Gender and politics: Women in Afghanistan at the private and public sphere

Between 1919 and 1929, it was the period when the door of public life was opened and shaped for Afghan women. İn this decade women started their education and working life and they were sent to Turkey to acquire further education. Between 1934 and 1973, the field of education was improved and universities for women were opened in the same environment with men. Moreover, in these years the field of work had expanded and women achieved permission to work in different fields like political, administrative, legal, economic and judicial institutions. In the parliamentary elections that took place between these years in the political life of Afghan women (1965), Ruqiye Habib, Anahita Rateb Zade Kabil, Hadice Ahrari and Mahsome Esmeti were elected as deputies; Kubra Noorzai started with the appointment of a female Minister of Health, and Chief Advisor Qiyayi Ziyayi,and three other women as senators. In 1971, 14 women were appointed as Judges to the court. Women achieved the right to vote in 1976. However, with the Mujahideen period in Afganistan during the years between 1992-2001, the process of women's participation in public spaces was narrowed and the despotic practices began to takeplace. Since 2005, with the end of the Taliban period, a process of democratization has started to show itself again. During this period, it is seen that there are serious changes in the distinction between private and public spheres, especially for women. Therefore, the phenomenon of gender and politics has been discussed based on the socio-public history of Afghanistan and the phenomenon of women distinction in both governmental and private sphere has been discussed. In this study, oral history from qualitative research and data collection techniques is included as well as information transfer based on literature review related to the process. The study included oral narratives of five Afghan women who experienced the socio-political practices of today's Afghanistan before and after 1992.