Afghanistan's Herat launches women-only bazaar to empower female entrepreneurs

The initiative aims to create a safe and supportive commercial environment for women in business, according to TOLOnews. The market features a variety of women-made handicrafts, traditional products, and food items.

01 May 2026 07:00pm
Afghan women walk along a stone-laden street on the outskirts of Kabul on July 22, 2025. - (Photo by WAKIL KOHSAR / AFP)
Afghan women walk along a stone-laden street on the outskirts of Kabul on July 22, 2025. - (Photo by WAKIL KOHSAR / AFP)

KABUL - A women-only market has officially opened in western Afghanistan's Herat province, providing a dedicated space where dozens of female entrepreneurs sell their products exclusively to women customers, Xinhua reported, citing local media outlet TOLOnews, on Thursday.

The initiative aims to create a safe and supportive commercial environment for women in business, according to TOLOnews. The market features a variety of women-made handicrafts, traditional products, and food items.

"This market is very useful for recognition and increasing women's future sales. Our trainees and our work are being introduced," TOLOnews quoted Golafrooz Najafi, a local entrepreneur as saying.

According to the Herat Women's Chamber of Commerce, around 1,200 women are officially registered as business owners in the province, while more than 10,000 are engaged in informal business activities. - BERNAMA

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