Afghanistan women entrepreneurs provide economic resilience amid crisis

Five years after the Taliban takeover, Afghanistan faces a deepening humanitarian crisis characterized by economic collapse and severe food insecurity. Approximately 40 percent of the population faces acute nutritional instability during winter months, with at least 3.7 million young children suffering from acute malnutrition.

Despite restrictive policies against women, female-led enterprises are emerging as a source of economic resilience. In Herat, 21-year-old Rukia Resai operates a soap manufacturing business that provides employment and mental health stability for her family and employees. According to the World Bank, businesses owned by women in Afghanistan are growing faster than those led by men.

The nation's economic struggles are compounded by exclusion from the international financial system, dwindling foreign aid, and mass migration. Data from the UNHCR indicates that nearly 3.9 million people have returned to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan over the last five years, either voluntarily or under pressure, which has decreased per capita wealth despite reported national economic growth.