• Women’s empowerment in Afghanistan

Women in Afghanistan are badly affected by poverty in rural areas, and the value of the services they provide at home is often overlooked. Traditional norms have made it difficult for rural women to get a loan, start a business, and access financial information that can influence how they earn, budget, and spend money.

Yet, women empowered and allowed to develop economically have significantly contributed to the growth and development of their community and the larger society. These women have established thriving business systems and reduced household poverty, especially in rural areas.

Although urban centers like Kabul continue to grow and thrive in post-conflict Afghanistan, poverty is rising. Poverty in Afghanistan increased day by day after the Taliban take over.

This is due to rural areas struggling to compete in the modern market. SAW International initiated a program to empower rural women by helping them mobilize into self-support work (SSW), open small businesses, and access financial services.

Before implementing the projects in rural areas, we need to identify women. What areas do they need to invest in, and what training and capacity are required to help run businesses and alleviate poverty? It will help increase women’s participation in the local economy and link women producers with regional and national markets. With support from the project, rural women will create savings, run businesses, expand their businesses, and enter new markets.

The project will build women’s financial and business management, bookkeeping, and enterprise development capacity.

Approach,

The Program will empower women by helping them mobilize into self-support work (SSW), open small businesses, and access financial services.

• To conduct a Rapid Need Assessment to prioritize the business and investment areas and identify qualified women and other dire needs in different provinces.
• Hardware and software needs and internet availabilities.
• Office and required Training/ Capacity building program.
• To strengthen the coping mechanism of making them resilient to future shocks cost-effectively and sustainably.

Goal;

Increase women’s participation in the local economy, link women producers with regional and national markets, create thousands of jobs for women and empower them to fight for their rights.

Over the program works and reaches the most vulnerable women, as we believe that building a strong Afghanistan requires empowering women and providing them with equal growth opportunities.

Social Behavior Change Communication

• Formation of Community Support Committees (Female).
• Orientation of Community Support Committees on women empowerment.
• Broad-Based Community Meetings on awareness raising.
• Development/ Documentation (if available) of critical messages regarding women’s empowerment.

The Need

SAW is looking for financial support from donors and People donations to start working on programs that build women’s financial and business management, bookkeeping, and enterprise development capacity and empower women.