Afghanistan’s female politicians

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  Habiba Danish, from Takhar, proudly poses next to the wall displaying pictures of 249 parliamentarians in the parliament.

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  Dr Farishda Amini, from Nimroz, in the entrance hall of the Afghan parliament.

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  Najia Haimoq, from Baghlan, next to the parliament’s main room.

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  Sima Joyanda, from Ghor, poses in the parliament’s entrance hall.

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  Lailoma Wali Hakimi, from Nangarhar,on the staircase in the parliament.

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  Hamida Ahmadzai, who represents Afghanistan’s colourful Kuchi, inside the Afghan parliament. “In our Parliament we have 69 women, that is a large number, bigger even than European parliaments,” Hamida says.

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  Former presidents look towards the sitting Habiba Sadat, from Helmand, from the wall of Afghanistan’s lower house.

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  Samia Azizi Sadat, from Parwan, holds her picture which hangs on the wall among Afghanistan’s 249 parliamentarians.

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  Toorpekai Patman, from Kabul, with guards of honour in the parliament.

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  Fawzia Koofi, from Kabul, next to the wall showing pictures of all Afghanistan’s 249 parliamentarians.

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When the Taliban ruled, Afghan women rarely left their home. When they did venture beyond their four walls, they wafted through crowded markets covered from head to toe in the all-encompassing burqa. While most women in conservative Afghanistan may still wear the burqa, today’s Afghan woman has choices she never had before, like running for parliament.

In the last elections in 2010, 69 women won seats in Afghanistan’s 249-seat parliament. The next parliamentary vote will be held in 2015, but first are the April 5 presidential and provincial council elections.

Under Afghan law, 20 per cent of council member seats are reserved for women, who are also figuring prominently in presidential campaigns. Three presidential hopefuls have taken the bold step of choosing a woman as a running mate, including one of the front-runners.