Written by Tabasum Nasiry
Following increased restrictions, Afghan women and girls have ventured into small businesses, exemplified by establishments like “Culba Awasana-e-Manahil Sadat” in Balkh and the cafe-restaurant “Shama” in Kabul, showcasing their resilience in overcoming restrictions.
Najiya Sadat, with the help of her friends, opened this restaurant about two weeks ago and dedicated it to women. She expressed her desire to create a restaurant for women.
She mentioned that “Culba Awasana-e-Manahil Sadat” has quickly gained popularity with the encouragement and support of women in Balkh.
According to her, women appreciate the restaurant’s establishment, and when women are restricted everywhere, they can comfortably visit this restaurant.
In “Culba Awasana-e-Manahil Sadat,” six girls deprived of education are employed. The restaurant’s founder is 28 years old and has three children. She told Khaama Press News Agency that she supports her family entirely through this restaurant.
Ms Sadat encourages other women to break free from their domestic constraints and actively pursue endeavours.
Arizoo, one of the girls working at “Culba Awasana-e-Manahil Sadat,” talked about the pain and suffering of being confined at home and added that having work and social activities for women is necessary. If the restrictions against women are not lifted, mental and emotional problems among women and girls will worsen.
Over the past two years, women in Afghanistan have faced numerous restrictions, including a ban on work and education, following the resurrection of the Taliban. According to the Institute of Peace, over seventy restrictive decrees have been issued in the past two years to curtail women’s personal and social freedoms in Afghanistan.
The United Nations praised resilient Afghan women’s efforts in celebrating World Entrepreneurs’ Day on a Monday, calling them “amazing women.”
Samia Bahari has also established a restaurant in Kabul. She is a 26-year-old girl living in Kabul. She recently started a restaurant in Kabul’s Shahr-e-Now area and has helped some girls deprived of work and education find employment here.
Her restaurant, named “Shama”, which means candle, is noteworthy for its exclusive design catering to women and girls. This safe and welcoming environment allows them to gather without the constraints they often face.
In an environment designed by Samia, women and girls can gather and temporarily escape from the humiliation and pain imposed on them, even for a brief moment.
