Almost eight months after the Taliban’s takeover, women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan are now pushing for the revival of women-led businesses as they re-open the Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Herat, the country’s third-largest city in the western province by the same name. In 2019, women accounted for almost 22 percent—up from 15 percent in 2009— of the country’s total workforce, according to World Bank’s data.

Businesses across the country suffered a blow after the Taliban took over power last year in August, prompting western countries to impose severe economic sanctions.

Last week, the Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry resumed its operations in Herat, known for its tradition of having relatively better participation of women in society and the local economy in comparison to other parts.

“Since the chamber is now reopened and it has resumed activities, other women are encouraged,” Bahnaz Saljoqi, a member of the chamber, was quoted as saying by TOLOnews. She hoped that women who had suspended their business activities would resume operations soon.  

By 2019, a total of 17,369  businesses were owned by women—most of them were less than five years old then—and created around 129,000 jobs in the country, according to a study conducted by Afghanistan’s Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Almost two-thirds of jobs in these businesses–mostly in sectors like education, handicrafts, and health—were occupied by women. 

These jobs were lost after the regime change last year. Herat was the second-most favored place, after capital Kabul, for women entrepreneurs. Roughly, over 3000 businesses were owned by women there. The number, however, has now come down to 1500, according to data by the Ministry of Commerce of Industry, reported TOLOnews.

Unlike southern Afghanistan, which is considered the most conservative place in the country, Herat traditionally has a liberal outlook for women, allowing women greater access to education and work. However, last year’s regime change and harsh social and discriminatory measures that followed forced the exodus of dozens of women entrepreneurs.  

As Afghanistan Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry resumes operations, it is expecting necessary support from the country’s de facto rulers, the Taliban, and international organizations as well.

Mohammad Zubair Deen Parwar, a local Taliban official of the commerce ministry, said, “We are announcing any type of possible assistance including visas and the exporting of products.”
However, unless the Taliban moderate its social policies and show flexibility, and become accommodative of women’s role in society, women-led businesses will remain vulnerable.

(SAM)