In Taliban-Ruled Afghanistan, a Young Woman Works in Disguise to Feed Her Family Copyright © 2025 IPS-Inter Press Service.

The author is an Afghanistan-based female journalist, trained with Finnish support before the Taliban take-over. Her identity is withheld for security reasons https://www.ipsnews.net/2025/12/in-taliban-ruled-afghanistan-a-young-woman-works-in-disguise-to-feed-her-family/?utm_source=email_marketing&utm_admin=146128&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=A_New_UN_SecretaryGeneral_Needs_the_Blessings_of_the_US_or_Get_Vetoed_Sindh_Peoples_Housing_Redefine KABUL, Dec 11 2025 (IPS) - Shabnam, a 26-year-old law graduate, manages her life and work by disguising herself as a boy. In the middle of a crowded market with the clatter of street sellers and the smell of nearby restaurants, a small, nondescript shop blends into the chaos. Inside, rusty shelves line the walls, empty soda cans hanging on the wall add a touch of color, and an old table covered with a worn-out cloth sits in the corner. To most passersby, the shopkeeper looks like a young man. Copyright © 2025 IPS-Inter Press Service.