Women in government: the limits and challenges of a representative bureaucracy for Afghanistan (2001–2021)

ABSTRACT This article analyses the limits and challenges of positive discrimination policies in the Afghan government (2001–2021). One of the primary objectives of the international community after the fall of the Taliban in 2001 was to bring Afghan women back into public service. The government adopted international and national policy frameworks in this direction, notably positive discrimination policies such as quotas. It set an objective of 30% female participation in civil service by 2020. To analyze these policies’ effectiveness and identify the challenges faced, we analyzed official documents setting the stage for a series of in-depth semi-structured interviews with female civil servants and women’s rights activists. The study shows that the Afghan government failed to meet its objective. This was due to both institutional and non-institutional factors. These factors included the pervasiveness of sexual violence, discrimination, and corruption, and the impact of a traditional and patriarchal culture. These findings contribute to a better understanding of past policies. The article has important lessons for the study of mechanisms to promote women in government more widely.