Stardate 20011129.0552 (On Screen): There are Afghan women in Bonn; not many, but some, and they are trying to make sure that women are not oppressed under the new Afghan regime. They seem to have a realistic understanding that if they demand too much too soon, it could all fall apart. There is a lot to deal with, and a lot of cultural damage to undo, and it takes time. They're in a pretty good bargaining position. Before the Taliban, a large proportion of the professionals in Afghanistan were women, including doctors, teachers and government workers. They have a lot to offer, and in a nation whose public institutions are a shambles, they'll be needed. It's just a matter of making sure that there's no backlash from Afghan men. There's a great deal to do, and it's going to take time. So the Afghan women will make haste slowly. And I think they'll win by doing so.
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