A country for everyone : Afghanistan must preserve women's rights - Laura W. Bush

The haunting portrait of a young, disfigured Afghan woman on Time magazine's cover this summer issued a stark reminder that the stakes in Afghanistan are high -- and that the consequences of failure are brutal, especially for women.

Afghanistan's leaders must defend women's rights with action and policy, not just lofty rhetoric. True reconciliation cannot be realized by sacrificing the rights of Afghan women. To do so would reverse Afghanistan's progress and return its people to the perilous circumstances that marked the Taliban's rule.

There are clear choices for those entrusted with ensuring Afghanistan's peace and prosperity. Will Afghanistan be a nation that empowers women, or one that oppresses them? -- A country for everyone : Afghanistan must preserve women's rights