President Karzai Congratulates Women on
International Women's Day - Excerpts from President's
Speech
Released by the Office of the Spokesman to the President Islamic
Republic of Afghanistan
03/08/2005
Presidential Palace, Kabul - H.E. Hamid
Karzai, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, congratulates
today the women of Afghanistan and the world on the International
Women's Day.
Addressing a celebration of Women's Day Ceremony
organized this morning by the Ministry of Women's Affairs in
the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul, the President said:
Women's Day
I am very happy that we are celebrating Women's Day in Afghanistan
today. During the last three years, the Afghan women saw tremendous
progress and strengthened their position in society. Afghan
women showed that they know their rights and that they can make
use of them in the best way possible in accordance to our religion
and culture.
Achievements in Women's Rights
Today, Women play an important role in Afghanistan: In the last
two Loya Jirgas, women's participation was in many ways more
active than men's. 42% of voters taking part in the Presidential
Elections were women. We have 3 women Ministers in the Cabinet;
we have women Deputy Ministers and women as Heads of Departments
in the government institutions. According to our Constitution,
at least 25% of the seats of our Parliament will be occupied
by women.
Early Marriages
Of course, women in Afghanistan still encounter challenges.
Girls are married in their childhood or married off to resolve
disputes. These practices are cruel, against our religion, and
no longer acceptable.
Afghanistan Is Every Afghan's Home
Afghanistan does not belong to the four or five major ethnic
groups. Smaller ethnic groups, such as Qirghiz and others, have
as much right to this country as the four or five major ethnic
groups. The people of Afghanistan are the owners of their country.
Child Kidnapping
Ever since terrorists were defeated in Afghanistan, they've
tried to harm our people in whatever way possible. But every
time, they have lost and we have overcome the threat. The biggest
defeat of terrorists in Afghanistan was the elections in October
2004. One horrible method that terrorists have used is to kidnap
our children from the streets. This is a heinous crime and it
is the Government's responsibility to fight this crime and ensure
the safety of its people. I have sent the Minister of the Interior
to Kandahar today to investigate the recent cases of child kidnapping
in Kandahar and the demonstrations by our people yesterday.
Commitment to Administrative Reform
The solution to our problems lies in bringing real reform in
our administration, and in this regard, I will not accept friendships,
connections, or any other considerations. I won't have regard
for whether people have supported my elections campaign. By
voting for me as their President, people are expecting me to
improve their Government for them and I will not stop at personal
or political connections to do this
