Written By: Tabasum Nasiry

The World Bank, in its latest report on the status of women in the economy and business, has declared that women’s economic participation in Afghanistan ranks higher than in countries such as Iran, Yemen, and Palestine, placing at 178th position.

The 182-page report recently published by the World Bank assesses women’s economic participation in 190 countries.

The World Bank has not provided clarity on the methodology used in their survey or how they arrived at their conclusion. This is particularly concerning given that women in Afghanistan face numerous oppressive policies, with over 90 restrictions that deprive them of opportunities for employment, education, and free movement.

Titled “Women, Business and the Law 2024,” the World Bank report’s main focus is to evaluate women’s status in three areas: legal frameworks, policymaking, and implementation of laws and policies.

Key indicators such as mobility, workplace situation, wage and ownership rights, maternity rights, entrepreneurship, investment, childcare, security, marriage, and retirement rights are used to assess the status of women in this report.

In this ranking, Afghanistan has scored only 20 points out of 100 in the legal frameworks section and 13.3 points out of 100 in the policymaking section.

The country also ranks 187th, with a slight difference from Iranian women, in policymaking and legal frameworks.

According to the World Bank report, Iran with a score of 31.3 is in 188th position after Afghanistan, Yemen at 189th, and Palestine due to deadly conflicts and famine in the last position, which is 190th.

Meanwhile, Belgium, Canada, and Denmark top the World Bank report’s rankings.

Over the past two years, following the suspension of education and work for women in Afghanistan, there has been an increased interest among women in the private sector and business.

At the same time, female investors in Afghanistan have consistently advocated for greater support for female entrepreneurs in the country.

Sediqa Tufan, in charge of one of the handicraft shops, explained in an interview with Khaama Press that the reason for the increase in demand for jobs in handicraft workshops is the lack of employment opportunities and deprivation of education among girls.

According to Ms. Tufan, her market has seen good growth lately, and about 300 women are working indirectly with her in various country provinces.

Previously, the United Nations and several international organizations have emphasized supporting the private sector for women to ensure meaningful participation of women in all aspects of public life.