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| Afghan President Appoints a Second Female Governor | Afghan President Appoints a Second Female Governor |
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| KABUL — President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan on Sunday appointed a second woman as a provincial governor, something that was welcomed by reform-minded activists even though his first appointee has been unable to take office because of fierce opposition and protests. | KABUL — President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan on Sunday appointed a second woman as a provincial governor, something that was welcomed by reform-minded activists even though his first appointee has been unable to take office because of fierce opposition and protests. |
| Already, there are signs that the second female governor, Seema Joyenda, who will serve in Ghor Province in central Afghanistan, one of the poorest places in the country, will face many of the same challenges. | Already, there are signs that the second female governor, Seema Joyenda, who will serve in Ghor Province in central Afghanistan, one of the poorest places in the country, will face many of the same challenges. |
| Ms. Joyenda, 43, a former member of Parliament and the mother of nine, said she was well positioned to lead the province. | Ms. Joyenda, 43, a former member of Parliament and the mother of nine, said she was well positioned to lead the province. |
| “This is not new to me,” she said. “As their former representative, I traveled the province, I know my people’s pain. This just multiplies my responsibility.” | “This is not new to me,” she said. “As their former representative, I traveled the province, I know my people’s pain. This just multiplies my responsibility.” |
| Yet residents and elders in Ghor, a tribal society with Taliban influences as well as hundreds of militias loyal to local strongmen, suggested the new governor could well face difficult times. | Yet residents and elders in Ghor, a tribal society with Taliban influences as well as hundreds of militias loyal to local strongmen, suggested the new governor could well face difficult times. |
| “I don’t believe the appointment of a female governor will be effective for Ghor,” said Abdul Basir Qaderi, a local elder. “This is a traditional society, and it is an insecure province facing enemy threats. A female governor will struggle to lead military and security meetings” | |
| Mohamad Mahdawi, a member of the provincial council, said Ms. Joyenda, who knows the province well, could surprise with her leadership, but he was not optimistic: “The situation here is fragile, and a woman cannot have an active military position in suppressing the enemy.” | Mohamad Mahdawi, a member of the provincial council, said Ms. Joyenda, who knows the province well, could surprise with her leadership, but he was not optimistic: “The situation here is fragile, and a woman cannot have an active military position in suppressing the enemy.” |
| As this debate unfolded, Masooma Muradi, appointed by Mr. Ghani to govern Daikundi Province, has been stranded in Kabul as protesters said to be close to a strongman in Daikundi have held sit-ins to keep her from assuming her position. | As this debate unfolded, Masooma Muradi, appointed by Mr. Ghani to govern Daikundi Province, has been stranded in Kabul as protesters said to be close to a strongman in Daikundi have held sit-ins to keep her from assuming her position. |
| One of Mr. Ghani’s chief aims has been to increase the representation of women in his government. He has appointed three female cabinet ministers, a female judge to the Supreme Court, and promised to appoint more women as governors and ambassadors. | One of Mr. Ghani’s chief aims has been to increase the representation of women in his government. He has appointed three female cabinet ministers, a female judge to the Supreme Court, and promised to appoint more women as governors and ambassadors. |
| Many see that as a slight shift from the administration of his predecessor, President Hamid Karzai, who appointed one female governor, Habiba Sarabi. | Many see that as a slight shift from the administration of his predecessor, President Hamid Karzai, who appointed one female governor, Habiba Sarabi. |
| “The commitment of the current government is better,” said Ms. Sarabi, who served in Bamian Province and now advises Abdullah Abdullah, the country’s chief executive who shares power with Mr. Ghani. | “The commitment of the current government is better,” said Ms. Sarabi, who served in Bamian Province and now advises Abdullah Abdullah, the country’s chief executive who shares power with Mr. Ghani. |
| “In our conversations with the president and the chief executive, they have promised to appoint three female governors. But the selection needs to be very careful as we women are vulnerable.” | “In our conversations with the president and the chief executive, they have promised to appoint three female governors. But the selection needs to be very careful as we women are vulnerable.” |
| In any event, Ms. Joyenda, who holds a political science degree from a private university in Kabul, lamented that her appointment comes at a time when international aid — and attention — has diminished and the “government is struggling economically.” Meeting the demands of people in a deprived province like Ghor, which has a literacy rate of just over 21 percent, will be a difficult task, she said. | In any event, Ms. Joyenda, who holds a political science degree from a private university in Kabul, lamented that her appointment comes at a time when international aid — and attention — has diminished and the “government is struggling economically.” Meeting the demands of people in a deprived province like Ghor, which has a literacy rate of just over 21 percent, will be a difficult task, she said. |
| “As the second woman governor, I do wish I had been appointed to a province that if it had security problems, it would be better on the development front, and that if it had development problems, it would be better on the social front,” she said. | “As the second woman governor, I do wish I had been appointed to a province that if it had security problems, it would be better on the development front, and that if it had development problems, it would be better on the social front,” she said. |
| “Ghor, unfortunately, has problems in all those areas. But we will adjust to the reality, we will try to be transparent with the little we get and make sure everyone feels a part of the government.” | “Ghor, unfortunately, has problems in all those areas. But we will adjust to the reality, we will try to be transparent with the little we get and make sure everyone feels a part of the government.” |
| Governors, who controls all civilian and military activities in each of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces, enjoy substantial authority and patronage, at least on paper. Yet in a country where institutions often take a back seat to warlords and strongmen, the work of a governor requires awkward maneuvering of clashing local forces. What is happening in Daikundi, over the appointment of Ms. Muradi, provides a clear example of that. Strongmen from the province and political party leaders in Kabul are jockeying for one of their allies to become governor. | Governors, who controls all civilian and military activities in each of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces, enjoy substantial authority and patronage, at least on paper. Yet in a country where institutions often take a back seat to warlords and strongmen, the work of a governor requires awkward maneuvering of clashing local forces. What is happening in Daikundi, over the appointment of Ms. Muradi, provides a clear example of that. Strongmen from the province and political party leaders in Kabul are jockeying for one of their allies to become governor. |
| There have been similar protests against the appointment of a new governor for Bamian Province, a man, suggesting Ms. Muradi has been a victim of clashing political interests as much as sexism. | There have been similar protests against the appointment of a new governor for Bamian Province, a man, suggesting Ms. Muradi has been a victim of clashing political interests as much as sexism. |
| “The ordinary people of Daikundi are happy with the central government’s decision to appoint a female governor and they fully support the decision,” said Haji Ghairat Jawaheri, a member of the provincial council in Daikundi. “However, there are a series of issues relating to political leaders here that is stopping her.” | “The ordinary people of Daikundi are happy with the central government’s decision to appoint a female governor and they fully support the decision,” said Haji Ghairat Jawaheri, a member of the provincial council in Daikundi. “However, there are a series of issues relating to political leaders here that is stopping her.” |
| A senior official in Kabul said negotiations with various factions in the provinces were continuing so that the governors could begin their work. | A senior official in Kabul said negotiations with various factions in the provinces were continuing so that the governors could begin their work. |
| “The government will not backtrack from its decision as it will set a wrong precedent,” added the official, who asked not to be named to avoid angering the parties involved in the negotiations. | “The government will not backtrack from its decision as it will set a wrong precedent,” added the official, who asked not to be named to avoid angering the parties involved in the negotiations. |
| Mr. Jawaheri said that a group of nearly 100 activists went to the Daikundi police chief on Sunday and asked him to clear the way for the inauguration of Ms. Muradi by dispersing the protests. Then, the group went to a tent that had been pitched by the demonstrators. | Mr. Jawaheri said that a group of nearly 100 activists went to the Daikundi police chief on Sunday and asked him to clear the way for the inauguration of Ms. Muradi by dispersing the protests. Then, the group went to a tent that had been pitched by the demonstrators. |
| “We asked the protesters in the tent: ‘Let her hold the position to prove that she is able to bring changes in Daikundi. If she fails in fulfilling her promises, then we can have the tents and stand against her,’” Mr. Jawaheri said. | “We asked the protesters in the tent: ‘Let her hold the position to prove that she is able to bring changes in Daikundi. If she fails in fulfilling her promises, then we can have the tents and stand against her,’” Mr. Jawaheri said. |
| “But the protesters did not give us any positive response. They invited us to join in their protest.” | “But the protesters did not give us any positive response. They invited us to join in their protest.” |