Herat (Afghanistan) February 17 (TOLO News) – Many of the women and girls engaged in commercial activities in Herat also support their families financially.
The Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Herat says that in the past three years, nearly one thousand women in the province have turned to commercial activities.
According to officials of this chamber, with the commencement of these women’s business activities, thousands of other women and girls have also been provided with job opportunities.
Behnar Saljooqi, the head of the Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Herat, said: “Most of the women registered in the chamber are active in handicrafts, and in the next stages, women are engaged in food production, agriculture, and other sectors.”
Several businesswomen in Herat are seeking more support for their commercial activities.
Parwana Osmani, who opened her art workshop in Herat city about seven months ago, has provided job opportunities for nearly ten girls.
“Schools and universities are closed, at least this work is an opportunity for our girls to take advantage of it and even start this work from home,” she said.
Almost all employees of this workshop are girls deprived of education who, alongside learning art, also earn an income.
“My family encouraged me to come to this job. I am very happy to leave the house, work here, and earn an income,” said Asra, one of the employees.
“Schools are closed, and in these circumstances, it is good that we work and have our own income, “Sadaf, another employee of the workshop, added.
Many of the women and girls engaged in commercial activities in Herat also support their families financially.
“It has been two months since we started working in person, and during this time, we have employed three women in tailoring and marketing,” said Mahtab Nazari, the manager of a clothing store.
“We ask women to support us so that we can expand our work and provide job opportunities for other women as well,” said Lida Ahmadzadah, an employee of a clothing store.
According to statistics from the Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Herat, in addition to nearly one thousand officially registered women’s businesses, more than five thousand other women are also engaged in informal business activities in the province.
According to officials of this chamber, there are no restrictions on women’s business activities in Herat.
END
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Women’s rights accusations used to pressure Islamic Emirate
Ministry’s spokesperson, said that Afghanistan is an Islamic country, and Islamic laws have defined fair rights for women, children, and all segments of society.
The Ministry of Vice and Virtue, in response to a joint statement by 17 countries, stated that criticism of the ministry under the banner of women’s rights is a clear sign of the world’s double standards and a form of political pressure against the Islamic Emirate.
Saif-ul-Islam Khyber, the ministry’s spokesperson, said that Afghanistan is an Islamic country, and Islamic laws have defined fair rights for women, children, and all segments of society.
Khyber said: “Criticism of the laws, activities, and strategies of the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice under the name of women’s human rights reflects the double standards of international norms, using human rights slogans as a tool for political pressure.”
A day earlier, female foreign ministers from 17 countries, including Canada, Australia, Germany, and representatives of the European Union, expressed concerns in a joint statement regarding the restrictions imposed on women in Afghanistan.
They stressed that no government can achieve sustainable peace, prosperity, and a viable future without the participation of women and urged the Islamic Emirate to lift the restrictions imposed on Afghan women.
The joint statement read: “Today, women foreign ministers from around the world convened to discuss and reaffirm their deep concerns about the ongoing and systematic violations and abuses of human rights in Afghanistan by the Taliban de facto authorities, particularly those affecting women and girls.”
“Both women and men play significant roles in society. Without women’s participation, we cannot achieve goals such as the country’s progress and development,” said Faryal Saidzada, a women’s rights activist.
The ministers highlighted that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan depends on the participation of all Afghans, including women, in the country’s future and called on all countries to ensure the full and meaningful participation of women in discussions about Afghanistan.
The statement added: “We know that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan is only attainable if all Afghans, including women and girls, can fully participate in and contribute to the country’s future. This includes discussions and decisions happening within the country, but also on the international stage.”
“We cannot move forward with only one segment of society; people have different mindsets and demands. We must have women’s representatives in organizations and international conferences,” said Fatima Fayzi, a women’s rights activist.
According to the statement, while Afghanistan faces high maternal and child mortality rates, the Islamic Emirate has decided to ban girls from attending health centers starting from December 2024.
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