Recently, there was a high-profile incident in Afghanistan: the Taliban demanded the closure of all women's beauty salons across the country. The news caused an uproar in Afghan society. A spokesman for Afghanistan's interim government confirmed the restrictions and said it was in communication with relevant parties seeking a withdrawal of the order, the Associated Press (AP) reported on July 4. Not only is this the latest restriction on women's rights imposed by the Taliban since the Taliban banned women from working for NGOs and banned women from taking university entrance exams, but it could also have a negative impact on Afghanistan's economy.
Under the orders of the Taliban, women's beauty salons in Afghanistan are not allowed to operate, which has troubled many female business owners. A beauty salon owner complained to the Associated Press: "Why are they only targeting women? Aren't we human? Don't we have the right to work and live? "This restriction on women has caused many women to lose places to socialize with friends, causing widespread dissatisfaction and concern.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) expressed concern that the new restrictions would have a negative impact on the economy and contradict policies that support women's entrepreneurship. UNAMA called on the Taliban to withdraw this restrictive measure. The order exacerbates the already dire socio-economic situation in Afghanistan, and restrictions on women's ability to learn and work will plunge the country into deeper economic hardship.
The Taliban have issued several orders restricting women's rights in recent years, and this severe restriction of women's ability to learn and work has led to a catastrophic socio-economic situation in Afghanistan. There is an urgent need for the de facto authorities to recognize that women play an indispensable role in driving economic growth and poverty reduction. Now is the time to move away from these restrictions and allow women to participate in socio-economic activities to bring about positive change in Afghanistan's development.