Fidel Rahmati

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.

Karen Decker, a US Chargé d’Affaires for Afghanistan, emphasized on the occasion of World Health Day that her country is the “largest” supporter of the World Health Organization in Afghanistan, especially for women and girls.

Ms. Decker announced on Sunday, April 7th, through a post on the assistance provided by the United States to support health in Afghanistan.

In Ms. Decker’s message, it is stated, “The United States is proud to be a major contributor to the international health organization in Afghanistan, providing the necessary resources to ensure the health of Afghans, especially women and children, to maintain their well-being.”

This comes as the World Health Organization celebrated World Health Day on Sunday, April 7th, with the slogan “My Health, My Right.”

The organization, in a message posted on its social media platform X, emphasized the need for strong healthcare systems for all, especially women and children in the country, stating that 18 million people in Afghanistan need humanitarian assistance in the health sector.

Jamshid Tanwoli, Acting Head of the World Health Organization’s office, also stated that the organization and its partners will continue to support Afghanistan’s health system to ensure that everyone, especially women and children, has fair access to health services.

According to the World Health Organization’s report, millions of people, including women and children worldwide, are increasingly at risk.

Previously, the World Health Organization and several international organizations have expressed concerns about the health crisis among mothers and children in Afghanistan.

The United Nations World Food Programme in Afghanistan has issued a warning about the increasing cases of malnutrition among mothers and children, emphasizing that the number of malnutrition admissions in Kabul has tripled over the past three years.

The UN agency stated on Friday, April 5th, that with the rise of malnutrition in Afghanistan, the situation is becoming “worse.”

The reduction of humanitarian aid in Afghanistan has been reported as one of the major factors contributing to the increase in malnutrition in the country.

Mishro, a nurse in the malnutrition ward, says that over the past two years, the mental and psychological condition of women has not been good, and the number of malnutrition cases in Afghanistan has been increasing.

She emphasizes that malnourished mothers have caused their children to also suffer from malnutrition, highlighting that there is not enough space for these patients.

Mishro adds: Overall, fifty per cent of the situation for malnourished women is not good.

Previously, the World Food Programme in Afghanistan had emphasized the increase in the number of women suffering from malnutrition in the country, stating that one million two hundred thousand women in Afghanistan are malnourished.

This comes as human rights organizations’ concerns about the increase in poverty and malnutrition, especially among women, in Afghanistan have escalated.