KABUL - The first lady says Afghanistan has come a long way since 2001, when the US invaded it to dislodge the Taliban regime after the 9/11 attacks.
In a wide-ranging interview published in a Colorado-based magazine on Thursday, Rula Ghani said despite lingering uncertainty in the country, people had regained hope.
“Young people are no longer trying to go find a fortune in Europe or other countries. We’re becoming a cohesive society, trying to get over these divisions between ethnic and religious groups.”
Coming of age, Afghan youth did not have the prejudices their parents did. The older were still living the fights of the 1980s and 1990s, she told Bright magazine.
On the other hand, Rula Ghani explained, the younger generation better understood the concept of citizenship and civic responsibility.
“Young people understand that you elect a person for five years and after that you go back to the polls and decide whether or not to elect somebody else.
“Fortunately, 46 percent of the population is under 15 now. We have a very young population and that makes me very hopeful,” she added.  (Pajhwok)