Thousands of Afghan women are turning to entrepreneurship as one of the few remaining paths to independence under Taliban rule. Despite restrictions on education, employment, and public participation, the government has allowed women to run businesses under specific conditions to mitigate economic collapse and international isolation. According to the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, more than 10,000 women now hold business licenses, a tenfold increase in five years, while another 120,000 operate small ventures without licenses.

Many women who once aspired to be lawyers, engineers, or teachers have shifted to carpet weaving, cosmetics production, or vocational training. UNDP data show that only 7 percent of Afghan women were employed as of 2024. Entrepreneurs like Nasira Azizi in Mazar-i-Sharif, Rokiya Rezayi in Herat, and beekeeper Ghoncha Karimi have built small enterprises despite social and administrative barriers.

Officials claim to support women’s vocational training, but critics argue that government initiatives remain limited. For many Afghan women, business ownership has become a last refuge for dignity, income, and survival amid ongoing restrictions.