As education and jobs vanish, Afghan women turn to entrepreneurship to survive
Afghan women are increasingly turning to entrepreneurship as a survival strategy following the Taliban's severe restrictions on female education and formal employment. Data shows a drastic decline in female labor participation and university enrollment since 2021.
Why it matters
The shift underscores the economic desperation and resilience of women living under restrictive regimes that systematically exclude them from public life.
The Taliban’s draconian restrictions over the past five years have led to Afghan women facing an unprecedented rollback of rights and freedoms. As universities and many formal workplaces become inaccessible, growing numbers of women are turning to small-scale entrepreneurship as one of the few remaining avenues to earn a livelihood and retain a measure of economic independence.
The framing emphasizes human rights and the negative impact of restrictive policies on women's economic independence.
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