Afghanistan: Women raise concern over lack of market for their products

Kabul [Afghanistan], June 11 : Women in Afghanistan expressed their concerns about the absence of a market for their products on the occasion of World Handicrafts Day, Afghanistan-based TOLO News reported.

Many Afghan women noted a decline in the market for their handicrafts over the past two years and emphasized the need for support from relevant institutions. Rokhsar, a female investor with four years of experience in the handicrafts business, called for assistance from the Taliban.

She further said, "Women should be supported so they can stand on their own feet and make progress," TOLO News reported. Benafsha, a businesswoman, said that their business has witnessed a decline ever since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021.

Benafsha further added, "The sales decreased due to the poor economic situation of the people. They cannot afford to buy our products. Also, our products are not sent abroad due to the closure of air corridors for women."

Akhundzada Abdul Salam Jawad, a spokesperson for the Taliban-led Ministry of Industry and Commerce, said that the Taliban has the commitment to assist businesswomen and added that they are working to address the issues of women, according to TOLO News.

Akhundzada Abdul Salam Jawad said, "We fully support women who are engaged in handicrafts business, and we create markets for their handicrafts both inside and outside the country so that they may make an important contribution as a powerful part of the country's commerce sector."

Meanwhile, the Women's Chamber of Commerce and Industry said that women's chambers of commerce have been open in 16 provinces of Afghanistan, including Nangarhar, Laghman, Kunar, Nuristan, Herat, and Kabul.

Earlier, UNICEF raised concerns that if international non-governmental organisations working in the field of education are no longer allowed to operate in Afghanistan, it will affect highly affect the education of the children in the war-torn nation, TOLO News reported.

Reiterating once again that every child has the right to learn, UNICEF said in a statement that Afghanistan could lose out on quality learning through Community Based Education within a month if international non-governmental organizations working in the field of education are no longer allowed to work.

"As the lead agency for the education cluster in Afghanistan, UNICEF is deeply concerned about reports that over 500,000 children, including over 300,000 girls, could lose out on quality learning through Community Based Education within a month if international non-governmental organizations working in the field of education are no longer allowed to operate and if handovers to national NGOs are done without comprehensive assessment and capacity building," the UNICEF said, TOLO News reported.