By Ziba Balkhi
Shrouded in a blue burqa sitting on a worn-out brown mat, Nabila* spreads a brightly-coloured cloth on the ground and places a shoe brush before her.
For the past eight months she has stationed herself on the streets of Balkh, offering to polish shoes.
The 49-year-old says that missing even a single day of work would mean her family going hungry. She is the sole provider for a family of five.
“If I were to forgo work due to the cold, we’d endure days of empty stomachs,” she says, rubbing her hands together to warm them up in the bitter cold air.
Before the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, Nabila had a regular income as a cleaner in a government office. However, she lost her job after the Taliban prohibitions on women’s work in such institutions.
“When the Taliban took control, I lost my source of income. Despite attempting house cleaning and laundry services, the economic situation left me with sporadic work and insufficient earnings. This led me to work on the streets,” she says.
Shoe polishing on the streets of Afghanistan has traditionally been the domain of men. But the trade has seen seen an influx of women, driven by poverty and the Taliban’s stringent policies on women’s work.
For Nabila, this job is her last resort.
Having lost her husband to illness, Nabila supports her three daughters and one son. She highlights the challenges women face in this line of work.
“While some commend my efforts and offer additional support, others label me as a beggar, which deeply affects me. I strive to earn a dignified living through my labor,” she says.
Charging five afghanis (US$0.07) per shoe, Nabila sets up her makeshift workplace daily on the cobblestones of Mazar-e-Sharif city.
“Though my earnings fluctuate, they are enough to sustain my family. Even if it means being able to afford only bread, I ensure my children are fed,” she says.
With the Taliban’s grip on power and worsening economic conditions, Afghan women are bearing the brunt of poverty and unemployment. The World Food Program has warned of a high risk of severe malnutrition among four million women and children in 2024, underscoring the urgent need for aid.
Fellow shoe polisher Shafiqa* also turned to the trade to provide for her family. She is the sole provider since her son lost lost his job following a Taliban restriction.
“Despite the stigma attached to this work, I had no choice. We lacked bread and warmth, which forced me to take up this occupation,” she says.
But Shafiqa perseveres, despite the ridicule from relatives and the harsh weather conditions.
“Some days we barely scrape by, while on others, we go without food. Poverty spares no mercy,” Shafiqa says.
As the Taliban enforces strict limitations on women’s work, people like Nabila and Shafiqa have navigated formidable challenges.
*Names have been changed for security reasons
