The Taliban authorities in Afghanistan have announced a sweeping restriction targeting women’s beauty services, issuing a one-month deadline for salons and related businesses to halt operations across the country. This latest directive marks another step in a series of measures interpreted through a strict form of Islamic law, and it sets a clear timeline for enforcement.
A spokesperson for the Ministry for the Promotion and Prevention of Virtue, Mohammad Sadiq Akif Mahajir, confirmed to EFE on Tuesday that the ministry has issued a formal letter to local municipalities instructing them to revoke licenses held by beauty salons. The letter directs city and provincial officials to suspend activities at women-only beauty centers within the specified period, with the consequence of a nationwide ban after the deadline passes.
The order appears to come from Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban’s overarching religious leader, and represents one of several prohibitions that have been layered onto Afghan life since the Taliban regained control in 2021. The closure of these outlets would likely cut off a significant source of income for many families and businesses, compounding the economic pressures already faced in the country.
A makeup artist working at a Kabul beauty center told EFE that thousands of women-led households may lose their income streams, describing the situation as deeply painful and challenging to endure. The comments underscore the human impact of policy changes that affect livelihoods, especially for those reliant on small, service-based businesses in urban areas.
Since the Taliban returned to governance, women’s rights have faced numerous constraints, including limits on public presence, mandatory head coverings, and the necessity of accompanying male relatives during travel. This latest move adds to a broader pattern of policy shifts that have curtailed women’s public and economic participation, intensifying debates about gender equity and daily life in Afghan cities. The measures are part of a longer list of restrictions that have curbed working opportunities for women and access to education, reinforcing a climate of tight control over gender roles in society.
The situation today reflects a harsh resonance with the climate of the late 1990s, when the country experienced rigid governance under a theocratic framework that limited women’s access to schools and confined many women to home life under strict rules. Contemporary observers note that, although the political context differs, certain social controls have found new life under the current administration, influencing how women navigate work, study, and public spaces.
The Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Depravity—an institution that resurfaced after the Taliban’s return—continues to play a central role in shaping public policy toward women. Its renewal echoes the earlier era when a similar department guided social conduct, leaving a lasting impression on Afghan memory and contemporary discussions about state authority, gender, and personal freedom.
As the Taliban governance persists, officials continue to align administrative structures with the ideological framework that guided their initial ascent to power, including the manner in which institutions related to women’s social status are organized and reinterpreted in the current political landscape. The ongoing debate centers on balancing cultural and religious interpretations with the lived realities of Afghan families who strive to sustain livelihoods and access education in a challenging environment.