Parwan Women’s Fair Day
Below is the Monitoring Report compiled by UNIFEM's Community Empowerment and Economic Development Unit
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Preface
Men-dominated societies where women have been excluded from economical affairs, as well as social and political activities, resulted in a severe lack of confidence to take part in the smallest initiatives of economic empowerment. UNIFEM seeks through this initiative of fair days, to increase the interaction among women in order to share experience and knowledge and to encourage them to actively take part in the reconstruction of Afghanistan. These all can result in positive changes in the whole of the community.
Background
In mid-2005, women producers in Parwan received training on Business Awareness, organized by Afghan Women Business Council (AWBC), a NGO supported by UNIFEM.
Following the training on 18 June the women who received training, together with a number of other business women and women entrepreneurs, held an exhibition for the first time, where they displayed and sold their products. The 2005 fair took place on 25 July.
Soon after the exhibition, the idea of setting up a local women’s enterprise centre surfaced. This idea was supported by UNIFEM to promote women’s business, link them to local market and enable them to generate income by selling their own product. After discussion with women, the schedule was set on every two weeks. Radio announcements and flyers in the city and to the districts are used to attract business women to the fair days and to take advantage of the opportunity. The fair days are facilitated through Parwan Women’s Development centre with the support of a UNIFEM funded Coordinator.
Women's Fair Days
In the first fair day around 200 women gathered, including local women entrepreneurs who were allowed by their male members of their family to conduct their own business. Women set up their stalls from where they were selling food products and handicrafts. Some agencies visited to make use of the opportunity to distribute some information on the parliamentary elections in September.
Women made a few sales, especially with Chinese made products and bolani (special afghan food). Women seemed happy to take part in the event as this also provided them with the opportunity to talk with other women and do business in a secure environment.
The second, third, fourth and fifth women’s fair days were held as scheduled. Some informal interviews with individual women showed that women were pleased to be allowed by their male members of their families to come to the fair day. They enjoyed taking part in business, sharing their ideas and learning via interaction with each other. However, the fact that most were not able to make any income on the days, has had some effect on the numbers of women attending the succeeding fair days. Their expectation where very high and they also priced their products out of the local market, thinking that some international staff will buy their products.
Case Study
My name is Guljan. I am a tailor. I have 4 children, one of my daughters died during delivery, since she was only allowed to see female doctor. Unfortunately there are no female doctors available in our village, and it was difficult for her to travel to a place where there is one. Her husband decided that she should deliver the baby at home. They called me, but I do have any experience, so I couldn’t help her. When I saw my daughter suffering and dying, I suggested to call the male doctor who lives close to our vicinity, but my son-in-law refused. Finally I lost both my daughter and her child.
About the event she said:
This time I sold two china made chadars and earned 120 Afs, however I was not able to sell my needle work products I brought here. I received women’s feed back which require more capital and also I don’t have skills to meet their requirement. In fact, I am happy attending the events, because after my daughter’s death I was depressed and torpid, (I used to sit in a corner crying and have pessimistic thoughts), but since I start coming to the fair and chatting with other women, I feel I have changed. However, I am afraid my husband will not allowe me to come to the event in future, unless I sell something. Moreover, my in-laws scorn me by saying that women place is at home.
Conclusion
These fair days are seen as positive effort of facilitating women’s active participation in economic activities but there remains a huge challenge and requires a long term effort. UNIFEM will continue to explore strategies where women will learn to bring products that are saleable to the local community and at the same time gain the full support of men. UNIFEM will, through its engagement with rural communities and activities implemented through its various partners, continue to seek for opportunities to build women’s capacities in this regard.
UNIFEM