FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 27, 2001
CONTACT: Lisette Mondello
CONGRESS FINISHES AFGHAN WOMEN'S BILL
Measure goes to president for signature
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A measure to ensure that any aid to Afghanistan be provided to women and children as well as men is on its way to the White House for the president's signature, after being passed by the House of Representatives today and the Senate shortly before the Thanksgiving holiday.
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), who introduced the legislation with Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), called the Taliban's treatment of women and children "horrific and beastly." She said women in Afghanistan are denied education, health care and the right to work.
"It's unthinkable that in the 21st century, women are treated in such a brutal way," Senator Hutchison said. "It is crucial that the plight of these women be highlighted to the world, and that action be taken to provide them with decent health care, to allow them to help form a new government and to educate their daughters so that all Afghan citizens -- not just half -- have an opportunity to contribute to their society."
Before the Taliban took control of Kabul, schools were coeducational, and women accounted for 70 percent of the teaching force, 50 percent of the civil service corps and 40 percent of the city's physicians. But under the Taliban regime, women are prohibited from working as teachers, doctors or in any other occupation.
The country has one of the highest infant (165 of 1,000) and child (257 of 1,000) mortality rates in the world; only 5 percent of rural and 39 percent of urban Afghans have access to safe drinking water; and 42 percent of all deaths are attributed to contaminated food and water.
The "Afghan Women and Children Relief Act of 2001" (S. 1573) authorizes the president to provide educational and health care assistance to women and children living in Afghanistan and as refugees in neighboring countries; allows the funds to be used by nongovernmental organizations; and requires the secretary of state to submit a report to Congress describing the condition and state of women and children in Afghanistan. The bill, which was introduced October 25, passed the Senate on November 16. It was cosponsored by all 13 women of the Senate.
The House of Representatives unanimously passed the bill today, led by Representative Deborah Pryce (R-Ohio).
"Clearly the efforts by First Lady Laura Bush and the women in Congress to talk about the plight of women and children in Afghanistan have helped shine a spotlight on this situation," Senator Hutchison said. "Now we need to move forward to provide aid to rectify these atrocities."
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