Afghanistan women start food takeaway service amid work restrictions by Taliban

May 15, 2023

Kabul [Afghanistan], May 15 : In the face of Taliban prohibitions on employment, a group of Afghan women and girls in the province of Herat have established a kitchen and started a catering business to support themselves, TOLOnews reported.
They set up this kitchen in their home and offer food to their clients every day.
"Women are banned from working out of the house, we planned to be at home and have activities, so we started making Afghan traditional food," said the head of the kitchen, Manizha Sadat.
Several women and girls have repeatedly called out the de-facto authorities to provide them with work outside their houses, however, the Taliban has continued with its curbs on women in Afghanistan.
"We ask the government to support us and cooperate with us and allow us to work outside of our houses," said Yalda Hashimi, a kitchen worker, according to TOLOnews.
Thousands of women have stayed at home since colleges and schools stopped accepting female students, and there are restrictions on the work that women and girls can do in local and international NGOs.
However, some women and girls have started working, such as by picking up trades or other commercial endeavours, in order to make money.
Since the Taliban regained power in August 2021 after the US exit from the country, women are not allowed to work in the fields of education with domestic and international organisations, in gyms, or in public spaces.
Taliban has rolled back a wide range of human rights of women and girls, including a ban on attending high school and university, and restrictions on movement and work.