Background

One of the most pressing challenges facing Afghan women today is the ability to exist in a society that often views them as the lesser gender. According to Zafar (2015), more still needs to be done within the education system to combat unequal access to opportunities in higher education for women in Afghanistan. The evident gap in accessibility contributes to numerous problems, and innovative solutions need to be implemented in order to effect change.

This project focuses on the development of a successful women’s university that will serve as a dedicated space for women to grow professionally in preparation for a better future. The associated research specifically focuses on developing and implementing a forward-thinking curriculum for a women’s university in Afghanistan. The curriculum seeks to empower Afghan women by offering specialized programs ranging from entrepreneurship to nursing, and by providing resources, tools, and opportunities for women to be equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to immediately apply for jobs upon graduation. The ultimate goal of this research is to provide women with an education and a prosperous future in Afghanistan.

Deliverables & Impact

This project is expected to have a significant impact on the lives and futures of women in Afghanistan, and for the country as a whole. By allowing access to opportunities previously denied, and by providing a dedicated space in which women can thrive, this project would not only change the lives of women, but also the socio-political culture that resists such changes.

As a deliverable, the research team has developed a practical, and forward-thinking curriculum for the women’s university, which will be developed in practice by the Afghan Institute of Learning. The deliverable consists of six field-specific majors designed to equip women with the skills and tools needed to join the Afghan workforce. The research has demonstrated that journalism, nursing, technical education training, entrepreneurship, political science, and physiology are the optimal career options for Afghan women in the near future. As such, these majors form the core of the curriculum deliverable. Overall, this project seeks to not only improve the lives of Afghan women, but to prove to Afghan society the importance of women’s education.