Over 200 Women Entrepreneurs Return from Neighboring Countries and Launch Businesses in Herat

The Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Herat has announced that in the past year, more than 200 women entrepreneurs who were expelled from neighboring countries and returned to Afghanistan have started their business activities in the province. According to officials from this chamber, most of these women have invested in the handicrafts and food production sectors and have entered the labor market.

Behnaz Saljouqi, head of the Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Herat, says a significant number of women who established businesses this year were previously working in Iran and Pakistan and, after returning, have been able to launch independent commercial activities. According to her, these women have reached a level of economic self-sufficiency and have also made progress in commerce.

At the same time, a number of women entrepreneurs are urging the Taliban administration to facilitate the export of their products and to enable their participation in regional and international exhibitions. They say that without practical support and the creation of necessary facilities, access to external markets remains limited; meanwhile, the development of exports could strengthen family economies and foster domestic production growth.

With the creation of handicraft workshops and production centers by these women, thousands of women and girls in Herat have found job opportunities. Many of these women are breadwinners for their families, and the income generated from these activities plays an important role in supporting household livelihoods.

According to statistics from the Herat Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, more than 1,100 women entrepreneurs are currently engaged in various sectors in the province, including handicrafts, food production, hygiene and cosmetics products, and clothing, involved in commercial and manufacturing activities.