Opportunities for Women’s Education in Afghanistan: A Socio-cultural Perspective

Abstract

Women in Afghanistan have always faced socio-cultural barriers to their access to education. Over the last two decades, notable efforts have been made to change the point of view and attitudes of people about women’s rights in general and the right to education in particular. The present study explores whether the attitude and perspective of parents and society have changed toward women’s education. Further, the study examines other socio-cultural factors supporting girls’ education in Afghanistan. The data for the study was collected from the Kandahar, Kapisa and Bamyan provinces of Afghanistan using a structured questionnaire. The sample of this study includes 200 respondents, selected through non-probability purposive sampling. The data were presented in a percentage table to explore the result. Findings suggest that although socio-cultural, political and economic barriers persist, positive socio-cultural changes as emerging opportunities cannot be overlooked. Today girls’ education receives further parental, social and religious support. In addition, the media and civil society also play a prominent role in promoting girls’ access to education.