A four-day exhibition of handicrafts and domestic products from Afghanistan, titled “Victory and Economic Progress of Afghanistan,” has been held with significant participation from women and artisans from various provinces at the Afghanistan International Exhibition Center in Kabul.
The organizers of the “Victory and Economic Progress of Afghanistan” exhibition stated that the aim of the event is to showcase domestic products, promote women’s industries, and expand the private sector. Some women entrepreneurs at the exhibition expressed that the government’s restrictions on their trade have had a severely negative impact.
Most participants in this exhibition were women. Women traders and artisans who attended from different provinces complained that their handicrafts lack a domestic market, attributing this to insufficient public awareness.
They are calling on the interim government and foreign institutions to market women’s handicrafts abroad. The participating women criticized the restrictions imposed by the current government on women, stating that the requirement to travel with a male guardian, even on short trips, has adversely affected their trade and increased business costs.
They emphasized that the current government does not allow them to travel without a male guardian, which raises travel expenses and costs associated with participating in exhibitions.
Sohaila Omari, a producer of handicrafts, stated: “When the forces of the interim government want us not to come to the exhibition without a male guardian and do not allow us to come alone, we want to change this mindset. Here, all participants are women. We want women to be able to participate in exhibitions without a male guardian.”
The women participants, numbering nearly 200, showcased their handicrafts, embroidery, clothing, and other products. Some of these women mentioned that booth rental fees are high, and given the low turnout at the exhibition and lack of a sales market, entrepreneurs struggle to cover these costs.
Zahra Davoodi, a participant, expressed hope that this exhibition would create opportunities for securing contracts. She added: “I have handicraft and food products, but unfortunately I lack proper space and facilities; there are few tools, and only two workshops. We want our projects to increase through this exhibition.”
It should be noted that over the past three years, several small and large national and international exhibitions have been held in Kabul to support domestic products. Additionally, some artisans cite the importation of similar goods, visa restrictions for travel, and challenges related to raw materials as key obstacles in their work.
They have indicated that the market for imported foreign goods remains stronger in the country compared to domestic products.
While women have showcased their handicrafts, the government has imposed severe restrictions on girls and women over the past two years. Currently, girls and women are unable to attend school or university.
This action by the current government has resulted in millions of girls being deprived of education. Moreover, women are banned from going to sports clubs, restaurants, public baths, being examined by male doctors, traveling without a male guardian, and working in local and international non-governmental organizations as well as United Nations offices in Afghanistan.
