In Afghanistan, the role of women and their position in the society are inextricably interlinked with the national destiny. Women are symbols of family honor but also carry the burden of embodying the national honor and aspirations of the country. Gender has thus been one of the most politicized issues in Afghanistan over the past 100 years, where many reform attempts rightly or wrongly have been condemned by opponents as un- Islamic and a challenge to the sanctity of the faith and family. Notions of honor and shame underpinning cultural norms and practices emphasize female modesty and purity and define men as breadwinners and the protectors of.
