...This chapter considers the mandates and concerns of the four female members of the Afghan parliament—Massouda Jalal, Fawzia Koofi, Azita Rafat and Malalai Joya—specifically addressing their experiences in government and/or the possibilities and impediments for women in political office. Powerful...

...This chapter contextualizes the process, successes, and failures of affirmative action in the Afghan parliament since the Bonn Agreement established a reserved-seat system to guarantee Afghan women's participation. Central to the debate on affirmative action is the recent shift, in terms...