Taliban Bans Women from Working in Dried Fruit Factories

The Taliban have banned at least 130 female workers from processing and packaging dried fruits in factories in Kabul and Balkh, ordering that male workers replace them.

An anonymous source said that the women were dismissed by the Taliban’s Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice authorities and warned that returning to work could lead to imprisonment.

“At Kabul Industrial Park, the authorities visited every factory. Some employed women, but factory managers were strongly instructed to remove female workers and replace them with men,” the source said.

A manager in Balkh added that the authorities explicitly demanded in writing that female workers be barred from employment. The Taliban consider women working in factories or offices without a mahram (male guardian) to be against Sharia.

Dozens of women, many widowed or impoverished, had earned 10,000–18,000 Afghanis (≈ $140–$250 USD) per month in these factories.

In Kabul, a factory worker Khatera (pseudonym) who had worked six years in packaging said, “Since losing my job, I have faced serious economic problems. I am the head of a five-member family; my husband has passed away, and I have no other source of support.”

Shazia, another worker barred from going to work a few weeks ago, added, “When the factory manager told us not to come, all the female workers cried. We performed our duties honestly and supported our families through this work. We request that we be allowed to return to work.”

Economic experts stress the importance of providing women with opportunities for work and education. Even small-scale commercial activities are valuable, and the Taliban should offer women their best opportunities for employment.

Economic analyst Narges Oryakhil said that over the past four years, the Taliban have largely denied women economic opportunities. Despite this, women have tried to support themselves, and expanding small businesses and other activities could help Afghanistan’s economy grow. She emphasized that women have the right to both education and work, but current restrictions leave them with very limited opportunities.

Over the past four years, women’s participation in society has been severely limited. Many women and girls, deprived of education and work, are attempting to re-enter society by establishing handicraft workshops and small shops, contributing again to Afghanistan’s economic activity.