News, 6/3/2010, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Finland
The women of Afghanistan are juggling three jobs while building a future for their country. This message was heard at a seminar organised on Tuesday by the Foreign Ministry, Embassy of the United States, and the Women Journalists in Finland.
“Although women entrepreneurs are the key for developing Afghanistan, they are still portrayed as victims, not financial players, in the media. Women are launching businesses, operating non-governmental organisations, and opening safe houses for women. Women are key supporters in families, and they are using the money for their families and educating their children. When both girls and boys receive education, things will gradually change for the better,” says Gayle Lemmon, a reporter who's focused on Afghanistan.
She has researched women-owned small and middle-sized enterprises in Afghanistan.
According to Lemmon, agriculture is still a very predominant industry in Afghanistan, and many SMEs are based on agriculture and refining agricultural products. Women entrepreneurs are challenged by acquiring capital, getting their products to market, and the lack of security.
There are many problems associated with marketing. Afghan products are often more expensive than those imported from Pakistan, for example. How can the women entrepreneurs produce products for the international market, when they have trouble feeding their families?
“Non-governmental organisations have helped women entrepreneurs and the markets find each other. They have also developed better products fit for export and international markets,” Gayle Lemmon reports on success stories.
“By supporting women entrepreneurs we can improve the living conditions in Afghanistan. The Afghani people are longing for an ordinary, safe life. Being able to send their children safely to school is a big change in the people's lives.”
The micro-credit programme has been very successful in Afghanistan. More than 450.000 clients – over 60 percent of them women – have received credit. Micro-credits have helped create nearly 700.000 new jobs. Women who receive micro-credit often launch new small enterprises and work outside home for the first time in their life. 96 percent of the credits has already been paid back.
Better financial position has also enhanced women's status in the society.
According to Lemmon, the Afghan entrepreneurs are operating in a very difficult environment. Reporters and NGO workers are frequently seized and killed. Successful entrepreneurs, both men and women, are convenient targets for violence.
“It's important to have correct information about Afghanistan in Finland. The country has become one of the priorities of Finnish foreign and defence policies. Finland is helping Afghanistan to become a country that respects human rights, yet it is not possible without the women's effort. Finnish development cooperation is strongly promoting equality in Afghanistan. The Finnish-Afghan cooperation focuses mainly on supporting gender equality and rural development. In 2009, Afghanistan received a total of 18 million euros in aid from Finland,” said Director General Petri Tuomi-Nikula, Department for Communication and Culture, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, who gave the opening speech at the seminar.
The seminar audience was shown reporter Kirsi Mattila's document film on everyday life in Kabul. Zahra, one of the persons appearing in the film, works as a nurse, an entrepreneur and a reporter.
”The men in this country don't like women to have education and a better status in the society than they themselves have. That is why women don't always feel safe even in the safe houses.”
“The Afghan women have much to give for developing the society, but they lack self-confidence. We must have courage and demand our rights, nobody will come and give them to us just like that. Women can become leaders of the society in Finland, so can we,” Zahra says.
Updated 7/19/2010
