Mr. President, Thank you!
Excellencies,
Thank you for this opportunity to address you on the women’s economic situation in Afghanistan. I am Manizha Wafeq, Co-founder of the Afghanistan Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Executive Director of Global/Afghanistan Women’s Trade Caravan, and Convener of ‘PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS, a long-serving program training and mentoring Afghan women entrepreneurs.
Today, I will focus on the impact of the Taliban’s take over on Afghanistan’s economy; the impact of their repressive measures on women’s rights and on women’s ability to participate, contribute, and benefit from the economy, and most importantly, why respect for women’s rights is essential not only to restore Afghanistan’s economy, but for the future of Afghanistan.
According to the World Bank, Afghanistan’s economy experienced an unprecedented 27% contraction by the end of 2022. Almost three years under Taliban rule has all but destroyed the economy because of a lack of inclusive governance and declining international and development aid due to the Taliban’s egregious human rights record, all of which has hampered essential public services, exacerbated poverty and unemployment, and led to food insecurity for millions of Afghans. An estimated 23.7 million people–more than half of Afghanistan’s population–will require humanitarian assistance to survive in 2024.
The Taliban’s enforcement of gender apartheid has had specific consequences for women; thousands of women who used to work in the public, NGO and private sectors, have lost their jobs and opportunities to earn a dignified income. According to the United Nations, this exclusion of women from the workforce has resulted in the loss to Afghanistan’s economy of approximately one billion dollars annually.
The bans on girls’ education beyond 6th grade, women’s employment in public sector and NGOs, as well as restrictions on their mobility and presence in public spaces, have significantly harmed women’s livelihoods. This has increased their economic dependence on men, leading to detrimental effects on women’s mental health and human dignity and to the increase of domestic gender-based violence which contributes to women losing their agency, for the Afghan society to remain in unending inter-generational poverty and continued contraction of the national gross domestic product.
Afghan women have always been the backbone of the economy, acting as economic drivers rather than mere beneficiaries. Establishing a woman’s chamber of commerce was one of our groundbreaking acts as economic catalysts in the foreground of Afghan economy. According to the chamber’s data there were nearly 2,500 licensed businesses, owned and run by women. Nearly half of these businesses operated in non-traditional sectors like Information Technology, Media, Logistics, Construction, Manufacturing, exporting dry fruits and spices, among others. Additionally, there were over 54,500 informal businesses run by women nationwide. Together, these enterprises created over 130,000 jobs and supported over 100,000 women artisans in rural areas who sold their products in urban markets.
And our chamber’s democratic approaches as a nonprofit, non-governmental, and non-political entity, supporting women’s entrepreneurship facilitated the transition of women from the informal to the formal economy, thereby contributing to economic growth. Now that is not the case. Not only Afghanistan Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AWCCI) but all the Chambers in the private sector have lost their autonomy.
According to a UNWOMEN report, businesses owned by women are disproportionately impacted—42 percent of women-owned businesses have closed, whereas the figure is 26 percent for businesses owned by men.
Enhancing women’s economic participation to revitalize their and the country’s economy is directly tied to restoring their rights, including to education, freedom of movement, to work in all sectors, private, public, or NGO, and to contribute to decision making at all levels.
Excellencies!
Before I discuss recommendations to enhance opportunities for women’s economic participation, it’s important to recognize the uncertainty of whether the Taliban may impose further restrictions on women’s economic activities or exploit the international community’s focus on the economy and private sector for their own political and economic gains.
I bring you the following points for consideration after consultation with Afghan women entrepreneurs and professionals from inside the country. During my consultations, I learned of another setback to women’s economic rights: the Taliban issued a circular reducing the salaries of women employed by the former administration to AFN 5000/$70 per month, regardless of their roles as educators or medical personnel. This amount fails to cover basic living expenses, such as monthly rent.
So, first and foremost, Taliban must reverse all the bans on girls and women’s rights such as education, their employment in public and NGO sectors. Taliban must remove restrictions on women’s mobility and their presence in public spaces as these are fundamental to their economic participation. It has been three years since we have had any female high school graduates who could have pursued higher education and professions needed in Afghanistan’s social and economic affairs. I would like to remind you of Resolution 2681 that called on swift reversal of all restrictions on women’s rights.
To achieve genuine socio-economic equality and inclusion, it is essential for the Taliban to respect the human rights of all Afghans, including women, girls, children, marginalized ethnic and religious groups such as Hazaras and shias. The international community, including the UN’s Security Council, must hold them accountable for doing so.
Afghan women need and deserve the full support and solidarity of the international community in their struggle. This includes increased funding of women-led initiatives in all sectors shaping an inclusive and equitable Afghanistan.
I would like to be clear, the participation of and the human rights of Afghan women are essential, non-negotiable; there is no future for this country without us. I urge you, the Security Council and the international community, to do everything in your power to ensure that women and women’s rights are front and center in your deliberations on Afghanistan, and that nothing you do normalizes or legitimizes the Taliban or their treatment of women and girls.
As you work towards this goal, I would also like to offer some practical recommendations that can support women’s participation in the economic sector in the short term. In the private sector, where there are no current restrictions on female employment, efforts should be made to expand opportunities for women and maintain the current female workforce. Initiatives like safe working environments and transportation support can be pivotal in achieving this.
It is critical to prioritize the promotion of youth and women’s entrepreneurship. This can be achieved through capacity development initiatives, foundational training in business management, and mentorship programs. To enhance entrepreneurs’ access to finance one should not rely solely on one-time grants or expensive microloans; instead, long-term, low-interest loans combined with comprehensive mentoring, and coaching are vital. Establishing sectoral associations for women can facilitate collective strength for economies of scale. This collective approach enhances product quality and expands market reach both domestically and internationally.
Within the realm of entrepreneurship, it is important to emphasize the digital economy’s use for Afghan women even though it may seem far-fetched. Use of digital means will facilitate access to global markets, networking, and attending regional and international events. Digital literacy and digital equipment should be provided to all women businesses: formal, informal, non-traditional, traditional home-based and agriculture.
It is not enough to only rely on facilitating virtual participation in training, business conferences, trade fairs; regional countries and beyond should provide special visa support and sponsorships of travel for women business owners and women employees of the private sector.
Long-term programs are needed to help women’s home-based and agriculture businesses expand beyond their homes and villages to reach districts, cities, and beyond. Without reversing current restrictions on girls’ education, higher education, and mobility, these home-based businesses may stagnate or remain dependent indefinitely. This underscores the importance of providing strategic support to women’s markets and business hubs across all provinces, these are spaces outside women’s homes. These spaces will enable women business owners, aspiring entrepreneurs, and female employees of the private sector to convene, network, and establish local markets for goods and services produced by women.
As I conclude, I emphasize the upcoming Doha III meeting of Special Envoys and the United Nations as a critical opportunity for Member States to prioritize human and women’s rights on the agenda. Afghan women’s participation in discussing the country’s economic, social and political situation is crucial for ensuring the legitimacy of decisions made.
Afghan women must be present, and our voices must be heard!
During the Doha III meeting it is imperative that the international community maintains a clear and unified stance for any future cooperation, economic development, or engagement with the Taliban based on their commitment to upholding women’s, girls, children, ethnic and religious marginalized groups’ rights.
As we are discussing women’s situation in this room, millions of Afghan women and girls are imprisoned at homes in the state of despair, enduring isolation and acute mental health, erased from society with no hope for the future. It has been three long years, let’s restore Afghan women’s rights, dignity and freedom!
Initiatives like Madebyafghanwomen.com have already been launched, nearly 60 women-owned businesses are trained and supported establishing their individual virtual shops since November 2022.