8 with gender segregation and the physical control of women with the intellectual, social and economic development of Afghan women. 7. The government in consultation with women’s rights activists must devise strategies to break the monopoly of men over religious education and religious institutions by promoting the role of women in religious sectors especially in the madrasas. At the moment, religious institutions, in particular the madrasas, are under the exclusive control of men and this has disproportionately affected women. Women’s representation must improve in these institutions to employ religious resources for women’s development as well as to counter religious abuses. The Public Sphere 8. There is a legislative vacuum about street harassment in Afghanistan. Many Afghans do not view street harassment as a criminal practice. The Afghan Parliament must criminalize street harassment through appropriate legislation. 9. Street harassment of women is fast spreading and is fast becoming culturally acceptable. Such practices must be countered through extensive media and civic campaigns. 10. The government must adopt a zero tolerance policy towards abusive practices against women. Abusive practices in public institutions including sexual molestation often do not meet robust legal and disciplinary measures. The new policy must cut across all public and private institutions. 11. Afghan women must adhere to the principles of a gradual process of change in Afghanistan’s conservative social context. Certain excessive practices in public like televised commercial advertisements may trigger intense public reaction by the conservative forces. This has the potential to harm the prospects for women’s enduring development. 12. Afghan women must continue to resort to courageous, defiant and expressive initiatives such as cycling, driving private cars, administering public transport, managing economic initiatives, etc. Such empowering and expressive measures will normalize and institutionalize women’s presence in public space. 13. The overwhelming majority of women still remain economically unproductive. The gradual absorption of elite women in high profile jobs in public and private sectors will not bring about significant change in women’s current living condition. Afghans have yet to fully accept women’s economic engagement in the market place in large numbers. Therefore, the establishment of women-only business streets is most