In a workshop in Kabul, numerous women and children labor in a crowded and stifling environment, weaving carpets. Many of these workers are young girls who are no longer allowed to attend school due to the Taliban’s rule. They turned to carpet weaving as a means of earning a living.

The Taliban took control in 2021 and has since restricted girls from getting an education and women from finding employment. Only 19% of women were part of the workforce before the Taliban rule, and that number has decreased even further.

According to the United Nations, around 1.2 to 1.5 million Afghans depend on the carpet weaving industry, with women making up almost 90% of the workforce. Despite the industry’s economic potential, the workers receive very little compensation. Some weavers earn around $27 for each square meter of carpet they produce, which usually takes a month to complete.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy8qdql7p4eo