MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan — Despite stringent restrictions imposed by the Taliban since their return to power in 2021, Afghan women are increasingly turning to entrepreneurship as a critical means of economic survival and personal autonomy. While many traditional employment avenues remain closed, small businesses led by women have seen remarkable growth under tightly controlled conditions.

According to the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, over 10,000 women now hold business licenses—an increase tenfold over the past five years—while the World Bank estimates nearly 120,000 women operate unregistered businesses. Small enterprises remain the largest source of female employment in the country. Nonetheless, these figures mask a broader landscape of constrained opportunities and ongoing challenges faced by women across Afghanistan.

Widely barred from public sector roles and many professions such as law, engineering, or academia, most women have resorted to fields like carpet weaving, cosmetics production, and vocational training. The Taliban prohibit women from working in government administration and many NGOs, running beauty salons, or pursuing careers in midwifery and nursing. Interacting with male clients, suppliers, or bankers is also restricted, forcing many female entrepreneurs to rely on male family members for business transactions.

The United Nations Development Program reports that less than 7 percent of Afghan women are employed outside the home in 2024. Recent crackdowns by the Taliban morality police, including harassment and arrests, have heightened risks for working women, triggering rare protests in a tightly controlled society. Yet, for many women, entrepreneurship remains one of the few viable options for supporting their families and maintaining a degree of social engagement.

In Mazar-i-Sharif, 19-year-old Nasira Azizi oversees two workshops and a home-based operation employing about 450 women producing handwoven rugs. She launched her business with financial help from the U.N. and manages all key operational roles, holding legal ownership despite restrictions. Azizi said the business has provided her a sense of purpose and social connection after educational bans forced her into isolation.

Similarly, 21-year-old Roqia Rezaei in Herat founded Magnolia, a small soap manufacturing business now sustaining her family of seven. Unable to pursue her original ambition of becoming a mining engineer, Rezaei quickly adapted to new market realities. She envisions expanding her brand internationally but faces practical hurdles, such as needing male accompaniment when traveling alone and operating with limited equipment.

Other women have taken more unconventional routes to defy limits. In Herat, beekeeper Ghoncha Karimi, known locally as the "Bee Queen," sometimes disguises herself as a man to tend her hives. She has faced imprisonment and significant losses due to Taliban restrictions on interacting with male clients and the broader clampdown on women’s mobility and employment.

Taliban officials point to ongoing support for women’s vocational training and economic activity, referencing small-scale initiatives under the ministry of Work and Social Affairs. Still, critics argue these efforts are inadequate for a population where women make up nearly half and face persistent systemic discrimination.

Women’s business leaders describe a complex reality where cultural, familial, and legal barriers coexist with entrepreneurial resilience. Fariba Noori, acting head of the Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, notes a generational persistence amid continuing hardships. For some, like Waheeda Noorzai, a manager working with women with disabilities, advocating for education and economic opportunities within conservative households remains a daily struggle.

Despite escalating restrictions, many women entrepreneurs emphasize their determination to continue. Karimi, after enduring incarceration and personal losses, expressed a resolve to persevere against the odds. Their stories underscore the fragile yet vital role that female-led businesses play in Afghanistan’s economic and social fabric under Taliban rule.