The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has recently announced that by May 2025, it has provided loans to 981 businesses owned or managed by women in Afghanistan.
In a statement published on its X account, the agency said that during this period it has provided loans to a total of 3,623 small and medium-sized enterprises in Afghanistan.
The UNDP further emphasized that the total value of these loans amounts to $7.75 million, which has supported 8,790 jobs. It also highlighted that women entrepreneurs represent a significant share of this figure, showing that despite severe social and economic restrictions, they continue to strive to maintain their place in the labor market.
According to the statement, the purpose of these initiatives is to strengthen the financial capacity of business owners, create jobs, and increase opportunities for women’s participation in Afghanistan’s economy.
It is worth noting that in the past four years, women and girls in Afghanistan have faced widespread restrictions in work and education. Many have lost their formal jobs and turned to small-scale home-based activities.
Meanwhile, the caretaker government, after taking power, has banned education for girls beyond grade six. This policy has left millions of female students deprived of schooling.
In addition, women have been barred from going to gyms, restaurants, public baths, being examined by male doctors, traveling without a male guardian, and working with domestic and international NGOs, as well as UN offices in Afghanistan.
