Afghanistan Times
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Kabul: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in a report highlights
the significant challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan.
The report, based on interviews with 3,100 women and group discussions,
titled “Listening to Afghanistan’s Women Entrepreneurs: Their Resilience
and Struggle”, released on Thursday.
The UNDP noted that 73 of the women interviewed reported they could not
visit local markets without a male family member. This requirement not only
adds to their burden but also doubles travel costs for women
entrepreneurs. The report emphasizes that women entrepreneurs in
Afghanistan encounter numerous obstacles, including discrimination,
operational restrictions, and a severely weakened financial system.
The UNDP stated that restrictions on women’s mobility further exacerbate
these challenges. In a context where 15.8 million people require
humanitarian aid and women’s employment has plummeted to 6%,
entrepreneurship has become a vital lifeline. According to the report, 80
women-led businesses depend entirely on their enterprises for income and
have created job opportunities for other women.
Over the past nearly three years, the Taliban have imposed extensive
restrictions on women in various areas, including education, work, and
travel.
