I 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5185 
To promote the empowerment of women in Afghanistan. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 25, 2006 
Mrs. MALONEY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on International Relations 
A BILL 
To promote the empowerment of women in Afghanistan. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Afghan Women Em-
powerment Act of 2006’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) Under the oppressive rule of the Taliban, 
the women of Afghanistan were denied the most 
basic human rights, including the rights to work, to 
an education, to health care, and to move freely. 
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(2) Women who attempted to assert their rights 
under the Taliban regime were subjected to beatings 
and imprisonments, and many suffer from the long- 
term consequences of such oppression. 
(3) Women in Afghanistan have one of the 
highest mortality rates in the world, with an esti-
mated 16,000 maternal deaths annually. 
(4) Despite efforts by the United States Gov-
ernment and the international community to improve 
the lives of women and girls in Afghanistan, many 
women and girls continue to lack access to basic 
services, including health care and education. Ap-
proximately 80 percent of Afghan women are illit-
erate. 
(5) Today, women and girls in Afghanistan still 
face oppression resulting from violence and intimida-
tion by Taliban and other militia groups. In recent 
months, there has been a significant increase in the 
number of attacks against girls’ schools in an at-
tempt to prevent women and girls from regaining 
their rights and freedoms. 
(6) The strengthening of institutions and non-
governmental organizations that are led by women in 
Afghanistan is essential to building civil society and 
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holding the Government of Afghanistan accountable 
for protecting women’s rights and human rights. 
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN AF-
GHANISTAN. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) the protection of the rights of women and 
girls in Afghanistan and their full participation in 
the reestablishment of democracy are essential to the 
reconstruction of a stable and democratic Afghani-
stan, and to achieve such a reconstruction, the 
United States Government must commit resources to 
advance the rights of women throughout Afghani-
stan; 
(2) the United States Government should pro-
vide strong support for the Afghan Ministry of 
Women’s Affairs and the Afghan Independent 
Human Rights Commission, both of which were cre-
ated by the Agreement on Provisional Agreements in 
Afghanistan Pending the Establishment of Perma-
nent Governing Institutions, done in Bonn December 
5, 2001 (commonly known as the ‘‘Bonn Agree-
ment’’) to remedy past violations of women’s rights 
and human rights and to establish institutions and 
programs to ensure policies that advance such 
rights; 
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