An Italian initiative of excellence: the “Women Business Prize Afghanistan,” established by the non-profit organization NOVE Caring Humans, was presented by Vice President Susanna Fioretti to the diplomatic community involved in the Doha Process and to representatives from the World Bank (WB) office in Kabul, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Italian Trade Agency (ICE) office in Qatar (which covers Afghanistan).
Following an initial call for applications in 2025, which drew significant interest from Afghan women entrepreneurs and resulted in awards for three women involved in local projects, the 2026 edition of the Prize will adopt a new operational format inspired by the motto of “She Means Business”. This format focuses on training and dialogue, with the aim of facilitating access to credit and international markets.
Ambassador Sabrina Ugolini noted that highlighting and raising awareness of these significant private-sector engagement initiatives reaffirms the Italian Government’s commitment to the social and economic inclusion of Afghan women, aligning with our participation in the UN-led Private Sector Working Group (PSWG) of the Doha Process for Afghanistan.
