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[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 251 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 251

Expressing the sense of the Senate that the Government of Afghanistan, 
  with the support of the international community, should fulfill its 
 obligations to ensure that women fully participate as candidates and 
  voters in the August 20, 2009, presidential and provincial council 
                       elections in Afghanistan.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             August 7, 2009

Mrs. Gillibrand (for herself, Mr. Cardin, Ms. Collins, Mr. Kerry, Mrs. 
   Boxer, Mrs. Feinstein, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Lugar, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. 
 Lautenberg, and Mr. Begich) submitted the following resolution; which 
                      was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
Expressing the sense of the Senate that the Government of Afghanistan, 
  with the support of the international community, should fulfill its 
 obligations to ensure that women fully participate as candidates and 
  voters in the August 20, 2009, presidential and provincial council 
                       elections in Afghanistan.

Whereas women in Afghanistan play a critical role in establishing accountable 
        governance, fostering economic development, and securing peace in 
        Afghanistan;
Whereas many women in Afghanistan face rising insecurity and consequent physical 
        and verbal violence in seeking political office and exercising their 
        constitutional right to vote;
Whereas the Afghan Independent Electoral Commission has made efforts to consult 
        with domestic and international organizations advocating for full 
        inclusion of all people in Afghanistan in the elections, and has called 
        on the donor community to assist its efforts to open and staff all 
        appropriate polling places throughout Afghanistan; and
Whereas women's rights activists and civil society representatives from 
        throughout Afghanistan gathered on June 25, 2009, and decided to launch 
        the Five Million Afghan Women Campaign, a campaign of 5,000,000 women of 
        Afghanistan to support eligible women's political participation in order 
        to ensure the rule of law and gender equality: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) congratulates the brave women and women-led 
        organizations of Afghanistan on the launch of the Five Million 
        Afghan Women Campaign;
            (2) urges the Government of Afghanistan to ensure that 
        sufficient staffing is in place in women's polling stations, 
        including security staff and equipment and appropriate polling 
        place personnel;
            (3) urges the Government of Afghanistan and the religious, 
        community, and cultural leaders of Afghanistan to make every 
        effort to encourage eligible women to participate in the August 
        20, 2009, elections;
            (4) urges the Government of Afghanistan to fully include 
        women in formal committees and bodies charged with election 
        security and related processes;
            (5) urges the Government of Afghanistan and the Independent 
        Electoral Commission to continue to consult with the Afghan 
        Ministry of Women's Affairs, the Afghan Independent Human 
        Rights Commission, and women-led nongovernmental organizations 
        regarding women's participation in the elections, in order to 
        guarantee a free and fair election process, including providing 
        equal access for women candidates to media outlets as well as 
        ensuring adequate security and transportation for women voters 
        on election day;
            (6) encourages the Secretary of State, including through 
        the United States Agency for International Development, to 
        continue to mobilize funding and resources of the United States 
        for programs throughout Afghanistan to raise the awareness of 
        women in Afghanistan regarding governance, increase women's 
        political participation in the August 20, 2009, and future 
        elections, and support such women's ability to exercise their 
        rights as citizens; and
            (7) urges the new Government of Afghanistan elected on 
        August 20, 2009, to employ and engage women in meaningful roles 
        and positions in such new government.
                                 <all>
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