Women makeup artists hold protests in Kabul

Following the Taliban's ban on women's beauty salons in Afghanistan, women makeup artists on Wednesday held demonstrations in Kabul denouncing the order, reported TOLOnews.

Recently, the de-facto authorities of Afghanistan, in a verbal decree, banned women's beauty salons in Kabul and other provinces across the country.

The demonstrations were held in the Shar-e Naw neighbourhood of Kabul where the protesters chanted the slogan "Food, work, and justice".

Makeup artist Marwa said, "What is our crime that we are deprived of school, universities and everything? What is our guilt?”

Another makeup artist, Sadaf said, “I have spent around 400,000 Afs on my beauty salon. I am the breadwinner for my family and I have the responsibility to bring food for 12 people in my family," reported TOLOnews.

The protesters said that thousands of women would lose their jobs if the decision remains.

Basana, a makeup artist said, “I am responsible for the family. Which way should I go and what should I do? The family doesn’t have anyone else except me and I am obliged to bring food for them by working in beauty salons."

The Taliban's restrictions on women in Afghanistan have received global condemnation.

“The restrictions on women have been increased by the interim government every day. I hope the Islamic Emirate pays attention to all types of rights of the citizens of Afghanistan, particularly women, and never seeks to take the food of a mother, sister, daughter or a wife,” said Tafseer Sia Posh, a women’s rights activist, according to TOLOnews.

According to a decree issued by the Taliban's Ministry of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, women's beauty parlours in Afghanistan will no longer be allowed to operate after July 23, reported Khaama Press. Further, as per the report, there are over 12,000 women's-beauty-salons across the country, with an average of five women employed by each.