Women under-represented in universities despite quotas

Women are still under-represented in higher education in Afghanistan because of a lack of political commitment, in particular to ensuring a safe and secure environment in the strife-torn country that would enable women to make their way to universities, according to Fawzia Koofi, vice-president of the National Assembly – the first woman to hold that post.

“We asked parliament to allocate quotas for women, for both higher education and for scholarships, but those quotas are not being met,” she said.

Parliament agreed to 30% of scholarships to universities being granted to women, and 40% of university entrance exam-takers to be women, despite opposition by some members.

Koofi, a women’s rights activist who was first elected to the Wolesi Jirga or lower house of parliament in 2005, noted that the number of women in higher education had not risen above 18% of enrolments, even though the number of girls completing secondary education had risen dramatically in recent years.

“Lack of security is one of the reasons why women won’t continue their higher education,” Koofi told University World News. “A lot of families do not allow girls to continue to universities."

When asked why there are not more women, the Ministry of Higher Education “always gives the reason that girls do not come [forward] for scholarships”.

Nonetheless Koofi, who was speaking while at the British Council’s "Going Global" conference in Miami, said society in Afghanistan was changing and more and more families wanted their daughters to go on to higher education.

“Many more girls are coming to me to help them get scholarships; there is a real change in the last five to six years,” she said.

However, demand for education in Afghanistan was not being met.

At the ministry level there was support for more women in universities: “But when it comes to enforcing it we see that whatever they commit to, does not come into practice. We need to follow up to ensure it is carried out.

“There are many ways they can promote more women in higher education,” Koofi said.

Societal change is not apparent all over Afghanistan, particularly in areas of conflict and where the Taliban is dominant.

But even in remoter areas, such as Paktia province, women have campaigned for quotas for women students taking the higher education entrance exam, revealing pent-up demand for education.

“In 2002, the total enrolment was around 6,000; now we have around 250,000 higher education students – and the number of females has grown from zero to almost 40,000,” Deputy Higher Education Minister Osman Babury said at “Going Global”.