The emergence of women in the political, economic, social and educational spheres is one of the most potent forces contributing to the transformation of societies in the Middle East and Central Asia. In recent historic elections in their own countries, the world saw Afghans and Iraqis risk their lives to vote. As a result, Afghan and Iraqi women are firmly planted in the parliament, local governing councils, and the executive branch of government. Iraqi women captured 31 percent of the 275 seats in the newly elected parliament. Afghan women are expected to score a significant number of victories in their country?s coming parliamentary elections. Both countries now have laws that guarantee women?s parliamentary representation.

We will stand with them, these ?founding mothers? of the new democracies in Afghanistan and Iraq. Two courageous patriots, Afghanistan?s Minister of Women?s Affairs Massouda Jalal and Iraq?s Minister of Women?s Affairs Narmin Othman, will be guests at events surrounding International Women?s Day celebrations in Washington, D.C., March 8. The United States realizes that despite the success of the recent elections, the people of Afghanistan and Iraq will face many challenges in the future and women?s participation and empowerment at all levels of society will be key to moving these new democracies forward.

President Bush has said, ?Our goal ... is to help others find their own voice, attain their own freedom and make their own way.? The United States is putting resources behind these words.

<B>Public-private partnerships</B>

Since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, the United States, with funding from government and private sources, has implemented more than 200 projects for Afghan women to increase their political participation, build civil society, create economic opportunities, support the education of women and girls and provide greater access to health care.

President Bush and Afghan President Karzai gave added impetus to this effort when they created the U.S.-Afghan Women?s Council (USAWC) more than three years ago. Since then, the council has been promoting public-private partnerships between US and Afghan institutions and mobilizing private sector resources to help Afghan women.

Since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, the United States has been making a similar effort to help Iraqi women in politics, economics, education, health care, human rights and other areas with a $10 million Iraqi Women?s Democracy Initiative. As partners in the pursuit of freedom, the United States will continue to support these women as they move toward building peaceful, prosperous and democratic societies.

What the United States is doing for women intensively in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is doing extensively throughout the Middle East through the Broader Middle East and North Africa and Middle East Partnership initiatives, both with the G-8 and bilaterally. Both these initiatives recognize the critical role of women in social, economic and political reform.

The women of Iraq and Afghanistan are finding their own voices, and they are being heard throughout the world. The American writer Zora Neale Hurston observed, ?Once you wake up thought in a person, you can never put it to sleep again.? The elections in Iraq and Afghanistan have wakened for millions in the Middle East the thought that democracy is within their reach, and that women will play a key role in the unfolding of that democracy. This is a good thought to hold on to as we celebrate International Women?s Day, March 8, 2005.

<B>John Price

US Ambassador</B>