UN praises Afghan women entrepreneurs’ economic activities

Marking World Entrepreneurs Day, the UN said Monday that it supports Afghan women entrepreneurs across Afghanistan and hailed their initiative to create jobs and contribute to economic growth.

“On World Entrepreneurs Day, we praise the amazing Afghan women entrepreneurs we work with across the country. We are proudly supporting them and their drive to innovate, create jobs, participate and contribute to economic growth against all odds,” said UN Women Afghanistan on its X (formerly Twitter) page.

However, Afghan women entrepreneurs expressed concern, saying that the UN does not support them.

“The United Nations only has luxury offices, which costs a huge amount per month, but unfortunately, it does not support women in the slightest, and in such a situation, I personally, as an entrepreneur, expect the United Nations to cooperate with Afghan women entrepreneurs,” said Nafisa Danesh, a member of the Women’s Chamber of Commerce.

Meanwhile, according to the statistics of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, thousands of women entrepreneurs are investing in various sectors with the support of the government.

“Women’s Chamber of Commerce has 560 members. Across the country, about 8,000 Afghan women are actually active in various sectors of business, and their activities are mostly in seven sectors; handicraft sector, agriculture sector, health sector, service sector, food sector, industry sector and mining sector,” said Abdul Salam Jawad Akhundzada, a spokesman for MoIC.

“The presence of women in the investment and economic fields of the country can increase the food security of families and limit the scope of poverty in the country,” he added.