[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 393 Engrossed in House (EH)]


                 In the House of Representatives, U.S.,

                                                     November 19, 2003.
Whereas the women of Afghanistan suffered horrible tragedies under the Taliban 
        regime;
Whereas the Afghan people have rejected the Taliban and are in the process of 
        building a free and democratic republic and repairing the damage 
        inflicted upon Afghan society by the Taliban;
Whereas those efforts have improved the daily lives of Afghan women, children, 
        and refugees;
Whereas more Afghan girls are attending school than ever before in the history 
        of Afghanistan and, in addition, many millions more adult women are 
        either returning to school to make up for the time they were not allowed 
        to attend school during the Taliban regime or taking vocational training 
        classes to prepare for the job market;
Whereas women in Afghanistan now are able to work outside the home and hold 
        positions in all levels of government and in private sector 
        organizations, as they did before the Taliban regime;
Whereas the reconstruction of Afghanistan and the writing of the Afghanistan 
        Constitution provide a unique opportunity to continue this success and 
        to affirm women's human rights under the law;
Whereas, in order for women to fully participate in Afghan society, they must 
        have the right to vote, the right to run for office, equality of 
        opportunity, and access to health care, education, and employment;
Whereas women's human rights must be guaranteed in the Afghanistan Constitution; 
        and
Whereas the United States, through its diplomatic activities, is actively 
        involved in encouraging the full inclusion and participation of Afghan 
        women in the political and economic life of their country, and must 
        continue to do so throughout the reconstruction process: Now, therefore, 
        be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) commends the participation of Afghan women in Afghanistan's 
        government and civil society;
            (2) proclaims its ongoing commitment to encouraging the full 
        inclusion of women, and indeed all members of Afghan society, in the 
        political and economic life of their country; and
            (3) advocates the protection of the human rights of all Afghans, 
        particularly women, in the Afghanistan Constitution.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.