As The World Watches, Afghan Women Continue To Disappear From Public Life

As the world watches, Afghan women continue to disappear from public life; stripped of their basic human rights, freedom of movement, and the right to earn a livelihood to feed themselves and their families.

It’s been two weeks since the de-facto authorities announced that all women’s beauty salons in Afghanistan must close within the month, and awareness has already begun to die down. It’s important we not forget that this edict serves to further limit the already highly restricted movement of women within the country.

Beauty salons play an important role in many cultures as places of social gathering. Without access to other public spaces, beauty salons were some of the last safe spaces for women in Afghanistan to congregate, be heard, and find comfort in community.

The impending beauty salon closures serve as another step toward the complete removal of women from participation in public life.

These forced closures negatively impact female workers, their families, and the economy as a whole, as Afghanistan is home to approximately 12,000 registered beauty salons and many more unregistered. These forced closures erode the already fragile economic infrastructure of the country, making it more difficult for Afghanistan to become a self-sufficient nation.

As the Taliban continue to strip women of their freedom, we are called to stand with and for them. We can not forget Afghan women in their darkest hour. Through our micro-grant initiatives, we fund and support capacity building for women-led initiatives and organizations.