A teenage girl in Helmand disguises herself as a boy to support her family amid Afghanistan’s strict restrictions on women
Helmand, Afghanistan — Afghan forces have arrested a 13-year-old girl who had been working in a café disguised as a boy for the past three years. Identified as Nuriya, she had been employed under the name “Nur Ahmad.”
According to foreign media reports and a video circulating on social media, Nuriya explained that after the death of her father, she became the sole breadwinner for her family. Facing extreme poverty, she adopted male clothing to secure employment. Despite her efforts to conceal her identity, her secret was eventually exposed, leading to her arrest.
The incident comes amid renewed restrictions on women’s rights following the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan. Women now face severe limitations in education, employment, and public mobility. These restrictions have deprived thousands of women of their livelihoods in both public and private sectors.
Nuriya’s arrest has sparked outrage on social media, highlighting the growing humanitarian challenges faced by women in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
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