The International Crisis Group has said in a recent report that Afghan women, in response to the Taliban’s widespread restrictions, are increasingly turning to online trade and home-based businesses to support their families’ livelihoods and maintain their social presence.
The report, titled “An Unstable Lifeline? Women-Led Businesses in Afghanistan,” states that many women, after being deprived of education, government jobs, and broad participation in society, are using social media and online sales platforms to continue their economic activities.
Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have imposed extensive restrictions on women, including limits on girls’ education beyond the sixth grade, employment restrictions, travel limitations, and reduced social participation for women.
Despite these restrictions, small home-based businesses and the private sector have become some of the few remaining spaces where women can engage in economic activities.
The International Crisis Group says that the number of licenses issued for women-managed businesses has quadrupled since the Taliban’s return to power. In addition, many women are operating informally from their homes without official registration.
According to the report, women’s activities are mainly concentrated in areas such as handicrafts, carpet weaving, tailoring, clothing production, food processing, and the sale of local products.
Many women sell their products through social media and online platforms to reduce travel restrictions and gain access to a wider customer base.
The International Crisis Group emphasized that working from home and using digital tools have enabled women to continue their economic activities without direct presence in public spaces.
At the same time, the organization warned that existing restrictions continue to create serious obstacles for women entrepreneurs, including requirements for a male guardian (mahram) during travel, movement restrictions, difficulties interacting with government institutions, and gender segregation in some sectors.
The report also referred to the 2023 ban on beauty salons, which resulted in the closure of around 12,000 businesses and left more than 60,000 women unemployed.
The International Crisis Group described Afghanistan’s economy as still being in crisis, saying that reduced foreign aid, the large-scale return of migrants from Iran and Pakistan, and economic recession have placed additional pressure on families.
The organization called on the Taliban to ease restrictions imposed on women, particularly regarding travel and administrative interactions, and to provide easier access to markets and government services.
It also urged donor countries and international organizations to support Afghan women entrepreneurs through financial assistance, technical training, digital literacy programs, and the strengthening of small businesses.
The report concludes that economic support for Afghan women could be one of the key ways to improve their situation and, without direct political confrontation, allow them to continue their activities and maintain hope for the future.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
