Despite facing formidable challenges, women-owned and -led businesses in Afghanistan continue to demonstrate remarkable resilience, serving as vital pillars of economic stability and hope amidst adversity.
These insights emerge from a comprehensive report titled “Listening to Women Entrepreneurs in Afghanistan. Their Struggle and Resilience,” released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The report brings together insights from various data collection methods conducted over the last three years. It includes data from in-depth interviews in 2022, focus group discussions in 2023, and a 2024 quantitative survey with responses from more than 3,100 women, providing one of the most detailed views into the changing circumstances of women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan.
The research reveals that Afghanistan’s women entrepreneurs face a range of hurdles and high costs of doing business. Deepened discrimination and operational constraints, coupled with a severely weakened financial system, have forced 41% of the over 3,000 women surveyed into debt, of whom only 5% had received loans via banks or microfinance institutions. Movement restrictions, with 73% reporting being unable to travel even to local markets without a mahram (male escorting family member), further exacerbate the challenges.
In #Afghanistan women entrepreneurs are demonstrating their grit & boldness.@UNDPaf has helped 75,000 businesses create jobs for over 900,000 people. With an investment of $42/month per business, we’ve impacted 4.5M Afghans.
Read more in our new report: https://t.co/SSveVwzDcz pic.twitter.com/AL0URmaQcC
— UN Development (@UNDP) April 17, 2024
In Afghanistan, where a total of 15.8 million people are food insecure and the employment rate for working-age female members of households has halved to 6% over the past year, women are finding ways to tackle the challenges. Entrepreneurship has surfaced as a lifeline for women and their families. The survey shows that 80% of women-led enterprises rely on their business revenues as their primary source of income. Women-run businesses also create much-needed job opportunities for other women.
“Women entrepreneurs have demonstrated incredible grit, boldness, and resourcefulness under the most dire of conditions,” said Kanni Wignaraja, UNDP’s Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific. “With a strategic focus on their needs, UNDP and its international and national NGO partners have supported 75,000 micro and small businesses, which together have created employment opportunities for more than 900,000 persons who in turn provide support to their families. We estimate that more than 4.5 million Afghans have benefited – all for an average of US$42 per month per business, a remarkably small price tag compared to the overall impact.”
UNDP supports women entrepreneurs through integrated responses that combine direct access to finance with a range of business support services including training in financial literacy and business management, digitalization of business operations and payments, marketing and product development, cash-for-work, mental health, and support to access national and international markets.
“Women have long been the driving force behind the welfare of households in Afghanistan and play a crucial role in sustaining local economies,” said Stephen Rodriques, UNDP Resident Representative in Afghanistan. “UNDP continues to amplify the voice of these women, highlighting their contributions and the positive ripple effects of investing in their potential. Their courage and resilience in overcoming the odds tell a compelling story of fortitude and hope. They need international support, and this report provides additional insights on how we can support them. The future of Afghanistan depends on them.”
Wignaraja, who visited Afghanistan recently and had the chance to meet some of the entrepreneurs participating in the study, recalled: “From what I’ve witnessed firsthand, community-focused international aid is critical for positive transformation. I am truly thankful to donors like the Government of Japan, the European Union, and others who believe in the mission and support our work on the ground. Their contributions directly help strengthen communities and empower women. With additional support, we can expand our reach across Afghanistan to improve prospects for these dynamic entrepreneurs.”