Changing Gender Perspectives

[The Patriot]

Wearing matching green headscarves coupled with dark jeans and tuniques, Afghan NGO leader Shakila and her daughter Zhulina, eyed the 25 shoeless International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) officers sitting on floor cushions in the ISAF Joint Command (IJC) shura room nervously, before introducing themselves. Brought into the compound by ISAF’s gender advisor, Lieutenant Commander Ella van den Heuvel, the women came to present the IJC leadership with first hand accounts of what it means to be female in Afghanistan.

More...