(MENAFN- Khaama Press) Written By: Tabasum Nasiry
The Head of the European Union Delegation in Kabul has emphasized the economic empowerment of women in Afghanistan as a pivotal priority. She stated that the European Union is allocating 15 million euros to support local businesses led by women in the country.
On Tuesday, Raphaella Addis, the Head of the European Union Delegation in Kabul, said in her social media platform X that this assistance is intended to support local businesses led by women and enhance their access to financial services. The United Nations Development Office in Afghanistan will manage it.
According to her, women's economic empowerment in Afghanistan is“crucial.”
It should be noted that in the past two years, women who were previously deprived of education and job opportunities have increasingly turned to professions such as calligraphy, painting, and small-scale businesses. They continue to face challenges in this regard.
Local sources in Balkh province have confirmed that officials from the Taliban administration in Afghanistan recently banned 15 women's tailoring factories in Mazar-e-Sharif's“Zalal” commercial market.
The Taliban administration had previously instructed these women tailoring owners to relocate their shops to a specialized women's market called“Khadija Kubra Market.” However, they refused to do so, as their shops were separate, and men did not have access to these places. Due to a lack of customers, they did not move their businesses to the market created by the Islamic Emirate.
Meanwhile, Husna Raufi, a determined woman in Kabul, expresses concern over the closure of 15 tailoring centres in Balkh, stating that many women who engage in tailoring can contribute to various sectors through these centres.
According to Ms Raufi, the closure of these tailoring centres, alongside the“very harsh financial blow,” has inflicted additional hardships on women, their small local businesses, the country, and the Ministry of Economy.
Ms Raufi calls on the authorities of the interim administration to reconsider their decision to block women's tailoring centres in Balkh and create designated spaces for women as soon as possible. She emphasizes that women in Afghanistan, especially in various cities, lack a specific marketplace to conduct their business. Most national and international centres are tailored for men, and women's job markets are non-existent or limited in customer access.
Ms Raufi urges the Ministry of Economy and Trade to designate a specific place for determined women. She thinks closing shops and women's activities in Balkh demoralise other women in the province.
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