A 2023 survey conducted by three United Nations agencies in Afghanistan revealed a grim reality: nearly one-fifth of Afghan women had not interacted with anyone outside their immediate families over the previous three months.

This alarming statistic underscores the severe isolation imposed on women in Afghanistan, many of whom are confined to their homes. Forced seclusion has had a profoundly negative impact on the mental health of girls and women across the country; in the same survey, three out of four women described their mental health as "bad" or "very bad." Lack of access to secondary and tertiary education, combined with limited employment opportunities, has led to increases in forced and underage marriages, child labor, and domestic violence, and has fueled a surge in illegal migration as women desperately seek to flee the country.

Moreover, a recent Human Rights Watch report found that the Taliban's restrictions on women's freedom of movement and employment "have gravely impeded women and girls' access to health services," while bans on education "have blocked almost all training of future female health-care workers in the country."

Consequently, an entire generation of Afghan girls is poised to reach adulthood without any professional qualifications or essential skills. According to the UN survey, in January 2023, 90% of women reported having "good" or "full" influence in their households. By November of that year, this number plummeted to 39%, reflecting a dramatic decline in women's agency and self-esteem.

Even as Afghan girls and women are being denied their rights to association, education, and employment, however, there have been several encouraging developments. In recent years, community groups in Kabul and across the country have organized trade fairs where women showcase their wares to both male and female visitors. These fairs offer more than just the typical handicrafts and tapestries found at similar events across the region; they also feature products from female-owned small businesses and workshops. In Kabul, a growing number of women-led e-commerce initiatives are enabling women to sell their goods online, improving their economic prospects.

Glimmers of hope can be found elsewhere as well. The Bread for Women project is a prime example. Conceived and led by the Italian NGO NOVE, one of the few international organizations still operating in Afghanistan, this initiative aims to combat hunger and acute poverty by restoring traditional women-owned bakeries in Kabul's peripheral neighborhoods.

NOVE has been navigating Afghanistan's complicated political landscape since 2013. In its pilot stage, the project focused on providing technical and financial support for building or restoring female-owned bakeries, purchasing tandoor ovens, and offering basic training in management and accounting.

Today, the organization supplies three bakeries with essentials such as flour, gas, and firewood. Each bakery employs three women who are paid a monthly salary: a baker, an assistant, and a third employee whose role is to distribute daily naan allotments to poor women and take their fingerprints to confirm receipt (as many are illiterate).

Although only three bakeries have been restored so far, they are more than just places to obtain food. These bakeries have become social hubs, offering the women who visit them a rare opportunity to leave the house, meet peers, exchange advice, share experiences, and even laugh.

Many of these women come from Afghanistan's most impoverished and vulnerable communities. They are often their families' primary providers, either because they are widows or live with disabled husbands. With little to no employment opportunities, they carry vouchers entitling them to five naans each day.

But this important initiative is about more than just charity: the three bakeries also have paying customers who bring their own dough. While these businesses are not yet self-sustaining, all three bakers seem determined to pursue their craft, leveraging their newfound skills and entrepreneurial spirit to improve their lives and contribute to their communities. Though they may seem like a drop in the ocean of female suffering in Afghanistan, such projects represent a promising first step toward mitigating the inhumane treatment of women and girls.

From Project Syndicate