FinalResearchPaper
AliteratureReviewon
PoliticalParticipationAfghanWomeninPostTalibanRegimeandtheImpactofQuota
SystemonWomenEmpowermentatSocialArena
RoyaGharji
Class:FeminismMethodologies
Professor:ChristabelleSethna
December16th,2015
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Introduction
LookingbacktoAfghanistanspoliticalhistory,onecanseethatwomenspolitical
participationwasverylimited.Afghanwomenwereawardedminimizedrolesinpolitics.
Politicalinvolvementandpoliticalcareerwereconsideredsolelymensjob,which,tosome
extentisstillconsidered.Womenssocialinteractionswerelimitedtohome,andtheirroleswere
consideredtobethereproductionanddomesticwork.Afghanwomensrightsandsocio
economicalpresencewerelargelyignored,both,beforetheTalibanandduringtheTaliban
regime.The9/11terroristattacksontheUnitedStatesalsodrewinternationalandstrategic
interesttowardAfghanistanandespeciallyAfghanwomen(Friedman,2002,p.8).Asaresult
ofthoseinternationalinterestsinAfghanistan,Afghanwomenenteredintoanewerainsocial
andpoliticalspheres.Genderequalityandwomenempowermentinsociopoliticalandeconomic
spherewassetasthebenchmarkforAfghangovernmentbytheinternationalcommunityasthe
perquisitefortheircontinuoushumanitarianassistance.
However,duetoreasonssuchasinsecurity,patriarchalcultural,pooreconomy,andlow
rateofliteracyamongwomen,notmuchhaschangedinregardtowomenstatusinAfghanistan.
LookingbacktowomenspoliticalparticipationthroughoutAfghanistanshistory,itwas
realizedthatinordertopromotewomensrightsandempowerment,itisimportanttoguarantee
womenpoliticalpresentationinparliament,governmentstructureandprovincialcouncils.
Therefore,theinternationalcommunityproposedtheadoptionofgenderquotaasthekeyto
enhancingthepoliticalparticipationandsocialempowermentofAfghanwomen.In2004,the
quotasystemwasenforcedinAfghanistanwhere25%ofseatsweregrantedforwomeninthe
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AsWordsworth(2007)explainsthatelectedwomenthroughgenderquotawillface
doublehardshipinprovingthepositiveimpactofquotas.Ontheonehand,thepublicnegative
perceptiontowardquotaadoptionmayshapeexpectationsaboutelectedwomen,thatwhatwill
theydooncetheyreachpoliticaloffice?(p.72)andontheotherhand,thevarieddesignof
quotapoliciesandratesofquotaimplementationsuggestthatthesemeasuresarelikelytohave
diverseeffectsonthecompositionofpoliticalelites(p.72).Itreferstotheideathattheimpact
ofwomenpoliticalparticipationthroughgenderquotadependsonhowquotapoliciesand
implementingregulationaredesignedindifferentcountries.Werethesocial,culturaland
economicbarriersandchallengesforwomenconsideredwhiledevelopingthequotasystem?
Werequotapoliciesandregulationdevelopedcomparingtomenornot?Lastly,howpublic,
especiallywomenhaveevaluatedwomenspoliticalinvolvementthroughquota.Eachofthese
factorsshouldbelooked,reviewedandelaboratedliterallytofindtheimpactofthequota
system.
Whiletheabovementionedarticleshighlightsocialandculturalbarriersrelatedtothe
studyofquotasystemimpact,anumberofotherscholarsarguethatwomenwhogetintopolitics
throughgenderquotastendtohavelesspoliticalexperience,lesseducationandlessknowledge
oflawandpolicy,whichleadtonegativeimpactofquotasystem.(Kolinsky1991;Murray2008;
FranceschetandPiscopo2009).InatraditionalsocietylikeAfghanistan,wherehistorically
womenhadbeenignoredinsocial,educational,andpoliticalspace,itispossiblethatelected
womenthroughquotahavenoknowledge,experienceandskillofpolitics.However,this
evidencecannotbeareasontonothavewomeninpolitics.Furthermore,thegovernmentshould
considerthehistoryofunequalopportunityforwomenandactaccordingly.
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Goingovertheliteratureongenderquotasimpactthatmayormaynotresultinwomens
empowermentandgenderequality,thispapercameacrosssomefeministresearcherswho
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