Women's involvement in the formal sector has mainly been urban-based, as civil servants in the health and education sectors, where they had a sizeable presence before the conflict. This was severely disrupted by the strong restrictions on female employment during the Taliban period. Currently, close to one-third of all teachers are female, while an estimated 40% of all basic health facilities lack female staff, a clear constraint to delivering basic services (health, in particular) to women. The traditional role of women in Afghanistan is a constraint to their more equitable participation in economic activities. In particular, female wage labor is still viewed as a solution of last resort.
