Among the many failures of the reconstituted Afghan National Police (ANP), the most striking has been its inability to attract women recruits.
'It's a big problem recruiting women,' said a European consultant to the ANP. 'There was some enthusiasm initially, and 57 female cadets joined the national police academy in Kabul. But now it has petered out.'
Only three female cadets are enrolled at the academy this year, and a new hostel with 90 beds funded by Germany remains unoccupied.
'After 25 years of war, most Afghan women are illiterate, so the thought of doing police work appears too daunting to them,' said Fawzia Zainal, 18, a policewoman now working at the academy. 'Moreover, most families are opposed to women joining the police.'
Due to the prejudice against policewomen, the few who have joined the force are employed either in criminal investigation units or the academy.
Even so, some have excelled at their jobs, such as Kandahar city's celebrated police detective Malalai Kakad, who has captured several criminals.