Women working in a pine nuts processing factory in Nangarhar province have been stopped by local Taliban authorities from going to work and earning an income.
Local sources say the ban happened suddenly last week at Hadda Farm in Nangarhar’s capital Jalalabad. The move cuts off the income for hundreds of women working at the plant.
Former employee Fatima* confirmed the news on Saturday to Rukhshana Media, saying she had lost her job along with many other low income women, and they were not given any reason for it.
Sources in the dry fruit sellers’ union in Nangarhar also confirmed the incident, saying the ban happened on Tuesday. It’s understood around 400 women worked in the processing plant and were supporting their families.
Hadda Farm employee Farhad said the ban was across the board for all the women.
“In this factory, even the women who came with their husbands and male chaperones were forbidden by the Taliban,” he said. “They were told that women cannot work after this.”
According to Rukhshana Media sources, hundreds of low income women get job opportunities during the pine nuts processing season in Nangarhar province to earn some money to prepare fuel and food for winter.
The ban is likely to drive some families even further into poverty and hardship.
Attempts by Rukhshana Media to contact local Nangarhar Taliban officials and Hadda Farm owners on the matter were not successful.
It’s been less than three months since the Taliban issued a national ban on women working in female-only beauty salons. Women have also been barred from most workplaces, including NGOs.
