Women Business Prize – Afghanistan
Award for the resilience and creativity of Afghan women entrepreneurs under the Taliban regime
The roots of this initiative date back to 2020, when NOVE successfully organized the Daring Women in Business Prize in Kabul (https://novecaringhumans.org/en/projects/daring-women-in-business-prize-dwb/) to encourage women entrepreneurs to withstand the severe recession caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
In 2021, the Taliban took power and the second edition of the Prize had to be cancelled. NOVE, however, did not give up: it continued negotiations with the authorities until it obtained authorization to reorganize the Prize, which was renamed the Women Business Prize – Afghanistan and took place in Kabul on July 7, 2025, in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
The competition is open to all women residing in Afghanistan who run businesses or have a viable business idea. Following the nationwide call for applications, more than 140 candidates from 11 provinces applied within just a few days, some of them submitting handwritten applications from remote areas.
Why offer a prize for women’s entrepreneurship in Afghanistan, one of the poorest countries in the world, where women have lost almost all their rights and millions of them are in desperate need of food, medical care, and protection from horrific abuse and violence? Because, despite everything, Afghan women are still able to create and run businesses; and while many remain at a minimal, subsistence level, some grow enough to provide jobs for other women and to feed entire families.
NOVE created this Prize so that Afghan women entrepreneurs know they have not been forgotten, and to encourage them not to give up.
— Susanna Fioretti, Vice President NOVE Caring Humans
The online Jury* awards the first prize (USD 3,500) to Nahid Neda Trading and Construction Company of Kabul, a logistics and construction company that has introduced women into key sectors traditionally dominated by men. The second prize (USD 2,000) goes to Nasrin Mawlany from Mazar-e-Sharif, who — seeking to address the poor quality, high cost, and significant environmental impact of disposable sanitary pads — has presented a project to produce reusable sanitary pads.
My life has been hard, but I have no regrets because it has made me strong. Today I no longer want to be a pilot or do ‘unusual’ things as I dreamed of as a child. I want to be a businesswoman who earns money and can help poor women and children. I know how painful it is to be betrayed by society simply because you are poor.
— Nasrin Mawlany
The third prize (USD 1,400) is awarded to the business idea of Shahdin Nili from Daikundi: a women-led food preservation supply chain designed to create employment and income for women in rural areas.
In addition to the cash awards, NOVE offers the three winners a three-month mentoring program to strengthen their businesses and develop growth strategies. After the Prize ceremony, a meeting is organized between Afghan women entrepreneurs and women entrepreneurs from other countries to foster collaboration and to address priority issues for Afghan women, such as access to credit and markets.
The Women Business Prize – Afghanistan is not just a competition; it is a space for connection and the exchange of female energy and ideas. Our goal is to make it an annual event, capable of generating lasting opportunities and real development for Afghan women.
The 2026 edition, planned for the spring, is an open opportunity for new partners, donors, and organizations to join forces in growing Afghan women-led businesses and contributing to a fairer and more sustainable future.
| Context: Women’s Entrepreneurship in Afghanistan
According to the 2024 UNDP report “Listening to Women Entrepreneurs in Afghanistan”, the main challenges include:
Despite this challenging environment, Afghan women entrepreneurs continue to demonstrate remarkable adaptability. A 2024 UNDP survey of 3,122 women-led businesses across 18 provinces found that 66% reported business growth in the past year, driven largely by donor support, improvements in product quality, and strategic adjustments to changing market conditions. According to the Afghan Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AWCCI), there are more than 56,000 women-led businesses across the country. However, the vast majority operate informally and remain outside formal financial and regulatory systems. Among the 17,639 businesses for which detailed data are available, 95.7% are unlicensed. In summary, many Afghan women are actively engaged in entrepreneurship but lack the legal recognition and access to resources that formal registration would provide. |
OPERATIONAL PARTNERS
2025: Ministry of Commerce and Industry of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
*Members of the Online Jury: Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, sponsor of the Prize; Savvitas; Lara Ponti – CEO of Ponti and Vice President for Environmental Transition and ESG Goals at Confindustria; Teresa Masciopinto – President of Fondazione Finanza Etica; Francesca Vecchioni – Founder and President of Fondazione Diversity; Beatrice Lucarella – President of the Women’s Entrepreneurship Committee, Brindisi–Taranto Chamber of Commerce; Antonella Mariani – Editor-in-Chief of Avvenire; Cristina Di Silvio – Legal Advisor to the Human Rights Commission of the International Institution for Diplomatic Relations (UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs) and Director of Legal Affairs and Treaty Compliance at GOEDFA.
DONORS
2025: Uplift Afghanistan Fund
