A Review of Objectives, Activities, and Future Plans AWCCI, Organizational Document (V6) | Page 6

future aspirations of the AWCCI. The programmatic
areas of the AWCCI that will be detailed in this
document are as follows:
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
• Research (academic and policy related): The
objective is to provide data that can be used
practically in developing Afghan Government
and donor organization polices related to
women’s involvement in the Afghan economy
A customer
samples nuts
at the woman-
owned Akaam
Zaeefi showroom
• Sales support: The objective is to make a
tangible impact on women-owned businesses by
increasing sales of products, through local and
international exhibitions, differentiating Afghan
women-made products in international markets,
and the promotion of women-made products
through the AWCCI’s communications channels
• Investment support: Mitigate risks and open
up opportunities for female investors in the
Afghan economy by providing market insights,
improving access to finance, and facilitating
access to infrastructure
• Advocacy and raising awareness: The
objective is to ensure that the contributions of
businesswomen in the Afghan economy are
recognized and promoted, and the perspectives
of Afghan businesswomen are considered in both
Afghan Government and international donor
policies and programs
I
Jewelry produced
and sold by
women at the
Babur Garden in
Kabul
n December 2001, as the era of Taliban
rule in Afghanistan came to an end, the
role of women in the Afghan economy
was limited to covert enterprises operated
in secret from home. In September 2019,
at the time this document was published,
there are thousands of women-owned
businesses employing tens of thousands
of Afghan workers.Additionally, a
women’s chamber of commerce, the
AWCCI, advocates relentlessly for the
women business pioneers who are
contributing to Afghanistan’s re-birth.
The creation and continued existence of
the Afghanistan Women’s Chamber of
Commerce and Industry (AWCCI) was
not a foregone conclusion – there were
many voices that expressed skepticism
about the need for a women’s chamber
considering the existence of one national
and one international chamber already
operating in Afghanistan. In the case of
Afghanistan, though, women face such
extreme challenges in society and the
economy that they require the support of
an organization that is focused entirely
on the female perspective.
• Capacity building for both existing and
aspiring Afghan businesswomen: The objective
is to provide training to Afghan businesswomen
and entrepreneurs to increase their knowledge in
various subjects related to business
While the AWCCI has undertaken a wide range
of activities in support of Afghan businesswomen,
maintaining the current momentum will be a major
challenge in the near and intermediate future as a
result of budget considerations. The AWCCI is able to
cover its operational expense through a combination
of membership dues, corporate sponsors, and donor
grants, as well as income from several revenue
generating activities. The AWCCI has and will
continue to pursue revenue generating activities
that adhere to its organizational mandate of serving
Afghan businesswomen, while also contributing to
the goal of long-term financial stability.
We would be misleading the reader if we claimed that
the leadership of the AWCCI was able to accomplish
as much as it has purely through its own tenacity and
ability. This is not the case; the existence of the AWCCI
is the result of the hard work and encouragement
of a myriad of individuals and organizations that
include the Afghan businesswomen themselves, Her
Excellency the First Lady and her office, international
donor organizations, and supporters within the Afghan
Government. Working with a range of local and
international partners, we hope to do more and better
work in the years to come on behalf of Afghanistan’s
businesswomen and female entrepreneurs.
A tailor adds the final touches to
an elaborate dress at the women-
owned Jama Design workshop in
Kabul
When the women’s business association
Leading Entrepreneurs for Afghanistan’s
Development (LEAD) was established
in 2014 by a collective of Afghan
businesswomen, the objective was to
demonstrate the importance of having a
permanent women’s chamber fighting for
the interests of Afghan businesswomen.
Over the course of two years operating as
LEAD, and another two years operating
as a provisional chamber of commerce,
the leadership of the AWCCI was able to
prove to both its supporters and critics
that a women’s chamber can play a
constructive role in the Afghan economy.
This document is intended to give our
partners and other interested parties an
overview of the current activities and
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