Insights

Afghan Women’s Opinions Regarding Political Priorities and Expectations

Aug 8, 2022

2,559 women in 17 provinces were polled on their top political priorities and what they expect from the international community and civil society organizations.

Download the PDF Peace Brief of this Insight

English

Dari دری

Pashto پښتو

Share this page

Summary

2,572 women from the provinces of Herat, Nangarhar, Balkh, Helmand, Takhar, Bamyan, Kabul, Daikundi, Panjshir, Jawzjan, Farah, Faryab, Badghis, Baghlan, Kunar, and Paktia were polled about their top political priorities and what they expect from the international community and civil society organizations.

A large plurality of respondents (38%) chose “women’s rights” as the key priority for women and girls, with the next most popular option being “access to public services” (22%).
When deciding what the international community could do to improve conditions for women during its engagement with the Taliban, more than half of women were evenly split (26%) between “link international aid to better conditions for women” and “facilitate for women to talk directly with the Taliban.” The next most popular option was “direct discussions” (24%).
41% of respondents said ensuring women’s full mobility was required from international actors to better support Afghan women’s organizations. This was far ahead of the next most popular option: “ensure safe spaces for civic participation” (21%).
48.73% said the other 3 principles- demands of the Afghan people for sustainable peace, commitment of the negotiating parties to a sustainable peace, and demands of the UN to ensure a durable peace- were not sufficient to safeguard women’s rights

Data Explorer

Welcome to our Survey Data Explorer. Using Microsoft Power BI you can see the results of this month’s survey, and use the interactive controls to explore the data in more detail.

Page Controls: Navigate through different pages of the dashboard by clicking on the page numbers or using the arrows to move forward or backward.

Full Screen: Click the arrows icon button located at the bottom right corner of the visualization.

Filters: Use the drop-down menus to filter the data based on specific criteria such as province, age group, or profession.

Focus Group Discussion

Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted in 11 provinces: Herat, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamyan, Daikundi, Farah, Faryab, Jawzjan, Kandahar, Nangarhar, and Paktia.

Before delving into specific question responses, it should be noted that a common theme emerged across all FGD participants: a strong belief in the potential efficacy of the international community if it were willing, juxtaposed with a lack of confidence in the Taliban’s sincerity as a negotiating partner. These sentiments often coincided with a perception of local actors as lacking agency to effect change independently.

The perspectives gathered from FGDs regarding how the international community can enhance conditions for women diverge significantly from survey responses. While survey respondents provided varied answers, FGD participants overwhelmingly emphasized the importance of linking aid to better conditions for women and facilitating direct discussions between women and the Taliban. Many expressed the view that the international community has a pivotal role in pressuring the Taliban to uphold women’s rights, including access to education and employment.

In addressing the question of how the international community can better support women’s organizations, FGD participants showcased a strong reliance on international intervention, highlighting the perceived limitations of local initiatives. They advocated for initiatives to restore fundamental rights such as education and employment, with suggestions ranging from vocational training to business support for women-led projects. This contrasts with survey responses, where ensuring women’s full mobility emerged as a predominant concern.

Concerning the role of civil society organizations in improving conditions, FGD participants often emphasized the need for international support, even in conjunction with local efforts. While some provinces expressed confidence in community-led initiatives, others highlighted the precariousness of local activism in the face of Taliban repression. This disparity underscores the importance of international backing to ensure the safety and efficacy of civil society work in Afghanistan.

FGD responses diverged from survey responses, possibly due to the format allowing participants to explore multiple options without prioritizing one over the others. However, the overarching theme remained consistent: a perceived necessity for sustained international involvement to effect meaningful change in Afghanistan’s socio-political landscape.