THANKS, W:

A newly released poll by the Asia Foundation, found that the June presidential election has Afghans feeling optimistic. Two-thirds of respondents said the election was free and fair and would make their lives better. Some 75.3 percent said the national government was doing a good job. [...]

While the number of Afghans who believe the country is moving in the right direction is down slightly from last year - 54.7 percent versus 57.2 percent - the long-term trend since 2006 "shows an increase in the perception of Afghans that the country is moving in the right direction," according to Abdullah Ahmadza, the foundation's acting representative in Afghanistan. Overall, 78.6 percent of Afghans say they are somewhat or very happy.

One other bright spot is that attitudes about women are changing. Some 67.8 percent of the respondents said women should be able to work outside the home; 69.7 percent of the women surveyed said they voted in the 2014 election compared to 43.4 percent in 2009. 

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