( CNN ) -- As a writer , one of my most important responsibilities is listening . I try to do so with an open mind , so I can hear the voices of the characters whose stories I will tell . When I wrote about Afghan women in my second novel , I thought about the brave women I had met in Kabul and about their stories . Their voices came to me in hushed whispers . At times they woke me in the night with the urgency of what they had to say . I am indebted to those women , because without them , my novels would lack authenticity and would also be far less likely to resonate with readers . Supporting women 's rights in Afghanistan is largely about listening . A recent report from international aid organization Oxfam summarizes it best : The voices of women in Afghanistan must be heard if a lasting peace is to be achieved and `` the international community is to fulfill its agenda of setting Afghanistan on its own feet . '' In recent years , women have made incredible gains in Afghanistan . The end of Taliban rule has meant a new Afghanistan , with more opportunities for women . Millions of girls are back in school . Women are working , particularly in Kabul , as professionals in a wide range of fields . Afghanistan has a female provincial governor ; there are women serving in parliament , the Ministry of Public Health , the Ministry of Women 's Affairs and the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission . Only the hardest cynic would dismiss these accomplishments as insignificant . Yet far too many women in Afghanistan are still denied a place at the table -- denied the right to speak for themselves . Oxfam 's report illustrates how war and unrest , illiteracy , poverty and gender discrimination have made it nearly impossible for the vast majority of women in Afghanistan to contribute to the global dialogue about the future of their homeland . Without them , the gains that have been made in recent years for half of Afghanistan 's most brilliant resources remain at risk . When I was a boy living in Kabul , I had a different experience . A different political environment meant women were respected -- their intelligence and accomplishments greatly valued . My mother was a teacher and school administrator . She was known on campus for her confidence and effective leadership . My aunt was a professor at Kabul University . She inspired young men and women to be creative and poetic , furthering Afghanistan 's rich cultural and artistic legacy . My cousin was a physician . Men and women alike relied on her skill , strength and kindness . The women I have met in Afghanistan in recent years are equally talented . Though most have been denied education , survive without access to even basic health care and often lack even rudimentary shelter , they are determined , resilient , resourceful and optimistic . They have a truly indomitable spirit and are the real backbones of families and communities . If Aghanistan is to exist once again as a peaceful and thriving nation , it must make women 's rights one of the cornerstones of national reconstruction . Any peace negotiations with insurgent groups must ensure that Afghan women are able to exercise their rights and participate in every facet of Afghan society without fear of retribution . They must be given political , social and economic power to help usher in and sustain the country 's long-term redevelopment . Most importantly , Afghan women must be allowed the opportunity to be heard . As the International Conference on Afghanistan approaches in Bonn , Germany , world leaders must insist that women not only participate in the Afghan delegation but that all discussions around peace and reconciliation include how women will be involved . Afghan women 's voices are an indispensable resource and without them , the story of peace and prosperity can not be told . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Khaled Hosseini .
Khaled Hosseini : Oxfam Afghanistan says Afghan women must have voice in Afghanistan . He says women in Afghanistan have gained since Taliban days but are still denied suffrage . He says women had positions , rights and authority when he was growing up there . Hosseini : A condition for groups to take part in rebuilding nation should be full rights for women .