Afghanistan is ranked 172 out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index. This is partly the result of recurring irregularities in the national electoral system. According to the Asia Foundation’s most recent Survey of the Afghan People, nearly half the population does not believe the next election will be free and fair.

One woman is trying to change that. Mir is an advocate for increased government transparency, particularly in the electoral process. After completing her Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science at Kabul University in 2017, she enrolled in USAID’s Women in Government (WIG) internship program. Through the internship program, she gained key skills in project management and government processes. She learned that one of the main challenges in Afghanistan’s elections is the issue of accurately recording and counting votes. To solve this problem, Mir created a Smart Electronic Voting Machine that can read, record and count votes automatically. The system can monitor the voting process and ensure transparent results.

Mir was a keynote speaker at her graduation from USAID’s internship program, saying, “WIG paves the way for thousands of women to begin their career in government.” She used the opportunity to issue a call to action for the government representatives in attendance—asking them to help improve the voting process. A representative of Afghanistan’s Chief Executive Officer answered the call. Mir met with Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah who encouraged her to continue her advocacy. The Academy of Sciences of Afghanistan honored her as a Young Innovator, and she presented the Smart Electronic Voting Machine at the 2019 Internet Governance Forum in Kabul. Mir expressed her gratitude, saying “WIG connected me to a world of opportunities to draw my own career path, which seemed impossible before joining the internship program.”