THE DISCIPLINE OF GOVERNING:

30 years ago, the Taliban first rose to power after a 10-year war with the Soviets and the collapse of the country's communist regime.  Islamic extremists, they ruled with an iron fist - banishing women from the workplace, schools and public life - executing those who didn't follow their strict laws.

Today, there are women on the streets, but not many.  When the Taliban marched into Kabul, they urged women to stay home until they taught their fighters, "how to deal with them."

Which makes what Mary-Ellen McGroarty is doing even more surprising.  She's been personally negotiating with the Taliban so her drivers can deliver food to the needy.

Sharyn Alfonsi: When you say you have to, you know, reach out to the Taliban and talk to them, how does that work as a woman?

Mary-Ellen McGroarty: Being a woman in Afghanistan at the moment is, yeah-- it's challenging. But I think they realize I'm the head of a U.N. organization, so they do have to meet with me. And that's the way it is.

Sharyn Alfonsi: And for the person sitting at home who says, "Well, how could they be engaging with the Taliban? They're an extremist group," how do you answer that?

Mary-Ellen McGroarty: With humanitarian work, you know, the humanity comes first and being able to save lives comes first.  We remain impartial with a clear focus on the humanitarian imperative. 

McGroarty told us humanitarian groups have worked with the Taliban for much of the last decade. They had to - because even when there was a democratically elected government sitting in Kabul, the Taliban controlled 60 to 70% of the country.

Manuel Fontaine, a director for UNICEF, first came to Afghanistan after 9/11. He explained how their relationship with the Taliban has evolved over the years.

Sharyn Alfonsi: Has the Taliban said to you, "We want you here. We need you here. Help us"?

Manuel Fontaine: Yes. Absolutely. From the beginning. And we've said from the beginning that we will be uncompromising when it comes to girls' education, when it comes to making sure that women can work.

Sharyn Alfonsi: Since August 15th have they been more or less receptive to what you have to say and what other NGOs have to say?

Manuel Fontaine: They are receptive now in the sense that they realize that with power comes the responsibility to do something for the population of Afghanistan. They realize they have that responsibility and in that sense, they're willing to have those discussions. 

Because of those discussions, UNICEF is now able to access communities previously off limits.

We traveled with them and their government mandated Taliban escorts to one of those places.     

Sharyn Alfonsi: So we are in Wardak Province which is about two hours from Kabul and the reason that this road is so bumpy is because there were so many IEDs here - this was a Taliban stronghold for about a decade so groups like the U.N. would never have dreamed of coming out here.

It was the first time UNICEF had been to this rural area in 12 years.

And the first time they were able to lay eyes on one of the results of their negotiations with the Taliban, a community-based school for girls.

Sharyn Alfonsi: For how many of you girls is this your first year at school? Raise your hand. 

[All the girls raise their hands]

The youngest girl here is 6. The oldest 12. Many of them told us they hoped to be doctors. The school, and 4,500 like them, operate with the Taliban's blessing.   

Sharyn Alfonsi: How did that happen? This was a province that was controlled by the Taliban for a decade. How do you get to them and say we wanna have a school here?

Manuel Fontaine: Talking to them, explaining the difference it makes. The discussions we're having with the Taliban don't start from scratch. That confidence was built over the years in the areas they controlled that trust has started to build.

Sharyn Alfonsi: What we saw in that school was heart-warming. But we know there are a million girls in high school who are not going to school. We know that there are no women being allowed really to attend college in any way. Are you making any ground in that area?

Manuel Fontaine: We are making some ground, but not enough. That's obvious. What we hear from Taliban is that they want to do it in a way that is keeping with the culture of the country. So we need to find a way to do that. This country needs everybody's strength.

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