Setback for Women's Rights in Afghanistan?

"Many women fear that if the Taliban return to power it will also mean a return to harsh Islamic law. And now that the U.S.-backed government of President Hamid Karzai has said he'll consider negotiating with the Taliban - in return for ending the war - they're even more fearful.

'History tells us what they want. They don't want women in the workplace, they want girls to stay home, they want absolutely no education for girls,' said Manizha Naderi, Executive Director, Women for Afghan Women. 'They're not going to back out of their demands.' The shelter is one of a handful in the country that offers women a safe haven from physical abuse or rape. Recent statistics are grim - domestic violence is up 54 percent - over 60 percent of marriages are forced.

The shelter tries to help women begin a new life. But the odds are stacked against them.

There are over two million girls going to school today in Afghanistan. That's a huge leap forward. Under the Taliban in the 1990s, there were almost none. Girls were forced to stay home. Now the Taliban is trying to turn back the clock. Attacks on schools have almost doubled in the last year."