Elvira Kadyrova
Turkmenistan hosted on 4 March 2024 a single-country exhibition of the goods and services of Afghanistan and a joint Turkmen-Afghan business forum. Like all other segments of the business community, the women of Afghanistan participated in the twin-event in a big way.
Fifteen women entrepreneurs from Afghanistan arrived in Ashgabat as part of a delegation. They brought their products to showcase the talent of the girls and women of their country.
Each of these businesswomen has succeeded in their field of activity: whether it is sewing national clothes, embroidery, or creating home textiles. Their businesses extend even to the production of footballs, demonstrating the remarkable diversity of their talent.
But what does it mean to be a businesswoman in Afghanistan? It’s more than just having business acumen, the usual prudence of an entrepreneur, or being a competent manager. If we are talking about Afghanistan, we must understand that the country, after decades of wars, is struggling through a challenging landscape: the nation faces constant economic pressures. And all women entrepreneurs operating under external limitations have to literally fight tirelessly for their place in the sun, ensuring the success of their businesses and create opportunities for themselves and their communities.
Managing even a small workshop, where work is an important source of income for every girl and woman, becomes a feat.
Khadija Mohammadi runs a network of five workshops for sewing clothes and making beaded jewelry, creating 850 jobs for girls and women. Zia Gul Ferdos Jahani, head of the handicraft company Gul Brand Mall, proudly says that 60% of their workforce are women.
It is worth noting the pivotal role that UN Women, the entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women, plays in the lives of Afghan women.
UN Women provides support to 86 women’s organizations as part of its program to rebuild the women’s movement in Afghanistan. UN Women’s in-country strategy focuses on investing in women, from increasing support for women’s organizations and women humanitarian workers providing vital services to investing in women-led businesses.
Without exaggeration, women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan in their communities are examples of confidence and resilience, overcoming prejudices and barriers.
What do businesswomen from Afghanistan dream of? First of all, despite the economic vicissitudes and external stereotypes, they sincerely love and are proud of their country. “We are here at the exhibition in Ashgabat, and we would like to see our flag flying, it makes us sad,” says Khadija Mohammadi. But a hopeful smile replaces the sadness in her eyes, a testament to the enduring belief that the world community will one day recognize the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.///nCa, 4 March 2024
Here are some photos from the event:
