Addressing the first Women Economic Forum on Sunday, CEO Abdullah Abdullah said that Afghanistan still has a long way to go to achieve its goal regarding economic empowerment of women in the country.

“Today’s experience shows that in countries where women have suffered, including those in business, the country and the nation also suffered,” said Abdullah.

Abdullah had been speaking at the opening of a three-day conference, organized by the International Center For Afghan Women's Economic Development, at the American University of Afghanistan (AUAF).

Since its establishment in 2013, hundreds of women have graduated with business degrees from the university.

Also speaking at the conference was David Sedney, the acting president of the AUAF, who said Afghanistan is among the countries with a very low rate of women in business and that overall, very few Afghan women are entrepreneurs.

“(It is) one of the lowest portions in the world; that is the goal of all of us to help increase that and come up with plans, programs and assistance and make that happen,” said Sedney.

Shekiba is one Afghan woman who runs her own business. She works in the semi-precious stones sector and has herself trained a number of women in this field.

“I started my business with only 5,000 AFs. Several women came together and started the business. But now our investment is around $50,000 USD,” she said.

Meanwhile, some businesswomen have said that government must help them find new markets for their products.

“Our business is not going well; there are no markets and also people have no money,” said an Afghan businesswoman, Khadija Ulfat.

They also said that discrimination against women is one of their biggest problems.

“Women will need more time to find their proper place in society. Because currently they are facing problems, for instance, when it comes to marketing, the women can not work like men,” said one female entrepreneur, Farkhunda Amiryar.

“The government so far has not done enough to help women investors. For example, whenever we face a problem in the provinces such as security issues, no government institution is prepared to hear our voices,” said another female entrepreneur, Maryam Durrani.

According to government statistics, only three percent of women in Afghanistan are involved in the business sector.

“As part of the reform and empowerment of women we are planning to establish the general directorate of women entrepreneurs at the MoCI where female entrepreneurs and women in businesses will get support,” said the minister of commerce and industries Humayoun Rasa.