KABUL - The First Lady of Afghanistan Rula Ghani – also known as Bibi Gul – in a chat with TOLOnews said violence and insecurity will decline in the next five years under President Ashraf Ghani's rule.

She said the president was a talented, understanding and patriotic man but said she does not interfere in his husband's decisions.

The first lady said her office door is open for women to discuss their problems and that she will leave no stone unturned to attract the international community's assistance in helping Afghanistan.

She said that two weeks after entering the Presidential Palace she decided to stand by Afghan women and work within the community to create a better environment for women.

She said insecurity and instability over the past few years has resulted in the increase of violence against women and that she is there for Afghan women to help them overcome violence against them.

"In order to know what is going on around us, we announced that our doors are open for women. I thought one or two people will meet me in my office [on a daily basis] but I witnessed a growing number of visitors, and even 345 groups of women visited my office in the first six months of this year. They talked with me, offered their recommendations and then I gave them hope," the first lady said.

She praised President Ghani's efforts to improve women's lives and to ensure justice for them, but said she is very upset about the recent stoning of a girl in Ghor and about the continued violence against women and children in the country.

"If the president wants to do politics, he does not consult me on that. I trust him [President Ghani] and I believe that he is a wise and talented person and what he does is correct," she said.

Public appearances by the first ladies of Afghanistan over the past two decades have been rare but Rula Ghani has changed this – from day one when she stood by the president as he took his oath of office in September last year. (Tolonews)