RASC News Agency: Kandahar, now the de facto political capital of the Taliban, is hosting a three-day exhibition showcasing domestic products with participation from 150 production companies across Afghanistan. However, as the event enters its second day, reports reveal that the Taliban have barred women from attending. The exhibition features a variety of Afghanistan-made goods, including intricately embroidered collars by Kandahari women, homemade pickles, jams, and handcrafted clothing. Despite their contributions to these crafts, women have been denied entry. Basir Ahmad Khpelwak, a representative of a pickle stall, stated that he is attending the exhibition on behalf of his wife, who prepared the displayed products but was not permitted to participate. “I brought the pickles here. My wife is a businesswoman, but the Taliban didn’t allow her to attend, so I am here in her place,” he said.
Similarly, the son of Zia Qalai, a skilled artisan specializing in embroidered collars, has taken her place at the exhibition as she too was refused entry. The event organizer, Oscaram Marketing Office, confirmed that all participants are men, with no women present. Abdul Rahman, another participant, lamented that the absence of women has dampened the energy and appeal of the event compared to previous exhibitions. While local Taliban officials in Kandahar have refrained from providing a specific explanation for banning women, the group has consistently enforced restrictions on women’s participation in public spaces, including a recent directive prohibiting them from working with both local and international non-governmental organizations.
The exclusion of women from such a significant platform highlights the Taliban’s systematic erasure of women from Afghanistan’s economic and cultural spheres. Observers warn that these restrictions not only suppress women’s contributions but also hinder Afghanistan’s social and economic progress, perpetuating a cycle of marginalization and inequality.
