The Taliban’s vice and virtue police have shut down women’s art and handicraft workshops in Herat city, local sources in Herat province reported.
The verbal order was issued on Wednesday, October 9, resulting in the closure of the Dar al-Funun workshops located in Qala Iktyaruddin, according to the sources.
The authorities said that co-education, the presence of women without a male chaperone, and visits from local and foreign tourists were reasons for the shutdown. Despite the workshops being gender-segregated, with the number of women’s booths being double that of men’s, these concerns were deemed sufficient for the closure.
A student criticized the Taliban’s move, calling it illogical.
“Our workshops were like a home, having doors always closed. This decision has effectively eliminated our only source of income,” she said.
She said the students had been striving for financial independence through artistic activities such as carpet weaving, miniatures, engraving, and silk work, aiming to take control of their futures.
Established in 2014, Dar al-Funun served as a vital space for employment and the promotion of local arts.
Now, the closure of this venue presents a serious obstacle to women’s efforts to showcase indigenous arts and achieve financial independence.
