Kabul Beauty Salon Women's Shelters

After the Taliban returned to power two months ago, many women did not go to public places and were sometimes confined to private places due to very real dangers.

Beauty salons are still one of the last places in Kabul where women can be found outside the home, feeling moments of freedom out of the sight of men.

Mohaddessa is one such woman who has kept her beauty salon open so far despite Taliban threats.

After the Taliban returned to power two months ago, many women did not go to public places and were sometimes confined to private places due to very real dangers.

But Muhaddith's beauty salon is now a place where women can breathe a sigh of relief outside the home and share their worries, or at least forget the right to have fun and fashion in these moments. ۔

This salon has become an oasis for women, providing income for the staff and pleasant moments for the customers, but now its days are numbered.

The 32-year-old salon owner told AFP: "We do not want to give up and do not want to give up our job.

She added: "We are happy that we have jobs and it is important for women to work in Afghan society, many of whom support their families."

Female customers are left outside the salon to knock on the salon's poster door, which has now been whitewashed and quickly disappear into the store behind a heavy curtain.

Upon entering, the women take off their scarves and sheets and talk about their new style in passionate voices.

Women working in salons

During the Taliban's first visit to Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, women were required to wear the burqa, while beauty salons were completely banned.

For women, just polishing their nails meant risking cutting their fingers.

But since the Taliban regained power, the group has sought to present a more liberal face to the world.

The Taliban need international assistance to avert economic catastrophe, so they have not been in a hurry to re-impose restrictions on women and daily life.

This does not mean that Muhaddith has not received any threats.

A Taliban mob chanted threatening slogans outside their saloon, but they resorted to legal means to continue their work.

He said: "I can say that the women of this salon are brave because they come to work every day despite threats and intimidation."

'Message of resistance'

On the day AFP made the report, about 30 women arrived at the salon to get ready for the wedding. It was a kind of bravery.

The women were clearly enjoying the rare opportunity to dress up and get their wedding done.

The bride's sister Farkhunda, a teacher, said of the make-up that had been going on for over an hour: "Yes, that's good. it's beautiful. This is my first real day since the end of August. "

But one of his shining eyes lost his sight when he was attacked by the Taliban in his teens.

He said: 'Did you see my eye? On my way to school, I lost it when the Taliban attacked us. But I'm not afraid of them. I don't want to talk about them because today is a happy day. "

And the 22-year-old Marwa's (not her real name) short haircut and styling showed a message of 'resistance'.

"We are not people wearing blue burqas," he said. We are not people wearing black burqas. We are not

I will stay here

Some women are dreaming of leaving the country and some are dreaming of change.

Farkhunda hopes to return to work, while Muhaddith is afraid for her life because of her work.

He showed a letter to AFP, which he said came from the Taliban's new ministry, Amr Bal Ma'ruf Wal Nahi An Al Munkar, warning to close it.

But he said: "I will stay here until they come and put a knife to my throat."