July 30 (IPS) – With the Taliban banning women from working across Afghanistan, there are few options for earning a living. Despite this, Afghan women are carving out a niche in online businesses through sheer determination and perseverance.
The situation is still difficult. It is difficult to obtain a license, and online business related to forex trading is considered haram (criminal) under Sharia law. Women are also dependent on their mahram (male relative or husband) at every step, and face the risk of arrest and torture if they violate these rules.
For this article, I interviewed 10 women. Some found jobs online, others started online businesses.
Anoshe has been selling hygiene and cosmetics online for over a year. She previously worked as a state government employee. By the Government of the Republic of AfghanistanBut after the Taliban came to power in 2021, she was forced to stay home and decided to support herself and her family by importing goods from neighboring countries and selling them online.
Despite not having a license, she put some of her money up as collateral to gain the seller’s trust. “I waited for two months for an order from Iran, and I was afraid it was a scam,” she said.
The goods finally arrived and she was able to start her business, but there were still challenges. Anoush believes the Taliban recognizes the benefits to the country as a whole if women are allowed to do business in this way, rather than creating obstacles.
Another online seller, Masuda, has faced frustration and fraud. She was robbed twice because she didn’t have an official license, but succeeded on the third try. “If I could find a job that pays 5,000 Afghanis, I wouldn’t work online. It’s a pain,” she says.
“At first, I couldn’t even afford my own expenses,” she complains. “I paid my Internet bill out of my own pocket and spent hours talking to customers, patiently promoting my products.” Masoodah’s brother handles deliveries to hide her identity from the Taliban.
Mohammad Mohsen and his colleagues tried to start a non-profit organization to support women in online business, but their efforts were thwarted when the Taliban denied permission after seeing the names of women among the organization’s leaders.
“To get a permit, women can no longer work alone. They need to have a male family member join them so their efforts are not in vain,” Mohsen said.
For many Afghan women, earning a living is a major concern, especially when their families have been displaced and their situation has worsened.
Neelam, 23, whose only financial support was her sister and father, both of whom fled the country after the Taliban arrived, now works from home. She overcame many obstacles to find an online job. Despite the risk of arrest and torture, she took the opportunity.
“We work like thieves in this market,” said Neelam. “If the Taliban finds out anything about us, they will arrest us and torture us. That’s why we use aliases in everything we do.”
© Inter Press Service (2024) — All rights reservedOriginal Source: Inter Press Service
