I still hear their cries as they pleaded for me to “bear witness to our suffering,” and “to help us solve our own problems.”  These Afghan women know they are now among the poorest of the world’s poor, telling me “we are now a nation of female beggars.” But most tragically of all they know “the world has forgotten us.”

The Afghans are hungry and traumatized, with no health services to care for them, no access to education to teach them skills or societal resources to assist them in gaining them, while they are forbidden from operating civic institutions.

These are the yet unheard voices of the grassroots community leaders who are rebuilding the shattered lives of traumatized women, men, elderly, handicapped, orphaned children and landmine victims ‑ against all odds. But if you presume that the work of these courageous women and men are supported by international relief agencies you are mistaken.

I found a massive deterioration in the situation of Afghans living in Pakistan from even two years ago. I was ardently sought out by ordinary Afghan citizens, the youth, community leaders as well as political leaders all beseeching me to witness the effect of misguided refugee policies and their callous disregard for human lives.

Since the advent of the Taliban and ensuing gender‑restraining edicts against women, much attention in the West has been focused on what has come to be known as “gender‑apartheid.” Although American feminists and the media have rightly focused on the situation of Afghan women, no attention has been paid to the supportive role of their Afghan men. These Afghan women‑led community‑based groups lack training, information, permits, fax machines, telephones, paid staff and computers to conduct their services. But most important of all, Afghan women lack mobility.

Afghan men have stepped in to provide women‑specific education, agricultural training, and serve as intermediaries in the market place. Afghan women I interviewed repeatedly requested that their men be supported in order to advance the cause of Afghan women and not be classified as part of the problem. I was heartened to witness the passionate defense of Afghan women's leadership and empowerment by Afghan men from various ethnicities. However, in the West this vital contribution is missed.

It is imperative that the international community under the leadership of the United States broadens its approach to defining human rights. For example, human rights must constitute:

the right of women-headed households to safe return, the right to development, the right to education, the right to legal and physical protection, and the right to taking up positions in government posts, the right to health care, the right to access the Afghan society's resources among rights are vital to ensure that the rights of Afghan women are restored.

The United States can play an important to promoting the rights of Afghan women by supporting the creation and institutionalization of the Afghan Women's Ministry of Afghan Affairs.  This newly established ministry can an vital role in the developing the future Constitution of Afghanistan, ensuring that women's status is preserved and promoted, the rule of law and domestic legislation is developed and reformed to meet the particular rights of Afghan women.  

In an attempt to alleviate the harsh effects of Taliban edicts barring female education, priority funds must be appropriated to build schools for Afghan children.  There is an urgent need to undo the damaging effects of the Taliban-syle madrasa system of education which has corrupted the minds of Afghan youth.  Funds to support access of Afghan students to a standard curriculum which promotes gender sensitivity and access of basic teaching materials such as textbooks, library, labs, and equipment is necessary. Teacher training, and development of special education systems taking the needs of handicapped and orphaned children is necessary.  Schooling for both young boys as well as girls must be equitable. No child must be left behind.  “Keeping girls from education is tantamount to cutting off one arm, keeping boys from education cuts off the other. We need both arms to function in the Afghan society.”

Repatriation

While it is evident that conditions inside Afghanistan are far from conducive to the return of Afghan refugees in “safety and dignity,” the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the U.S. government must fund a massive program to expedite the voluntary return of Afghans from neighboring Iran and Pakistan.

 Sustainable Responses For The Future

A major shift in policy is the only solution to the dire problems of the roughly estimated 24 million Afghan people, of which according to the latest CIA estimates l2 million are women. But in order for that to happen, the West must listen to the voices of the vast majority of Afghans who are willing and capable of ushering in democratic change.

 Sustainable progress in the reform process, respect for human rights particularly women's rights, the democratic rule of law all contribute to the creation of peaceful conditions and the rooting out of all forms of extremism and terrorism. 

 A precedent has already been set in the UN Peace Talks on Afghanistan with regard to the role of women delegates in the peace talks as well as in the peace agreement which ensures the future government of Afghanistan is representative of the Afghan society taking the role of Afghan women into account at the highest levels of a post-Taliban government.  Ensuring the rightful place of Afghan women in decision making positions in the Interim Authority, Emergency Loya Jirga, Loya Jirga proper and the future government of Afghanistan is essential.  The United States can play a vital role in using its financial and diplomatic leverage with the United Nations to ensure that Afghan women are granted their rightful place in the future government and civil society sectors of the future government of Afghanistan.  Now is the time to convert human rights and gender rhetoric into action on the ground. 

 Afghans want to be linked with democratic‑minded and civic institutions in the free world. But they need technical assistance and access to information technology  in order to implement exchange programs with the West. Rapid and long‑term development projects aimed at strengthening Afghan community‑based institutions through direct financial aid are priorities consistently identified by the Afghan people.