Full Breakdown
Taliban Allows Women to Run Small Businesses Amid Tightening Restrictions
6/22/2026, 12:10:33 PM
Core Restrictions on Women’s Education and Employment
The Taliban enforce some of the world’s strictest limits on Afghan women and girls. Women cannot work in government, most nonprofits, or study law, engineering, or university teaching. They are also barred from running beauty salons, studying midwifery or nursing, and from dealing with male clients, suppliers, or banks. These rules sharply narrow professional options.
Limited Business Licenses as Economic Relief
Facing economic collapse and isolation, the Taliban have allowed women to start small businesses if they follow a “cascade of debilitating rules.” The policy seeks to keep a minimal level of female economic activity while preserving broader gender restrictions.
Data on Women’s Employment and Business Activity
More than 10,000 Afghan women hold business licenses—a tenfold rise in five years, per the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry. An estimated 120,000 operate without licenses, according to the World Bank, which also notes that small enterprises are the largest source of female employment. The United Nations Development Programme reports that less than 7 % of Afghan women were employed in 2024. These figures illustrate a modest expansion of formal business activity amid a persistently low overall employment rate.
Impact on Women’s Career Aspirations
Women who once aimed to become lawyers, engineers, or university professors now turn to carpet weaving, cosmetics, or vocational training because they cannot work in government, many nonprofits, or professional fields. This shift forces them into informal or gender-segregated jobs, limiting long-term career growth.
On-the-Ground Reports: Harassment, Arrests, and Protest
In June, the Taliban’s morality police detained dozens of women, sparking a rare public protest. The arrests highlight the growing obstacles for women operating within the limited business framework, and reports of harassment and punitive actions accompany the rise in licensed female entrepreneurs.
Criticism and Opposition
The protest after the June arrests signals dissent against the Taliban’s gender policies. Critics contend that the modest business allowances fail to offset the broader suppression of women’s education and professional rights, underscoring tension between economic pragmatism and ideological restrictions.
Conflicting Reports and Gaps
The sources give two figures: 10,000 licensed female entrepreneurs and an estimated 120,000 unlicensed workers. No official Taliban statistics are provided, and the exact number of women employed outside licensing remains unclear. Direct statements from Taliban officials or affected women are also absent, leaving gaps in understanding the regime’s rationale and the lived experience of female entrepreneurs.
What’s Next
If the Taliban’s restrictive policies persist, future economic stability will hinge on whether the regime relaxes gender rules. Ongoing monitoring of employment data, licensing trends, and any further public protests will be needed to gauge if limited business permissions expand into broader opportunities for Afghan women.
