Salons, which offered one of the few remaining opportunities for women to socialize in Afghanistan, are now being targeted by the Taliban. The extremist group has ordered the closure of

beauty parlors across the country, marking another severe crackdown on women's rights.

The vice ministry confirmed the order on Tuesday, stating that beauty parlors must shut down within a month. This decision will force thousands of women-run businesses to close, eliminating a crucial source of income for households.

The closure of salons not only affects the livelihoods of many women but also takes away one of the limited spaces where they could gather and socialize outside of their homes. For years, salons provided a safe environment for women to interact, chat, and escape from the restrictions imposed by society.

Speaking anonymously, the manager of a Kabul salon expressed her distress, saying, "I think it would have been good if women did not exist at all in this society. I am saying this now: I wish I did not exist. I wish we were not born in Afghanistan, or were not from Afghanistan."

Since assuming power in August 2021, the Taliban has consistently targeted women's rights. They have prohibited girls and women from attending schools and universities, banned them from public spaces such as parks and gyms, and enforced strict dress codes. Women have been largely excluded from working for international organizations, and many have lost their government jobs or been paid to stay at home.

The reason behind the recent order to close beauty salons has not been disclosed by the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. However, it is believed to be in line with the Taliban's oppressive ideology and their efforts to exclude women from public life.

The closure of salons is yet another blow to Afghan women, who have been experiencing grave human rights violations under Taliban rule. Reports indicate that discrimination against women and girls in Afghanistan is deeply ingrained and systematic, and the situation is among the worst in the world.

The plight of Afghan women has drawn international concern, with the UN's Human Rights Council highlighting the grave violations and discrimination they face. The Taliban's actions have been described as gender apartheid, and the lives of women and girls have been severely restricted in every aspect.

While the Taliban claims that their rule provides a "comfortable and prosperous life according to Islamic Sharia" for women, their actions paint a different picture. Afghan women are left questioning the motives behind these restrictions and the loss of their already limited freedoms. Photo by ninara from Helsinki, Finland, Wikimedia commons.