Reports

U.S. Support for Afghan Women, Children, and Refugees

The Department of State's 2004 Report to Congress on U.S. Support for Afghan Women, Children, and Refugees (the third and final of these annual reports) demonstrates that U.S. assistance in reconstructing Afghanistan, and the courage of the people themselves, is creating an environment that allows Afghan women to participate fully in the political, economic and social life of liberated Afghanistan. Released by the Sate Department June 14, the report shows that reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan have inspired Afghan women to assume roles they never dreamed possible, in government, in politics, in the market place, in the police, in agriculture, in politics and in the media.

The report's accompanying detailed appendix describes 187 new and ongoing projects to assist women and children. Overall U.S. humanitarian and reconstruction assistance to Afghanistan, apart from the cost of continuing military and related support operations, bring the total U.S. pledge for 2004 up to $2.2 billion, for a total commitment over three years to over $4 billion.

Afghanistan has achieved some remarkable milestones during the past year to secure women's human rights and civil and social gains. The most significant is the Constitution ratified on January 4, 2004 by the Afghanistan Constitutional Loya Jirga that provides equal rights to all citizens, men and women.