Women in the Shadow of Restrictions: Online Commerce as a Path to Survival and Economic Independence
Women in the Shadow of Restrictions: Online Commerce as a Path to Survival and Economic Independence
Publish Date: 2026-03-03 13:24:00
Source Domain: 8am.media
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Rise of Online Commerce: Online commerce in Afghanistan has flourished since 2018, largely due to the expansion of internet access, especially through 3G and 4G networks.
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Impact of Taliban Restrictions: Post the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, restrictions on women’s work and education led many women and girls to turn to online commerce as a source of income and economic participation.
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Use of Social Media Platforms: Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, and WhatsApp groups have become primary marketplaces for online commerce, offering safe and broad reach.
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Challenges Faced by Online Entrepreneurs: Women entrepreneurs like Abrin and Shabana Roufi cite challenges including customer trust issues, lack of prepayment systems, and product size misunderstandings among customers.
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Resilience and Adaptation: Despite obstacles like internet connectivity issues, discrimination from families, and harassment, many women continue to adapt and grow their online businesses.
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Future Prospects: Shabana Roufi emphasizes the potential of online commerce to advance further with the aid of artificial intelligence and suggests incorporating AI training to stay competitive globally.
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Broader Economic Impact: The shift to online commerce is seen as a way for women to achieve economic independence and resilience in a restricted environment.
