Taliban morality police have launched aggressive raids on home-based beauty salons across Kabul, forcibly shutting down dozens of clandestine operations that emerged after the 2023 nationwide ban on formal salons. Agents stormed residences, confiscated equipment, and pressured male relatives to sign pledges prohibiting women from working. Several beauticians reported intrusive phone inspections without explanation during these raids, deepening fears of surveillance.
Women revealed a pattern of exploitation: Taliban district officials previously demanded bribes (10,000–100,000 Afghanis; $140–$1,400) to overlook underground salons, only to later authorize raids by the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. After confiscating tools, ministry agents then solicited additional payments for potential “reopening”, a cycle of extortion that bankrupts families.
For many women, these salons were their last income source. Simin, 22, described operating covertly to feed her unemployed father and brother: “I’m terrified of arrest, but I’ve no choice.” Her story mirrors thousands of female breadwinners in a country where 78% of young women lack education or jobs. The 2023 salon ban erased 60,000 livelihoods overnight, pushing families into poverty. Sawita, 30, now earns pennies as a leather tailor after closing her salon: “We moved to one room. What I miss most was my freedom”.
The raids align with Taliban efforts to eliminate women from society. UN reports document bans on education beyond sixth grade, healthcare restrictions for unaccompanied women, and forced conversions of religious minorities. Public floggings for “moral crimes” have surged, while female NGO workers face dismissal and project censorship. The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Taliban leaders over gender persecution, a ruling the regime dismissed as “anti-Islamic”.
Despite risks, women continue quiet defiance. Beauticians relocate equipment and whisper warnings through networks. In July 2025, rare protests erupted in Kabul with chants of “Work, bread, justice!”, met by Taliban water cannons and stun guns. Meanwhile, foreign aid cuts exacerbate crises; U.S. humanitarian funding withdrawals have crippled women’s entrepreneurship programs.