Afghanistan: UN applauds efforts of women entrepreneurs amid oppression

Kabul [Afghanistan], August 24 : The United Nations applauded the Afghan women and expressed support for their efforts in job creation and contribution to economic growth, amid continuous oppression by the Taliban regime, Khaama Press reported.
On World Entrepreneurs Day, the UN expressed its support for Afghan women entrepreneurs throughout Afghanistan. The organization praised their efforts in job creation and contribution to economic growth.
“On World Entrepreneurs Day, we praise the amazing Afghan women entrepreneurs we work with nationwide. We proudly support them and their drive to innovate, create jobs, participate and contribute to economic growth against all odds,” UN Women Afghanistan said on X (formerly Twitter).
Notably, amidst daunting challenges, women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan have become the bedrock of the economy. These women have excelled across diverse domains, from modest handicraft ventures to expansive cross-sector enterprises. Their businesses create local jobs and promote self-sustainability, bolstering the nation’s economic resilience. The United Nations’ acknowledgment of their contributions underscores their far-reaching influence, Khaama Press reported.
However, despite such conditions, Afghan women entrepreneurs have continued to voice their concerns, expressing that the UN’s support for them is lacking.
“The United Nations only has luxury offices, which costs a huge amount per month, but unfortunately, it does not support women in the slightest, and in such a situation, I personally, as an entrepreneur, expect the United Nations to cooperate with Afghan women entrepreneurs,” according to Nafisa Danesh, a member of the Women’s Chamber of Commerce.
According to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce data, government support drives thousands of women entrepreneurs to invest across diverse sectors.
The Women’s Chamber of Commerce boasts 560 members. Nationally, approximately 8,000 Afghan women are actively engaged in diverse business sectors, primarily focusing on handicrafts, agriculture, health, services, food, industry, and mining, as stated by Taliban spokesperson Abdul Salam Jawad Akhundzada.
“The presence of women in the investment and economic fields of the country can increase the food security of families and limit the scope of poverty in the country,” Khaama Press quoted Akhundzada as saying.
Afghanistan's women have faced numerous challenges since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. Girls and women in the war-torn country have no access to education, employment and public spaces and they have been restricted to their homes and enforcing stringent policies.
Khaama Press reported citing recent statistics that around 60,000 women have already lost their jobs due to the Taliban’s recent edict, which prohibits the operation of women’s beauty salons.
Moreover, girls and women, including secondary schools and universities, are prohibited from pursuing education under the regime.
Taliban leaders have also disregarded international calls for women and girls to be given access to education and employment. Apparently, they have also issued warnings to other nations not to meddle in Afghanistan's domestic affairs.
The women are also denied opportunities to work with aid agencies and are barred from involvement with UN organizations. These regressive policies and actions have been labelled as “gender apartheid” by the United Nations, which has also sounded the alarm about such measures’ potential economic and financial repercussions, Khaama Press reported.