The United Nations Development Programme has published a report on the resilience of women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan, stating that 73% of Afghan women face travel restrictions without a mahram or male escort.
The detailed report by the United Nations Development Programme, titled “Listening to Afghanistan’s Women Entrepreneurs; Their Resilience and Struggle,” was released on Thursday.
This report is based on interviews with 3,100 women and group discussions.
The organization noted that 73 women interviewed said that without a male family member, they could not even go to local markets in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
According to the organization, requiring women to travel with a male family member places an additional burden on women and doubles travel costs for women entrepreneurs.
The report states that women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan face numerous obstacles, including discrimination, operational restrictions, and a severely weak financial system.
The UNDP wrote that the restrictions on women’s mobility exacerbate the challenges women entrepreneurs face.
According to the report, in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, where 15.8 million people need humanitarian aid and women’s employment has halved to 6%, entrepreneurship has emerged as a lifeline.
The UN has reported that according to their discussions, 80 women-led companies rely on their businesses as their sole source of income and have created job opportunities for other women.
Over the past nearly three years, the Taliban have imposed extensive restrictions on women in various areas, including education, work, and travel.
UNDP: 73% of Afghan women face travel restrictions without male escort
Pakistan and China, in a joint statement, called for coordinated international efforts to help Afghanistan address its economic development challenges and encouraged Afghanistan to establish an inclusive political framework.
Adopting moderate policies, pursuing good neighborly relations, and resolutely combating terrorism, as well as preventing terrorist activities from Afghan soil, are other points emphasized in this statement.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Emirate has not yet commented on this joint statement.
“The agreement between Pakistan and China regarding strengthening relations and coordination concerning Afghanistan is a good move, provided that coordination also involves the people and the current government of Afghanistan,” said Aziz Maarej, a political analyst.
The two sides have agreed to play a positive and constructive role in helping Afghanistan achieve sustainable development and integrate into the international community.
“Demonstrating readiness to cooperate and continue relations with Afghanistan, both politically and economically, is a good initiative by Afghanistan’s neighboring countries. It is important not only for expanding relations but also for strengthening peace and stability in Afghanistan,” said Najib Rahman Shamal, an international relations analyst.
Earlier, Pakistan’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Asif Ali Durrani, once again claimed that India, using its proxies in Afghanistan, financially supports the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan; claims that are always denied by Kabul.
China, Pakistan Emphasize Inclusive Political Framework in Afghanistan
Rodriques added that women entrepreneurs work like “vital pillars of economic stability and hope” amidst adversities.
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has published its three-year report on the struggles and resilience of women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan.
Stephen Rodriques, UNDP country director in Afghanistan, said that they have conducted discussions and surveys with 3,100 women entrepreneurs about the difficult conditions women face in the country.
Rodriques added that women entrepreneurs work like “vital pillars of economic stability and hope” amidst adversities.
“We know that we need more studies and assessments so that we can better understand the issues and challenges facing the private sector, the banking sector, and micro medium enterprises across the country. After the studies are done, we need to act. We need to strive to change some policies and regulations, for example, to facilitate business licensing,” he said.
According to the findings of the report, 73% of the respondents complained about travel restrictions without a male guardian, and 41% of these women entrepreneurs have been forced to take loans.
The European Union’s delegation to Afghanistan and Japan’s Embassy in Kabul, as partners of the United Nations Development Program, have also described supporting women entrepreneurs in the current conditions of Afghanistan as a serious need.
Raffaella Iodice, the acting head of the European Union delegation to Afghanistan, said: “Many women as you said are the only breadwinners of their families. I never met so many in my 32-years career, women held the households. The war has left many women widows.”
Takayushi Kormaya, the ambassador of Japan to Kabul, stated: “Recently, Japan has committed to further supporting 1,400 women entrepreneurs and 140 other women-led small and micro enterprises in partnership with UNDP.”
According to statistics from the United Nations Development Program, 15.8 million people in Afghanistan are facing food insecurity, and the employment rate for employable women by age has decreased by 50 percent over the past year.
UNDP Reports on Resilience of Women Entrepreneurs in Afghanistan
The day after the flood waters hit, Noor Mohammed found the bodies of his family in the street and in the fields.
The 75-year-old had been just 100m away from his home in northern Afghanistan when he heard the deadly roar of water approaching.
Noor ran towards the house where his wife, sister, son and two of his grandchildren were resting.
But it was too late. The sudden torrent of water swept away his family and home.
Flash floods hit on Friday, caused by a combination of unusually heavy storms following a dry winter, which has left the ground too hard to absorb all the rain. The destruction stretches for miles.
The World Food Programme says more than 300 people have died and 2,000 homes destroyed in the flooding, which affected five districts in the northern Afghan province of Baghlan. The number of casualties is expected to rise.
The provinces of Badakhshan, Ghor and western Herat were also severely damaged.
“I felt helpless,” Noor says.
It was early evening when he frantically searched the area around his home in the village of Gaz in Baghlan, but could not find any trace of his family.
He gave up at 01:00 and, in the middle of the night, walked to his daughter Saeeda’s house three hours away.
He returned home the next day and found the bodies of his family.
“It was devastating,” he says.
BBC
Noor says he has never experienced anything like it in his life – either from the natural disasters that frequently hit the area or the civil wars that have plagued the country.
Saeeda, whose 25-year-old daughter was one of Noor’s grandchildren who died, says the approaching storm sounded like a monster and they were terrified.
In Noor’s village, which is still inaccessible by road, most families have lost at least two or three relatives in the floods and are in desperate need of help.
“We have travelled to areas where everything is completely gone,” says Rouzatullah, a nurse who visited one of the worst-hit villages called Fullol with his team.
Uprooted trees, rocks, bricks and mangled cars stick out of the thick mud in Fullol. Once sticky with water, in the heat it has started to harden, making it even more difficult for those still digging, pulling out possessions.
Muhammad Gul is using a shovel to dig through the two rooms of his house.
“We haven’t got even a glass left for a cup of tea, there is nothing,” he tells the BBC. The only thing he has been able to salvage is a twisted bicycle which he loads onto a donkey.
Days after the flooding, some families are still searching for the bodies of their loved ones. At one house a crowd gathers. The body of a girl has been found; she is covered in a sheet and taken away by an ambulance.
Rouzatullah rushed to the area along with 15 other nurses, paramedics and doctors.
He says they helped more than 200 injured people, including one man who had lost 16 members of his family. But they have not been able to reach some remote areas where people desperately need aid.
“There is no drinking water,” Rouzatullah says, warning there might be outbreaks of waterborne diseases such as typhoid and dysentery.
In the areas they have been able to reach, the team has started to set up mobile aid centres and are working to remove the dead bodies.
One man shows us a picture of his five-year-old nephew, Abu Bakar. He was playing with his grandfather when the water hit. As they tried to escape, Abu Bakar was swept away. He had clung so tightly to his grandfather’s leg as he tried to save himself that he left a mark. His mother could only watch as he lost his grip.
Abdul Khaliq was out of town when he heard about the flood. By the time he returned, all that was left of his family’s houses was one small piece of bathroom wall. The rest is now flattened. Of 18 people, 10 of his family died, swept away.
“We were searching family members in knee-deep mud, so we took off our shoes and continued searching,” he says. “Eventually, we found their bodies miles away from here.”
Others tell of the moment disaster struck – a shout went out that water was coming. Some were able to get out of its path, but lost all their possessions.
“I struggled to reach the next floor amidst the chaos. Our home and all our livestock were swept away,” says Zuhra Bibi, who is now sleeping in a tarpaulin tent.
She says she’s never seen anything like this before in her lifetime. Flooding is not uncommon, but in 20, 40, 60 years, we are told, none have seen a flood like this in their area.
In the village of Gudan Bala, Mohammad Rasool is chain-smoking cigarettes next to a field where his crops once grew. Now the field is a pool of thick muddy water.
Acres of farmland – fields of cotton and wheat crops – have been completely destroyed. We drive through wheatfields that have been cut in two by the force of the water, ripping out the green stalks, leaving grey rubble behind.
Mohammad feels fortunate that his family has survived, but says he has lost everything else.
He shows me the fields where his crops have been ruined.
“This was the only source of income I had,” he says. “I feel helpless.”
Like 80% of Afghans, he depends on agriculture for his income. Mohammad says he is not sure how they will survive.
He points to the remains of his house in the distance. He cannot return because the flood waters are still too high.
“I don’t have anything now, what should I do? I have family to provide for but I have nothing.”
Even before the floods hit, the UN estimated that about 24 million people, more than half the population of Afghanistan, would need some form of humanitarian assistance this year.
It is not just crops that have been affected. Mohammed says his neighbour lost his two cows in the floods. They were the man’s only way of making a living.
And Noor, who is staying with his daughter, says the only possessions he has left are the clothes he is wearing. He had lived in the house that was swept away since he was a young boy – his father built it 65 years ago.
“I had hopes about the future,” he says. “My son and granddaughter were teachers and I was proud because they were contributing to the future of the country.”
Both are now dead. “The floods took everything,” he says.
Afghanistan floods: ‘I found my family’s bodies in the streets’
The spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General confirmed during a press briefing that Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the organization’s Deputy Secretary-General, will arrive in Kabul today, Wednesday, May 15.
Farhan Haq, the Deputy Spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General, stated that the purpose of Jean-Pierre Lacroix’s trip to Afghanistan is to raise awareness about the dangers of unexploded ordnance.
The visit of a high-ranking UN official to Afghanistan is scheduled for two days, amidst growing concerns about the perceived increase in the risks of unexploded ordnance, while negotiations for the third session inside and outside of Afghanistan have begun.
Meanwhile, another source reported to Khaama Press that the other objective of the UN official’s trip to Afghanistan is to discuss the third Doha session scheduled for June of this year with Taliban officials.
On February 18-19, 2024, the UN Secretary-General convened the second Afghanistan Conference in Doha, Qatar. Representatives from 25 nations, international organizations, Afghan civil society, and women’s groups attended, aiming for comprehensive peace efforts.
In May 2023, the UN held the first Afghanistan Conference in Doha without Taliban participation, seeking a unified international approach. Despite invitations to the Taliban for the second conference, they refused, demanding sole representation, which the UN Secretary-General deemed unacceptable.
UN Deputy Secretary-General to arrive in Kabul today
After the fall of the Taliban in 2001, the United States poured billions of dollars into Afghanistan for reconstruction efforts. However, many U.S. contractors and former Afghan officials were accused of misusing these funds. Today, some contractors and former officials own luxury properties in Dubai.
An investigative journalism organization has released a list revealing the assets of hundreds of current and former government officials and institutions from various countries in Dubai. This list, compiled from leaked information, includes names of ten individuals from Afghanistan, primarily consisting of former government officials or their relatives.
These findings were published by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), based in the U.S. capital and funded by several American entities.
Among the ten Afghan individuals listed, except for one, all are either former officials or related to former officials. Notably, only one person (Sayed Ismail Amiri) has been identified as a criminal by the reporting institution.
Mir Rahman Rahmani and Ajmal Rahmani
Mir Rahman Rahmani, the former Speaker of the Afghan Parliament, and his son Ajmal Rahmani have spent over $15 million on property purchases in Dubai. The United States has accused the Rahmani family of corruption in fuel supply contracts, but they have denied these allegations via email.
Their assets include several apartments, villas, and two residential towers. This father-son duo earns millions of dollars annually from renting these properties.
Mir Rahman Rahmani was the former Speaker of the House of Representatives in Afghanistan; his son Ajmal is associated with the same political lineage.
Asadullah Khalid
Khalid, the former head of national security and defense minister of Afghanistan, invested $5.5 million in an apartment worth $5.492 million in Dubai.
Assadullah Khalid, the former defence minister.
Rashed Popal and Ahmad Ratib Popal invested $3.8 Million in a high-value apartment worth more than $3.824 million. Rashed Popal is the nephew of former Afghan President Hamid Karzai, and his brother Ahmad Ratib was involved in security management.
Hussain Fahim and Family invested $8.8 Million in a villa worth $8.513 million and an office space valued at $292,000 in Dubai. Hussain Fahim, a stakeholder in Kabul Bank and brother of former Afghan Vice President Marshal Fahim.
Adib Fahim invested $3.5 Million in a villa and three apartments collectively valued at $3.543 million.
Son of Marshal Fahim and former First Deputy of the National Directorate of Security in Afghanistan.
Adib Fahim.
Ahmad Wali Massoud, brother of Ahmad Shah Massoud and former Afghan ambassador to the UK, invested $1.8 million in an apartment worth $1.853 million.
Amirzai Sangin invested $780,000 in two apartments, each worth $390,000. He was the Former Minister of Telecommunications under President Hamid Karzai.
Atiqullah Baryalai, a former deputy minister of defense in Afghanistan, invested $731,000 in an apartment worth $731,000 in Dubai.
Kamaludin Nabizada invested $258,000 in an apartment valued at $258,000. The USA sanctioned him as an Afghan businessmanfor aiding money laundering activities.
Sayed Ismail Amiri invested $1.6 million in a villa worth $1.632 million. He is the only individual on the list not directly connected to the Afghan government apparatus and the only one labeled “criminal.” He served a prison sentence in the USA for involvement in a $100 million fraud scheme.
This report highlights the significant investments made by these individuals in Dubai, showcasing a trend among former Afghan officials and their relatives in acquiring valuable foreign assets.
US contractors and former Afghan officials buy million-dollar properties in Dubai
According to locals, during this period dozens of missiles have been fired by Pakistan, hitting people’s residential houses.
Residents of Paktia said that there have been clashes between the forces of the Islamic Emirate and Pakistan’s border guards for the past three days.
According to locals, during this period dozens of missiles have been fired by Pakistan, hitting people’s residential houses.
The clashes started in Aryob Zazi district of Paktia and have recently spread to the Dand-e-Patan district.
The Islamic Emirate has not yet officially provided details about these clashes including any casualties resulting from them.
“It was ten o’clock and the fighting was intense; people with their children went by car towards Samkanai district,” said Amir Khan, another resident of Paktia.
Local residents added that Pakistani forces targeted residential houses, and some families in Dand-e-Patan have been forced to leave their homes.
At the same time with the start of these clashes, the Kharlachi transit route in Dand-e-Patan has also been closed to any traffic.
“We ask them that whenever you commit a violation, you must not target the general public with artillery. The laws of war must be observed here,” said Mohammad Anwar Sediqi, a resident of Aryob Zazi.
“No one could handle their sorrow [about the situation]. The fierce fighting continued, and there were children and women on every side,” said Sayedullah, a driver in Paktia.
Military analysts said that border clashes darken the relations between the two countries and that professional individuals should be deployed at the border line.
“The solution is to deploy responsible and professional individuals at the borders to prevent such unnecessary conflicts,” said Sarwar Niazi, a military analyst.
Some Pakistani media outlets reported that in these clashes, one soldier from that country has died and four others have been wounded.
At the same time, a source told TOLOnews that five forces of the Islamic Emirate have also been injured in these clashes.
Clashes Increase Between Islamic Emirate, Pakistani Forces in Dand-e-Patan
Meanwhile, the Islamic Emirate reacted to this meeting by saying that such meetings should be held within the country to yield beneficial results.
The Oslo meeting, focused on Afghanistan, which started three days ago with the participation of representatives from over 30 countries and organizations in Norway, has concluded.
It has been said that issues such as the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan and the issue of Afghan migrants, along with other issues, were important discussions held at this meeting.
“The first point was the restoration of the rights of Afghan girls in all aspects of social life, second, how to deal with the problem of migrants, especially their expulsion by two neighboring countries of Afghanistan, and third, the relationship of the current regime with global organizations such as the World Bank, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, SAARC, ECO, etc., and finally, the relationship that the world can establish with the current regime were the main focuses of the discussions at this meeting,” Amin Karim, a participant at the Oslo meeting, told TOLOnews.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Emirate reacted to this meeting by saying that such meetings should be held within the country to yield beneficial results.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman for the Islamic Emirate, said: “We demand that Afghanistan [an Afghan representative] should be present at these meetings to defend and express its stance on issues that are raised.”
“When people from inside do not participate in these meetings, these meetings and other meetings are not in our favor,” said Shams Rahman Ahmadzai, a political analyst.
Since the return of the Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan, more than 20 meetings concerning Afghanistan have been held by countries around the world outside of the country.
Indrika Ratwette, spoke at the meeting about efforts to increase development assistance to Afghanistan.
A coordination meeting between the agencies of the United Nations and the Islamic Emirate was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Participants in the meeting discussed the needs of the people of Afghanistan, the assistance provided by the United Nations in the past year, and the creation of coordination between the United Nations organizations and the caretaker government.
Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, in this meeting said that four decades of conflict in the country have prevented Afghanistan from economic development.
Hafiz Zia Ahmad Takal, deputy spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, said: “In this meeting, the needs of the people of Afghanistan and the priorities of the Islamic Emirate in various fields, the assistance of the United Nations in the past year, future plans, and the development of understanding and coordination between the parties were discussed.”
The Deputy Special Representative (of Development) at UNAMA, Indrika Ratwette, spoke at the meeting about efforts to increase development assistance to Afghanistan.
Abdul Latif Nazari, Deputy Minister of Economy, said: “In the Foreign Ministry meeting, the continuation of assistance to the people of Afghanistan and the transition from humanitarian to developmental assistance were discussed. Additionally, the economic and social needs and priorities of the people of Afghanistan were presented to donors, international institutions, and relevant United Nations organizations, which were well received.”
A number of economic analysts said that although humanitarian aid has managed to reduce the economic crisis in the past nearly three years, in the long term, it is necessary for global aid to focus more on infrastructure development and creating job opportunities for the country’s citizens.
“We need to change their perspective, move them away from humanitarian aid and focus them on infrastructural and semi-infrastructural, developmental, and expansion aid, which can be effective,” said Shabir Bashiri, an economic analyst.
“An effort must be made that is fundamental and also creates job opportunities, facilitates handicraft industries in various provinces to resolve the problems that plague us,” said Abdul Basir Turki, another economic analyst.
Earlier, the acting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, advocated for the initiation of infrastructure projects in the country during a meeting with members of the United Nations Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) and representatives of UNAMA.
Coordination Meeting Held Among Aid Organizations, Islamic Emirate
The Human Rights Research Society in Norway has announced a two-day meeting between members of Afghan civil society, including civil activists and the Taliban representatives.
The session, held in Oslo, the capital of Norway, on Tuesday, May 4, has invited Richard Bennett, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan.
The Human Rights Research Society in Norway stated on its “X” page that this meeting will address topics such as the future of the Doha talks, humanitarian aid, increased protection opportunities for at-risk Afghans, and discussions on Richard Bennett’s future report.
Meanwhile, Richard Bennett tweeted that he was inspired by his meeting with Afghan civil activists, particularly women activists.
During this session, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights has also addressed women’s and children’s rights.
Simultaneously, reports indicate that this meeting has faced criticism from other social activists and human rights advocates in Oslo and other European cities. They argue that Taliban representatives should not be given the opportunity to gain recognition, and they are calling for the recognition of gender apartheid in Afghanistan.
While complete details of the participating members of Afghan civil society have not yet been determined, some media outlets have reported that figures like Fatima Gilani, Kavon Kaker, Asila Wardak, Momena Yari, Haris Sighani, Abdulqayum Sajjadi, former parliament representative, former negotiator General Ansari, Engela Ahmadi, Karim Amin, senior member of the Islamic Party, and Qaraman Kakar, Faiz Mohammad Osmani, make up the Afghan civil society.
On the other hand, Najibullah Motmaen, Qazi Saeed Mashk Alam, Matiullah Mohammadi, Jafar Mahdavi, Saleh Mazari, Sayed Younus Agha, Hadi Zaker, and Fayaz Zaland represent the Taliban at this session.
Norwegian Rights Society hosts Afghan activists and Taliban representatives meeting
Afghanistan Peace Campaign
