Afghan women fear gains could be bargained away in talks

In this Monday, Feb. 18, 2019, photo, Khadeja, 16, who was burned by a pot of scalding hot water thrown by her husband, shows her wounds, at a women's shelter office in Herat, Afghanistan. The suffering of young women like Khadeja is why women rights activists say they are demanding a seat at the table in negotiations between the government and the Taliban over peace and Afghanistan’s future. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

In this Monday, Feb. 18, 2019, photo, Alissa, who faced domestic violence, center, speaks during an interview with the Associated Press at a women's shelter office in Herat, Afghanistan. Women have made gains since the 2001 fall of the Taliban, but the country remains almost the worst places in the world to be a woman. Activists fear the advances they have achieved will be bargained away in negotiations, with pressure heavy for a deal as the United States seeks to end its military involvement in the country.(AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)