KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban have ordered the closure of all women-only cafes in the western province of Herat, forcing female entrepreneurs to shut down their businesses and plunging them into uncertainty.
Over the past three years, six cafes exclusively for women had been established by young women barred from universities under the Taliban’s restrictions on female education. These cafes provided a rare space for women to gather safely and earn a livelihood.
Now, the owners say they have lost everything. “We invested everything we had into these businesses, but the Taliban has taken it all away,” one cafe owner said. “If the closures are permanent, I will have no money left to secure my future.”
Threatened and Forced to Shut Down
One cafe owner, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals, recalled the day Taliban officials arrived. “A group of men from the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice entered our cafe and demanded we shut down the women-only section,” she said.
Another owner said the cafes operated legally with proper licenses but were still targeted. “We are trying to reopen because our cafe is legal, and the reasons the Taliban provided are unacceptable,” she said.
A Glimmer of Hope Extinguished
The cafes had been a lifeline for women in Herat, offering not only a source of income but also a space for connection and support in a society that increasingly limits their opportunities. Many of the entrepreneurs were female university students who, after being barred from education, turned to business as a way to build their futures.
For one young cafe owner, the closures are devastating. “The money I invested was my entire family’s savings. They trusted me, and now I’ve lost everything,” she said.
The closure of the cafes follows a broader crackdown on women’s rights in Afghanistan, where the Taliban has barred women from higher education, most forms of employment, and public spaces, including parks and gyms. These restrictions have drawn widespread condemnation from international human rights organizations and governments.
For the women of Herat, the cafes had represented a rare beacon of hope in an increasingly oppressive environment.
