With the help of the UN, these entrepreneurs maintain their livelihoods, often in the face of intense social pressure and strict rules governing the women’s movement.
“It was difficult for women to stay at home. They had to leave their homes and learn,” says Parwin Zafar, who runs a tailor shop in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif.
Parwin Zafar at his tailor shop in Mazar-i-Sharif. It currently employs 16 women.
Her business is one of the few spaces left where women can work and train others safely.
Although women cannot access jobs in government, NGOs and the UN itself, many have found ways to continue working from home or in trades traditionally associated with women.
These include textile production, food processing and carpet weaving, sectors that remain widely accepted by both de facto authorities and local communities.
a lifesaver
“The only channel that exists for Afghan women is small businesses,” says Ms. Zafar. And the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is helping to keep that channel open.
The agency has supported more than 89,000 small businesses across Afghanistan, 91 percent of them run by women, creating more than 439,000 jobs.
“These are sectors where women have historically worked. These traditional businesses are not questioned,” explains Waheeb Al Eryani, UNDP area manager in Mazar-i-Sharif.
Shaista Hakimi at her restaurant in Mazar-i-Sharif.
But acceptance does not mean ease.
Many women still face opposition at home. For restaurant owner Shaista Hakimi, a mother of three, this has been painful and personal. Since her husband died two years ago, her father-in-law has pressured her to stop working completely.
“He says people will laugh at us because ‘your daughter-in-law is working,’” he explains. However, her restaurant, which caters only to women, has become a vital community space and a source of income for the 18 women she now employs.
Staying afloat with the support of the UN
Ms Hakimi kept her business alive thanks to a UNDP loan and is now applying for a matching grant that would allow her to expand and secure safer accommodation.
“I can rent another place or building where I could live and also do my work,” he says.
Ms. Zafar’s story reflects her experience. When his previous business failed, he received a subsidized loan from UNDP, invested in new equipment and rebuilt his tailoring workshop. It currently employs 16 women.
“Thank God I was able to start my business again so I can help more women,” she says.
Navigating strict rules
Even the most successful businesswomen have no choice but to rely on male relatives. Decrees requiring women to travel with a male guardian (a mahram) severely limit their ability to deliver goods, meet with clients, or negotiate with suppliers.
“Women are not allowed to go anywhere without a mahram. Especially if we want to deliver products to other provinces, we cannot do it,” explains Mrs Zafar.
To keep their businesses running, many depend on husbands, brothers or children who can travel freely.
“They take advantage of their networks,” says Al Eryani. “If they cannot access the market, their male relatives will sell the products or make deals with wholesalers.”
“The men we are associated with support us. They try to sell our products in the community,” adds Mrs Zafar.
Resilience in the face of the crisis
Access to markets and financing remains one of the biggest obstacles. Only four percent of Afghan women have access to international markets, and obtaining a loan often requires multiple guarantors, a barrier few can overcome.
However, UNDP-supported entrepreneurs are finding ways to persist, even as new challenges arise.
As large numbers of Afghans have recently returned from Iran and Pakistan, several women-led businesses have stepped forward to offer employment to returnees.
“With the support of UNDP, they employed 20, 30, sometimes 40 returnees per company,” says Mr. Al Eryani. “They became agents of support and contributors rather than recipients of aid.”
An uncertain future
Despite their resilience, the future of Afghan women entrepreneurs remains uncertain. By excluding girls from education after Year 6, the next generation risks losing the skills needed to run a business or manage finances.
Shaista Restaurant welcomes women for dine-in, while delivery and pickup services are available for both men and women.
“There is a lack of access to financial education,” says Zafar. “The support we are receiving is not enough.”
For now, Afghan businesswomen continue to hold their communities together: creating jobs, passing on skills, and demonstrating every day that they will not be completely driven out of public life. But without broader access to education and sustained international support, the space they have created may shrink even further.