Afghanistan Embroidered Shirts Not Like Promotional Clothing

Tuesday 02nd of March 2010 04:42:53 PM

When you put on one of the embroidered shirts that displays a company name and logo of the place where you work, chances are your thoughts are not on Afghanistan (unless you have a military member in your family). In Afghanistan, embroidery is intricate and detailed and often represents work completed by women struggling to overcome poverty, and a culture focused more on men, by running their own businesses. In the United States, working women are nothing unusual. In Afghanistan, working women represent a new class of women that are attempting to overcome great odds stacked against their success.

Women in Afghanistan are still fighting for equality in reality despite the existence of a progressive Afghan Constitution written as recently as 2004. It is clear though that the plight of rural women in the country will only be improved when the mindset of the men is changed.

The good news is there is a growing number of women in Afghanistan willing to try earning money on their own despite the difficulties they face. Recently, a conference was held in Kabul to address the hurdles women face. The conference was attended by Sima Samar, head of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission; Fatima Gailani of the Red Crescent; and Mahbuba Hoquqmal who is the former State Minister for Women’s Affairs. These women have headed an effort to assist Afghan women.

The budding women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan are getting help from the private sector. Many women in the country have been left poverty stricken or without a bread winning man in the house due to the war. The typical businesses being run by women are mostly involved in creating woven and embroidered goods. But the fact that the private sector sees a growth in businesses owned by women is taken as a good sign that progress is being made.

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