Rula Ghani, new Afghan first lady moves into limelight

Afghanistan's new first lady Rula Ghani looks set to challenge the tradition of leaders' wives staying out of the public eye.

In an interview with the BBC just days after moving into her new office in the presidential palace, Mrs Ghani said she hopes to encourage greater respect for women.

"I would like to give women out there the courage and the possibility to do something about improving their lives," she said.

Lebanese-born Mrs Ghani also spoke about meeting her husband, Ashraf Ghani in Beirut in the 1970s and how her parents consented to the marriage.