Where Do Afghan Women Stand on Education and Economic Empowerment?

​​​​This PRIO paper provides bac​kground on education and empowerment of women for the Oslo Symposium on Women's Rights and Empowerment in Afghanistan​, held in Oslo on 23 November 2014.​

• ​​​​How important are cultural barriers to the promotion of women’s rights in Afghanistan, and how and by whom are they most effectively addressed?
• What is the experience with gender-segregated education at various levels and in various types of institutions?
• What are the major career bottlenecks in women’s professional lives – from one level of education to the next, from education to employment or business – and how are they best overcome?
• How can female entrepreneurship most effectively be promoted in Afghanistan, and what is the division of labor between the government and other actors?
• Which monitoring mechanisms will both safeguard the need for solid progress reporting and contribute to transparency and public debate?