Left with Few Options: Afghan Women Turn to Risky Online Jobs Amid Taliban Ban

The author is an Afghanistan-based female journalist, trained with Finnish support before the Taliban take-over. Her identity is withheld for security reasons. This post first appeared on IPS News.

Many Afghan women have turned to online business despite its risks, as all forms of work are forbidden for women. Credit: Learning Together.

The Taliban’s total ban on women’s employment in Afghanistan leaves few options for earning a living. Nevertheless, Afghan women are carving out niches in online business with sheer determination and perseverance.

The situation remains challenging. Securing permits is difficult, and online businesses involving foreign exchange transactions are deemed haram – a crime, under sharia law. Women must also rely on a mahram—male relative or husband—for every step of the process, facing the risk of arrest and torture if they violate these rules.

Ten women were interviewed for this article. Some have found online jobs, while others have started online enterprises.

Anoshe has been selling sanitary and cosmetic products online for over a year. She previously worked as a state official in the Republican government of Afghanistan, but after the Taliban took power in 2021 she was forced to stay home and decided to import goods from a neighboring country to sell them online to support herself and her family.

Despite lacking a permit, she placed some of her money as collaterall in order to gain trust with the seller. “I waited two months for my orders from Iran, fearing it was a scam,” she said.

The goods eventually arrived, allowing her to start her business, though challenges persist. Anoshe hopes the Taliban will recognize the benefits for the whole country of allowing women to conduct business in this way, rather than creating obstacles.

Masouda, another online seller, has faced frustrations and fraud. She was robbed twice due to the lack of an official permit but succeeded on her third attempt. “If I could find a job with a salary of 5,000 Afghanis, I’d never work online—it’s a headache,” she says.

“In the beginning, I could not even cover my own expenses”, she complains. “I paid my internet bill from my own pocket and spent hours talking to customers patiently pitching my products”.  Masouda’s brother handles deliveries to hide her identity from the Taliban.

Mohammad Mohsen and his colleagues attempted to start a non-profit to support women in online business, but their efforts failed when the Taliban noticed a woman’s name among the leadership of the organization, and refused their permit.

“To obtain a permit, women can no longer work alone. A male family member must join to ensure their efforts are not in vain,” says Mohsen.

For many Afghan women, finding a livelihood is their primary preoccupation, especially as family members have migrated, worsening their situation.

Twenty-three-year-old Neelam, whose sister and father were her only source of financial support and they both left the country after the Taliban’s arrival, now works from home. After jumping through many hoops, she found an online job. Despite the risks of arrest and torture, she embraces the opportunity.

“We work like thieves in this market,” says Neelam. “If the Taliban learn anything about us, they will arrest and torture us. That’s why we use pseudonyms for everything we do.”