With the start of Presidential campaign on Sunday, a number of females told TOLOnews that they expected the candidates to establish clear platforms regarding the political, social and economic development of Afghan women.
The upcoming elections have been portrayed as a pivotal litmus test for Afghan democracy and the future direction of the country. For women's advocates, with the NATO coalition withdrawing by December, the most important progress to protect, and build upon, is that of women's rights and roles in Afghan society.
It is still unclear what candidate will have the strongest support amongst Afghan women, if any is able to dominate the constituency. So as the campaign season gets underway, candidates have largely a level playing field in competition for female votes.
"I am really happy about the elections, and I request that the Presidential candidates focus more on women's capacity building," said Samia, a female student at the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul.
Other women focused just getting the candidates talking about women, and emphasized the importance of their campaigns being substance-driven.
"Most of the Presidential candidates must have programs to improve the economic, political, civil and family lives of women, so that we can vote for them based on their programs," an Afghan businesswoman named Seema Tabeeb said.