“In an apartment near a Taliban headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan, a young woman named Breshna is carefully cutting the hair of a client. Despite her hands being sweaty and shaking, she must ensure her movements are precise. The customer, a woman in her 50s, is preparing for her niece’s wedding and emphasizes the importance of Breshna’s work. Breshna, a 24-year-old hairdresser, is skilled in her craft and knows that mistakes are not an option.
The hum of the hairdryer in Breshna’s clandestine beauty parlour both reassures and frightens her. She is constantly worried about the Taliban hearing them and is afraid of them showing up unannounced. Despite the risks, her client is thrilled with the results and plans to return to Breshna’s salon in the future.
However, in early July 2023, the Taliban announced the closure of all beauty salons in Afghanistan, citing religious reasons. This decision had a devastating economic impact on the 60,000 women who worked in the sector and exacerbated the already dire humanitarian crisis in the country.
Despite the ban, some women, like Breshna and Mursal, continue to operate secret beauty businesses as a form of resistance and to support their families. These women, who were once university students with dreams of different careers, have now found themselves fighting for their right to work and provide for their loved ones. Despite the risks and challenges they face, they refuse to let fear stop them from pursuing their livelihoods.”