[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 40, Number 11 (Monday, March 15, 2004)]
[Pages 395-399]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks on Efforts To Globally Promote Women's Human Rights

March 12, 2004

    Thank you all very much. It takes me 45 seconds to walk to work, and 
sometimes I get introduced by my wife. [Laughter] It's a heck of a job. 
Thanks, Laura.
    Laura is--you know, one of the interesting moments in our family 
came when she gave a radio address. She used the President's time to 
give a radio address, to speak to the women of Afghanistan. And it made 
a big difference in people's lives. And it was from that moment forward 
that she, personally, has dedicated time to make sure that people who 
have been enslaved are free, particularly women. And I'm proud of 
Laura's leadership.
    In the last 2\1/2\ years, we have seen remarkable and hopeful 
development in world history. Just think about it: More than 50 million 
men, women, and children have been liberated from two of the most brutal 
tyrannies on Earth--50 million people are free. All these people are now 
learning the blessings of freedom.
    And for 25 million women and girls, liberation has a special 
significance. Some of these girls are attending school for the first 
time. It's hard for people in America to imagine. A lot of young girls 
now get to go to school. Some of the women are preparing to vote in free 
elections for the very first time.
    The public whippings by Taliban officials have ended. The systematic 
use of rape by Saddam's regime to dishonor families has ended. He sits 
in the prison cell.
    The advance of freedom in the greater Middle East has given new 
rights and new hopes to women. And America will do its part to continue 
the spread of liberty.
    I want to thank a man who is working hard to continue the spread of 
liberty, and that's the Secretary of State, Colin Powell. I appreciate 
three members of my Cabinet who are here: Secretary Gale Norton, 
Secretary Ann Veneman, and Secretary Elaine Chao. I put together, in all 
due humility, the greatest Cabinet ever. And one of the reasons why is 
these three ladies have agreed to serve. The President has got to get 
pretty good advice--I mean really good advice, frankly, from people 
other than his wife. [Laughter] I get great foreign policy advice from 
Condoleezza Rice, who is with us today.
    I want to thank other members of my administration who are here for 
this very important occasion to end what has been a very important 
dialog. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz is with us; Andrew 
Natsios, who runs USAID. Paula Dobriansky of the Department of State--
and I want to thank you for going to Afghanistan recently with Joyce 
Rumsfeld, Secretary Rumsfeld's better half, who also went to Afghanistan 
recently to spread the word that America will stay the course, that when 
we say something, we mean it, and that we say we're going to--
[applause].
    I just named a distinguished American to be a U.S. delegate to the 
U.N. Commission on the Status of Women, my sister, Dorothy. Thank you 
for being here, Doro. And I took the recommendation of Vice President 
Cheney for another member of the same delegation. He suggested that 
America would be well served by his eldest daughter, Liz. And he's 
right. Good to see you, Liz.

[[Page 396]]

    I want to thank Rend al-Rahim, who is with us today. Rend, thank you 
for coming. She's the senior Iraqi representative to the United States. 
That is a forerunner to ambassadorial status, I guess. Certainly I'm not 
speaking for what is going to be the sovereign Government of Iraq. She's 
good at what she does, I'm telling you.
    There's a lot of ambassadors who are here. I want to thank you all 
for coming. It's good to see you. I appreciate you taking time to be 
here. This is an important conference. The message of the United States 
about freedom and liberty in the Middle East is a serious message. And I 
thank the Governments for being here to listen and to help us advance 
this vital cause for what's good for the world. And so thanks for 
coming. There's a lot of countries represented here, particularly Middle 
Eastern countries.
    As I told you, Joyce went to--and Paula went to Afghanistan. There 
are other members of the U.S. Afghan Women's Council that went to Kabul. 
I want to thank you all for going. I hear it's--one of the travelers, 
Karen Hughes, reported back, and Margaret did as well--Margaret 
Spellings, who is my Domestic Policy Advisor. They said it's 
unbelievable what's taking place there. The country is transitioning 
from despair to hope. And it's easy to see now. It's changing and 
changing for the better. The people of Afghanistan have just got to know 
that we'll stand with them for however long it takes to be free.
    I appreciate the Iraqi women who attended the Commission on the 
Status of Women in New York this week. I want to thank you all for 
coming. I appreciate you being here.
    I want to thank my friend Dr. Raja Khuzai, who's with us today. This 
is the third time we have met. The first time we met, she walked into 
the Oval Office--let's see, was it the first time? It was the first 
time. The door opened up. She said, ``My liberator,'' and burst out in 
tears. And so did I.
    Dr. Khuzai also was there to have Thanksgiving dinner with our 
troops. And it turned out to be me as well. Of course, I didn't tell her 
I was coming. [Laughter] But I appreciate that, and now she's here 
again. I want to thank you, Doctor, for your hard work on the writing of 
the basic law for your people. You have stood fast. You have stood 
strong. Like me, you've got liberty etched in your heart, and you're not 
going to yield. And you are doing a great job, and we're proud to have 
you back. Thanks for coming.
    Ambassador Ssempala is with us as well, from Uganda. It's great to 
see you again, Ambassador. Thanks. She made our trip to Uganda so 
special that time. She paved the way for what was a special trip. I'm 
going to talk a little bit about HIV/AIDS. I want to thank you and your 
country's leadership on that important issue.
    Shamim Jawad is with us, Ambassador Said Jawad's better half. I want 
to thank you very much for being here, Shamim. Thanks for coming. I 
appreciate your coming.
    The Director of the Anti-Trafficking Operations for International 
Justice Mission is Sharon Cohn. She's with us. Let me tell what that 
means. That means she's working to end sex slavery. She is a noble soul 
who cares deeply about the plight of every woman. And I'm honored that 
you're up here, Sharon. I want thank you very much for your strong 
commitment. This Government stands with you, and our country stands with 
you. We abhor--we abhor--the practice of sex slavery. We will do all we 
can to help you.
    Support for human rights is the cornerstone of American foreign 
policy. As a matter of national conviction, we believe that every person 
in every culture is meant by God to live in freedom. As a matter of 
national interest, we know that the spread of liberty and hope is 
essential to the defeat of despair and bitterness and terror. The policy 
of the American Government is to stand for the nonnegotiable demands of 
human dignity--the rule of law, the limits on the power of the state, 
free speech, freedom of worship, equal justice, respect for women, 
religious and ethnic tolerance, and protections for private property. 
That is what we believe, and we're not going to change.
    We have transformed this belief in human rights into action. Last 
year, our Government devoted nearly $75 million to combat the worldwide 
trafficking in human beings. It's a brutal trade, inhumane trade, by 
sick people that targets many women and girls. I spoke out against this 
practice at the United Nations. I called upon the world to join us.

[[Page 397]]

This country is determined to fight and end this modern form of slavery.
    HIV/AIDS has orphaned millions of children worldwide. And in some 
African countries, nearly 60 percent of adults carrying the virus are 
women. In 2002, we created the Mother and Child HIV Prevention 
Initiative to prevent viral transmission of the virus between 
generations. It's an important initiative by this Government, but it 
wasn't enough.
    Last year, I announced an Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, a $15 
billion commitment over 5 years to fight this deadly disease. This 
country is determined to turn the tide against this modern plague. When 
we see disease and suffering, we will not turn our back.
    The economic empowerment of women is one effective way to improve 
lives and to protect rights. Each year for the past 5 years, the United 
States Government has provided an average of $155 million in small 
loans, microloans. About 70 percent of those benefit women. It turns out 
the world is learning what we know in America: The best entrepreneurs in 
the country are women. In America, most new small businesses are started 
by women. With the right help, that will be the case around the world as 
well.
    We're determined to help women to find the independence and dignity 
that comes from ownership. These are necessary responses to urgent 
problems. Yet, in the end, the rights of women and all human beings can 
be assured only within the framework of freedom and democracy. If people 
aren't free, it is likely that women will be suppressed.
    Human rights are defined by a constitution. They're defended by an 
impartial rule of law. They're secured in a pluralistic society. The 
advance of women's rights and the advance of liberty are ultimately 
inseparable. America stands with the world's oppressed peoples. We've 
got to speak clearly for freedom, and we will, in places like Cuba or 
North Korea or Zimbabwe or Burma.
    We stand with courageous reformers. Aung San Suu Kyi is a courageous 
reformer and a remarkable woman who remains under house arrest for her 
efforts to bring democracy to her nation. Earlier today, the Libyan 
Government released Fathi Jahmi. She's a local government official who 
was imprisoned in 2002 for advocating free speech and democracy. It's an 
encouraging step toward reform in Libya. You probably have heard, Libya 
is beginning to change her attitude about a lot of things. We hope that 
more such steps will follow in Libya and around the world.
    The advance of freedom cannot be held back forever. And America is 
working to hasten the day when freedom comes to every single nation. We 
understand a free world is more likely to be a peaceful world.
    When Iran's Shirin Ebadi accepted the Nobel for peace--Nobel Prize 
for Peace last year, here's what she said: ``If the 21st century wishes 
to free itself from the cycle of violence and acts of terror and war and 
avoid repetition of the experience of the 20th century, there is no 
other way except by understanding and putting into practice every human 
right for all mankind, irrespective of race and gender, faith, 
nationality, or social status.'' That's a powerful statement coming from 
Iran. No wonder she won the Nobel Prize. She's a proud Iranian. She is a 
devout Muslim. She believes that democracy is consistent with Islamic 
teachings. And we share in this belief. That's what we believe in 
America. A religion that demands individual moral accountability and 
encourages the encounter of the individual with God is fully compatible 
with the rights and responsibilities of self-government. Promotion of 
democracy in the greater Middle East is important. It's a priority of 
ours. And it will be a long and difficult road. But we're on the way.
    Three years ago, the nation of Afghanistan was the primary training 
ground for Al Qaida. You heard Laura talk about the movie ``Osama.'' See 
it. It'll help enrich the words I'm about to say: The Taliban were 
incredibly barbaric. It's hard for the American mind to understand 
``barbaric.'' Watch the movie. Women were forbidden from appearing in 
public unescorted. That's barbaric. Women were prohibited from holding 
jobs. It's impossible for young girls to get an education. That's 
barbaric. It's not right.
    Today, the Taliban regime is gone, thank goodness. Girls are back in 
class. The amazing accomplishment, though, is that Afghanistan has a new 
constitution that guarantees

[[Page 398]]

full participation by women. The constitution is a milestone in 
Afghanistan's history. It's really a milestone in world history, when 
you think about it. All Afghan citizens, regardless of gender, now have 
equal rights before the law.
    The new lower house of Parliament will guarantee places for women. 
Women voters in Afghanistan, as Laura said, are registering at a faster 
rate than men for the June election. What's new? [Laughter] Afghanistan 
still has challenges ahead, no doubt about it. But now the women of that 
country, instead of living in silence and fear, are a part of the future 
of the country. They're a part of a hopeful tomorrow.
    Iraq has a different history and yet a different set of challenges. 
Only one year ago--only one year after being liberated from an 
incredibly ruthless person and a ruthless regime, Iraqi women are 
playing an essential part in rebuilding the nation. They're part of the 
future of the country.
    Every woman in Iraq is better off because the rape rooms and torture 
chambers of Saddam Hussein are forever closed. He is a barbaric person. 
He violated people in such a brutal way that some never thought that the 
spirit of Iraq could arise again. We never felt that way here in this 
administration. We felt that people innately love freedom and if just 
given a chance, if given an opportunity, they will rise to the 
challenge.
    Three women now serve on the Iraqi Governing Council. You just heard 
me praise one. The historic document that was written recently 
guarantees the basic rights of all Iraqis, men and women, including 
freedoms of worship, expression, and association. The document protects 
unions and political parties and outlaws discrimination based on gender, 
ethnic class, and religion. It's an amazing document that's been 
written.
    Iraqi women are already using their new political powers to guard 
against extremism and intolerance in any form, whether it be religious 
or secular. The women leaders of Afghanistan and Iraq have shown 
incredible courage. When you think about what life was like months ago 
for many women, the fact that they have risen up is a testament to their 
souls, to their very being, their bravery. Some have paid for their new 
freedoms with their lives, but in so doing, their sons and daughters 
will be forever grateful. These leaders have sent a message throughout 
the Middle East and throughout the world: Every man and women in every 
culture was born to live in freedom.
    The momentum of liberty is building in the Middle East. Just think 
about what's taken place recently. In 2002, Bahrain elected its own 
parliament for the first time in nearly three decades. Liberty is 
marching. Oman has extended the vote to all adult citizens. On Monday, 
its Sultan appointed the nation's first female cabinet minister. We're 
making progress on the road to freedom. Qatar has a new constitution. 
Yemen has a multiparty political system. Kuwait has a directly elected 
national assembly. Jordan held historic elections last summer. Times are 
changing.
    America is taking the side of those reformers who are committed to 
democratic change. It is our calling to do so. It is our duty to do so. 
I proposed doubling the budget for the National Endowment for Democracy 
to $80 million. We will focus its new work on bringing free elections 
and free markets and free speech and free labor unions to the Middle 
East.
    By radio and television, we're broadcasting the message of tolerance 
and truth in Arabic and Persian to tens of millions of people. And our 
Middle East Partnership Initiative supports economic and political and 
educational reform throughout the region. We're building women's centers 
in Afghanistan and Iraq that will offer job training and provide loans 
for small businesses and teach women about their rights as citizens and 
human beings. We're active. We're strong in the pursuit of freedom. We 
just don't talk a good game in America, we act.
    In Afghanistan, the U.S.-Afghan Women's Council is developing 
projects to improve the education of women and to train the leaders of 
tomorrow. You heard Laura talk about her deep desire to help train women 
to become teachers, not only in the cities but in the rural parts of 
Afghanistan. We'll succeed. We'll follow through on that initiative. 
We're pursuing a forward strategy of freedom--that's how I like to 
describe it, a forward strategy of freedom in the Middle East. And I 
believe

[[Page 399]]

there's no doubt that if America stays the course and we call upon 
others to stay the course, liberty will arrive and the world will be 
better off.
    The momentum of freedom in the Middle East is beginning to benefit 
women. That's what's important for this conference. A free society is a 
society in which women will benefit.
    I want to remind you of what King Mohamed of Morocco said when he 
proposed a series of laws to protect women and their families. It's a 
remarkable statement. It's like he's put the stake in the ground for 
women's rights. He said, ``How can society achieve progress while women, 
who represent half the nation, see their rights violated and suffer as a 
result of injustice and violence and marginalization, notwithstanding 
the dignity and justice granted to them by our glorious religion.'' It's 
a strong statement of freedom. He's right. America stands with His 
Majesty and others who share that basic belief. The future of Muslim 
nations will be better off for all with the full participation of women.
    These are extraordinary times, historic times. We've seen the fall 
of brutal tyrants. We're seeing the rise of democracy in the Middle 
East. We're seeing women take their rightful place in societies that 
were once incredibly oppressive and closed. We're seeing the power and 
appeal of liberty in every single culture. And we're proud once again--
this Nation is proud--to advance the cause of human rights and human 
freedom.
    I want to thank you all for serving the cause. The cause is just, 
the cause is right, and the cause is good. May God bless.

Note: The President spoke at 2:34 p.m. in the the East Room at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Karen Hughes, former Counselor to 
the President; Dr. Raja Habib Khuzai, member, Iraqi Governing Council; 
Shamim Jawad, wife of Said Tayeb Jawad, Afghanistan's Ambassador to the 
U.S.; Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy of 
Burma; and Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said and Minister of Higher 
Education Rawya bint Saud al-Bussaidi of Oman. The transcript released 
by the Office of the Press Secretary also included the remarks of the 
First Lady.