imageMAZAR-I-SHARIF: When Afghan taxi driver Sara Bahai has male passengers in her cab, she takes the chance to lobby them on female rights -- and she hopes the country's next president will also listen to her arguments.

Bahai has been driving the streets of Mazar-i-Sharif city for 10 years, during which Afghanistan has experienced huge changes, including limited improvements in the lives of many women after the harsh years of Taliban rule.

"Sometimes I argue with male passengers all the journey to convince them a woman driving a taxi isn't a bad thing," Bahai, who is thought to have been Afghanistan's first-ever female taxi driver, told AFP.

"I have many expectations for the next government. They must pay serious attention to women.

"Women should be given bigger roles, they should be given seats as ministers. And female teachers should be paid more to help female education.

"I see a lot of changes for Afghan women in the past few years. Many are setting up businesses to do whatever they want. Much work has been done, but it is not enough -- women are aware of their rights."

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