women. The activities of non-governmental development organizations (NGOs) have been closed. International circles are criticizing these steps by the Taliban government.
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