UN Backs 1,500 Afghan Women Entrepreneurs With $1.7 Million

Bareen Media – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Women have announced a joint $1.7 million initiative to provide financial and business support to Afghan women entrepreneurs.

The Afghanistan Women’s Fund for Resilient Enterprises (AWFRE) will support around 1,500 women over the next year. The programme will offer financing without collateral, as well as financial and digital literacy training, business planning, advice and support to help women access markets.

UNDP and UN Women said the initiative is expected to indirectly benefit more than 14,000 people by helping women strengthen their businesses and increase household incomes.

The programme comes as Afghan women continue to face restrictions on employment and economic activity under the Taliban. The UN says more than 10,000 Afghan women currently hold business licences, ten times more than five years ago.

UNDP and UN Women are seeking a further $10 million to expand the programme. If the additional funding is secured, around 10,000 more women entrepreneurs could receive financial and business support.

The organisations say the initiative is aimed at helping women-owned businesses remain active, improve their incomes and contribute to the economic resilience of Afghan families and communities.