“I am the first girl studying for a master’s degree in my family. Thanks to the EU-UNDP initiative, I was able to continue my studies in mining. So many obstacles had to be overcome on my path to acquiring a technical degree. I am convinced that if women will push forward hard enough, they have the power to change the world and to make it a better place for today and for future generations”, says Asifa, 26, an Afghan student from the Mining Faculty at Satbayev University, Almaty.

Science and gender equality are both vital for the achievement of the internationally agreed Sustainable Development Goals. Despite an ongoing international effort to inspire and engage women and girls in the sciences, women are still underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programmes in many countries. Globally, only around 30 percent[1] of women and girls choose STEM-related fields of study. Entrenched gender stereotypes, long-standing biases and the absence of role models are still discouraging many women from pursing a carrier in the sciences.

In Afghanistan, girls encounter difficulties just in getting a secondary education. Impediments to accessing education at all levels include poverty, security issues, gender-based stereotypes and harmful social norms. Social antagonism can confront a girl as she steps out of her house to head for school or university -- as Asifa knows from her own personal experience:

“In Afghanistan, if a girl decides to study, she becomes a vulnerable target. The trip to and back from school or university is not safe. Every time I had to step out of from my home, I felt vulnerable and exposed. Some people may be very expressive with their negativity”, says Asifa.

Grit and determination -- the stuff of an Afghan girls’ brighter life

However, some Afghan women are intrepid in their quest for an education judging by the number of women applying to universities each year, a figure that has grown significantly from 1,746 in 2002 to more than 45,000 in 2016[2].  Despite this positive trend and quest for educational empowerment among Afghan women, a steady upward curve is not yet visible. In 2017-2018 only 20 percent[3] of all university students in Afghanistan were women, although they constitute half the population of 38.9 million, according to the United Nations statistics.

Education barriers, combined with stereotypes, have a direct effect on lower participation rates and learning achievement of girls and women in education, particularly across the STEM fields.

“Why are you studying engineering? This field is not for girls”. This is what Asifa and her friend heard from their teacher when enquiring him about their homework. They were the only two women in a group of 40 Afghan students studying oil and gas engineering. Those words only made Asifa more determined.

One student’s dream - joining the experts’ chain-of-command to rebuild her country

“Afghanistan is a country rich in natural resources, but it lacks professionals and modern technologies that could harness its resources for the country’s benefit.

Women in Afghanistan occupy jobs predominantly in manufacturing (production of carpets and handicrafts), agriculture, and public services (education and health care). In 2017 they representedless than 30 percent of the national labour force[4]. Gender, occupational and sectoral segregation are common, with such jobs and sectors being traditionally perceived as feminine.  

EU and UNDP scholarships help fuel Afghan students’ aspirations

Currently, Asifa is studying towards an MA degree at Satbayev University in Almaty, Kazakhstan. She is one of 50 Afghan scholarship recipients. The scholarship is part of a cross-border initiative funded by the European Union and implemented by UNDP, empowering Afghan women via academic opportunities. Even though few women are engaged in the mining or engineering sectors in Afghanistan, she wants to become a pioneer and turn the industry into a safe and attractive place for women to work.

As good fortune would have it, Asifa has a supportive family. Her father, a bookshop owner, never attended university. Despite Afghan society’s prevailing norms and standards that give girls far fewer opportunities than boys, he has always been equally supportive of all his five children in their pursuit of academic achievement. He even argued with his relatives over the principle of equal educational opportunity for boys and girls, and staunchly supported Asifa’s academic quests.

“Every girl who pursues an academic path in Afghanistan, be it in STEM or any other field, is a champion. Reasons for giving up abound, but we should never surrender, never cede in our determination for professional betterment. Today ever more women are accessing education -- so today their empowerment is growing, tomorrow they will scale ever higher up the academic mountain if only girls and women retain an uncompromising and bold determination”, concludes Asifa.

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This cross-border initiative, funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by UNDP, gives Afghan women the opportunity to study and graduate from universities in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The initiative aims to provide educational opportunities for Afghan women, who face disproportionate barriers to education and employment compared to their men counterparts back home. Overall, 50 young women from Afghanistan will receive an education in Central Asian universities until 2025. 

This publication was produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of UNDP Kazakhstan, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.

[1] United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Cracking the code: girls' and women's education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), 2017, p. 20.   https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000253479

[2]  Fred Hayward, “Afghanistan. Progress on Gender Equity in Higher Education,” University World News, 17 January 2017. https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20170111130351745

[3]   Madina Junussova et al., The Role of Women in the Economic Development of Afghanistan, University of Central Asia, Graduate School of Development, Institute of Public Policy and Administration, 2019, p. 31.

https://www.ucentralasia.org/Resources/Item/2342/EN

[4] The Role of Women in the Economic Development of Afghanistan, p.10.