In the Name of Afghan Women

Last night Cheney implied that Afghan women were making great strides saying "We've got 10 million voters who have registered to vote, nearly half of them women.
...they're making significant progress. We have President Karzai, who is in power. They have done wonders writing their own constitution for the first time ever. Schools are open. Young girls are going to school. Women are going to vote. Women are even eligible to run for office. This is major, major progress."

However, the Sept. 28 report from Human Rights Watch said, as found through the Washington Post's nifty Debate Referee says,
"The tally of registered voters in Afghanistan, over 10.5 million in a voting age population of 26 million, is now believed to be significantly inaccurate, the result of widespread multiple registration by voters. As explained here, pronouncements by Afghan and international officials boasting that 40 percent of registered voters are women ignores the likelihood that tens of thousands of women have been registered more than once (some believing their voting card would entitle them to benefits or food rations), and masks regional variation in the figures, including data from some southern provinces showing that less than 10 percent of those registered are women."

Bush continues to talk about America’s commitment to Afghan women, when
in reality less than 3 percent of U.S. assistance to the country has been
spent on women’s programs.

How have Afghan women fared in reconstruction?
Womens Edge Coalition is highlighting issues ranging from women’s role in rebuilding Afghanistan and Iraq to girls’ education.
You can find statements from their Sept 22 press conference here.
Of course it's not as rosy as 'the corporation of Bush/Cheney' would lead us to believe, but you already knew that. Women's Edge does provide an Action Toolkit. It's important not to abandon what small progress has transpired. posted by Cyndy | link | | |
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