2nd Global Women's Business Forum

The Global Women's Trade Caravan, in partnership with the Afghanistan International Business Council (AIBC), convened the 2nd Afghan Women's Global Business Forum on August 12, 2025, at Counterpart International’s office in Washington, D.C. The event brought together Afghan women entrepreneurs, diaspora leaders, civil society representatives, and international allies to explore opportunities, address challenges, and develop collaborative pathways for enhancing the economic participation of Afghan women.

More than 40 in-person participants and over 80 virtual attendees joined from Afghanistan and across the globe. Supporting partners included the Afghan Women Leaders Forum (AWLF), the Afghan American Women Association (AAWA), and the PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS program of the Enterprising Women Foundation.

The forum aimed to:

• Deepen understanding of the challenges faced by Afghan businesswomen and identify scalable solutions.

• Mobilize the diaspora to support women-led businesses inside Afghanistan.

• Establish a sustainable cross-border support network for Afghan business owners.- Facilitate networking through mentorship, market access, and partnerships.

  
  

The forum consisted of three panel discussions featuring expert and field-experienced speakers, two working groups (one from inside the country and one in the diaspora), and three breakout sessions where participants engaged in a discussion on challenges, strategies, and business support organizations inside Afghanistan and in the diaspora.

In accordance with our forum's objectives to establish sustainable and cross-border support, and considering the initial forum's recommendation for a more robust mechanism to connect Afghan women globally, the GWTC has achieved a significant milestone through the inauguration of the Afghan Women's Global Business Hub. This digital platform facilitates connections among Afghan women entrepreneurs worldwide, providing training, mentorship, market opportunities, and financial literacy resources tailored for Afghan women. The digital business Hub aims to empower women to establish and engage in business-to-business activities. This portal will serve as a unified platform for Afghan women business owners, both within and outside the country, to help them convene more easily. The Hub features discussion forums, enabling Afghan women to communicate, develop advocacy messaging, and exchange resources through the resource center, thereby fostering mutual success.

To read the discussion outcomes, program, and policy recommendations, click below!

2nd Women Business Forum Report.pdf

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