Behnaz Saljughi, President of the Western Zone Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industries in Afghanistan, has recently been honored with the Global Recognition Awards.
The award, which recognizes outstanding leadership and entrepreneurship, was officially announced to her on March 5, 2026, following a careful review of her professional background and achievements.
Saljughi emphasized that the award was given individually, in recognition of her personal leadership and entrepreneurial accomplishments. According to publicly available information and statements from the award organizers, she is the first Afghan woman to receive this honor.
Her entrepreneurial journey began in 2017 with a small business named “Azin Event Services,” which she successfully maintained. Later, given the economic conditions, she launched a saffron trading company, which has been operating for three years. In both ventures, she has empowered many Afghan women to earn a living, become self-sufficient, and even start their own small businesses.
Since June 14, 2023, Saljughi has served as President of the Western Zone Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industries, and previously, she spent one and a half years as Vice President.
Her notable achievements include:
- Establishing regional chambers in the western zone
- Organizing training and capacity-building programs for women entrepreneurs in business management, marketing, and financial planning
- Supporting women’s participation in local and international trade exhibitions
- Introducing Western Zone women entrepreneurs at international exhibitions
- Managing women’s markets in Herat city
- Holding events to promote women’s products
- Signing cooperation agreements with Iran and the Asia Food Association
Additionally, she received the Makou International Summit Award (2025) on behalf of Afghanistan, presented to ECO member countries.
Saljughi believes that Afghan women in business have enormous potential to achieve international recognition. Despite the challenges, Afghan women have shown that creativity, persistence, and innovation can lead to successful enterprises. With more opportunities for training, networking, and access to international markets, Afghan women are poised to make an even stronger mark globally.
