Pak-Afghan Women for Peace and Economic Development
- Decoding Barriers
- Jan 20
- 3 min read
Naheed Rehman, Secretary of Decoding Barriers, co-led a project with Shakir Qarar, who served as the First Secretary at the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Embassy. Other notable participants were Professor Sarfraz Khan, an expert on Central and Afghanistan, Mr. Manzoor Afridi, a member of the Tribal Areas Chamber of Commerce and Industries (TCCI), and Ms.Naila, an experienced manager of projects about women’s economic empowerment in the rural areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The project was dedicated to increasing female representation in the cross-border trade of goods between Pakistan and Afghanistan and furthering economic integration between the two countries through various policy recommendations.
Marginalized populations rely on cross-border trade for their livelihoods. Trade volume between Afghanistan and Pakistan has decreased by approximately 95% due to heightened political tensions between the two countries, which has contributed to stricter border policies and high tariffs. Infrastructural deficiencies such as an absence of functional banks, visa limitations, and lack of access to capital have also limited the economic potential of trade between the two countries. Strengthening trade relations between the two nations and allocating resources to provide the necessary resources required for cross-border trade would increase development in the region and uplift the economic conditions of traders and manufacturers.
Women primarily manufacture the most in-demand products in Afghanistan, such as embroidered garments and textiles, and have become increasingly involved in the jewelry manufacturing and agricultural sectors, comprising over 30% and 50% of these industries. Furthermore, they are instrumental in the transfer of goods traded between the countries. However, women have been further restricted from realizing their contributions due to cultural constraints, lack of access to capital and education, and discriminatory policies. For example, women have been denied property ownership, are unable to secure loans, and are prohibited from entering business discussions with men. Ms. Naila spoke of her experience providing loans to female cattle farmers in the region, stating that the women could make timely payments and generate revenue for their families. Similar initiatives to provide women access to small loans, such as one headed by Gamreen Bank in Bangladesh, have experienced a recovery rate of 98%. She further noted that many tribal women had demonstrated experience in banking, as the successful village banking system present in the communities active in cross-border trade was maintained by women.
The project concluded with various policy recommendations intended to bolster economic development by empowering the women instrumental to the success of cross-border trade in the region. These measures included recommending that First Women Bank Ltd., a Pakistani state-owned commercial bank, enable easier access to capital for female entrepreneurs and the inclusion of women in entities such as the Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industries (PAJCCI), Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industries, and Tribal Areas Chamber of Commerce and Industries. Further recommendations were aimed at increasing collaboration between Afghan and Pakistani women. For example, the panel recommended that joint delegations of Pak-Afghan women should meet with chambers of commerce and industrialists in both Pakistan and Afghanistan to advocate for the inclusion of women, that jewelry-making workshops should be developed for Pak-Afghan women, and that Afghan women should be offered scholarships to attend higher education programs in Pakistan.
