# Why Hairdryers Won Global Peace Award

> Afghan refugee women use hairdryers to reclaim lost beauty skills after Taliban ban.
- Title: Why Hairdryers Won Global Peace Award · Digital Camera World
- Summary: Afghan refugee women use hairdryers to reclaim lost beauty skills after Taliban ban. Afghan refugee women trained in hairdressing after Taliban banned beauty…
- Keywords: afghan refugee women, taliban, beauty salons, global peace photo award, silvia alessi, photojournalism, hairdryers, afghanistan, pakistan, nfl, Won, Global
- Source: Digital Camera World — https://digitalcameraworld.com/photography/photojournalism/why-has-a-photo-of-women-holding-hairdryers-been-awarded-global-peace-image-of-the-year
- Published: 2026-10-05T12:23:48+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: afghan refugee women, taliban, beauty salons, global peace photo award, silvia alessi, photojournalism, hairdryers, afghanistan, pakistan, nfl
## Taliban ban beauty salons
Under Taliban rule in Afghanistan, women and girls face systematic denial of education, employment, free movement, and basic human rights.
## Global Peace Photo Award 2026
The Cut, a photograph of Afghan refugee women holding hairdryers, won the 2026 Global Peace Photo Award from 27,846 entries across 144 countries.
## Women train in hairdressing
Refugees in Pakistan relearn beauty skills using mirrors, mannequins, and styling tools after Taliban banned beauty salons in 2021.
## Silvia Alessi's background
Italian photographer Silvia Alessi, who previously worked as a hairstylist, shot the image after a 2004 trip to Asia sparked her interest in photojournalism.
## Jury member's perspective
Jury member Peter-Matthias Gaede says every hairdryer represents a weapon in the struggle for self-determination, identity, and visibility.

> Every hairdryer is a weapon in the struggle for self-determination, identity and visibility, for participation and the right to choose a profession.
## Photography technique
Alessi used her Nikon Z6 II with a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens to capture the women's arms heroically against a plain concrete wall.
## Award significance
The Global Peace Photo Award, now in its 14th year, recognizes photographers who capture human efforts toward peace and beauty in our lives.
## Key takeaway

Afghan refugee women trained in hairdressing after Taliban banned beauty salons now win Global Peace Photo Award for their resilience.