The only job avenue for Afghan women

Beauticians packing up their equipment after the Taliban government ordered the closure of beauty salons. With limited career prospects, many Afghan women are enrolling in nursing and midwifery courses after losing their professional jobs. — Reuters

AFTER a decade lecturing at an Afghan university, former economist Shabana Sediqian is about to retrain as a nurse – it is not a career change she ever envisaged, but it will at least allow her to get out of the house again.

A growing number of professional women are enrolling in nursing and midwifery courses, fed up of being cooped up in their homes since the Taliban seized power two years ago – and needing money after losing their jobs.