And that, Mr. Chairman, is the path we all must walk down. Every country benefits when women's human rights are respected. And every country loses when women are denied the right to vote, own property, or participate fully in decisions that affect their very lives and livelihoods. There are few places where women have as little control over their lives as Afghanistan. Although some small improvements have been made, most Afghan women are still prevented working outside the home.
Girls remain officially bared from most types of education.
The United States strongly condemns these violations of women's fundamental human rights. It is difficult for us to imagine the horror that the women of Afghanistan must feel, when they see their opportunities to participate in public life and their personal and professional independence stripped away. Afghanistan has suffered horribly over the past 21 years, but even with peace, the country will never achieve its potential if half the country is kept in chains. Another major challenge that faces us all is how to stop harmful traditional practices that target women. Between 115 and 130 million women worldwide have been subjected to this awful practice and some two million more are at risk every single year.