Kabul, April 17 (EFE) – Women-owned and led businesses in Afghanistan are surprisingly resilient in the face of daunting challenges in the Taliban-controlled country, a United Nations report said on Wednesday. .
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) report on the struggles of women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan synthesizes data from the past three years of Taliban rule.
The report finds that Afghan women are struggling to survive in a country that is grappling with severe food insecurity that affects 15.8 million people, even as female employment rates have plummeted to 6%. Entrepreneurs serve as “an important pillar of economic stability and hope even in times of adversity.”
The findings show that women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan encounter numerous “hurdles and high costs of doing business.”
The report found that due to increased discrimination, operational constraints and a weakened financial system, 41% of women surveyed were in debt and only 5 women received loans from banks or microfinance institutions. %.
“Movement restrictions have compounded the challenge, with 73% unable to go to their local market without a male companion,” the report said.
But “women are finding ways to meet this challenge,” the UN report said. “Entrepreneurship is emerging as a lifeline for women and their families.”
The study shows that 80% of women-led businesses rely on business income as their main source of income, creating job opportunities for other businesses.
“Women entrepreneurs have shown incredible grit, boldness and resourcefulness even under the most dire of circumstances,” said Kanni Wignaraja, UNDP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific.
“With a strategic focus on their needs, UNDP and its international and national NGO partners are supporting 75,000 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, which together will create employment opportunities for more than 900,000 people. and they support their families.”
Wignaraja estimates that more than 4.5 million Afghans benefit from it, at an average cost of $42 per month per company, “a significantly low amount compared to the overall impact.” That’s what it means.
Reflecting on her recent visit to Afghanistan, she emphasized the importance of community-focused international aid in driving positive change.
He said additional support is essential to expand the reach and improve prospects of Afghanistan’s dynamic entrepreneurs. EFE
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