Afghanistan and Gender

Afghanistan has improved marginally in gender relations, even more marginally in living conditions, and not at all in true sustainability projections. Currently it is very dependent, has no real industry to sustain its economy, and only able to live these few moments of freedom and peace on the back of international presence providing a buffer against the hated (by Afghans), awful Taliban coming back. American and International games here are not ununderstood in terms of strategic and permanent bases and presence creation; however Afghans are happy to have Americans and Internationals here if it keeps the reviled Taliban, and even more reviled, Pakistanis, at bay.
Afghanistan, when ready and on its feet, will be a more progressive state than its neighbor Pakistan, more proud perhaps as a nation than its further neighbor India which still deals in its psyche with its post-colonial baggage, and an example for Central and West Asia possibly if it actually stands on its two feet democratically and survives a few, fair and real elections. Afghanistan also needs to start the process of initiating a more progressive, dynamic Islamic republic and not a secular one in the non-religious, state separated from religion flavor that we approach and try for in the West and in India and Japan among other places. For in Afghanistan, trying to separate Islam from governance is like trying to separate internet from our workplaces--it is now inextricrably intertwined. It is better to govern and understand religion into the way of life in tempered and progressive ways rather than trying to eliminate it out of sometimes, baseless fears.