March 20, 2002

Representative Barbara Lee Passes Amendment to Fund Afghanistan Ministry for Women’s Affairs

Washington DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Congresswoman Juanita Millender McDonald (D-CA) today successfully offered an amendment to H.R. 3656, the Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002, in the International Relations Committee that authorizes funding for the Ministry for Women’s Affairs of Afghanistan.

H.R. 3656 authorizes over $1 billion over four years for humanitarian, economic and democratic development assistance for Afghanistan and was passed out of Committee by voice vote. The Lee-Millender-McDonald amendment which passed unanimously, authorizes funding to assist the Afghan Ministry of Women’s Affairs in carrying out its responsibilities for legal advocacy, education, vocational training, and women’s health programs.

"Women in Afghanistan are once again enjoying many freedoms that were denied them by the Taliban regime," said Lee. "We must do all we can to ensure that women are able to participate in all aspects of this new democracy."

"For the first time in five years young women are being allowed to attend school and do many things that we take for granted," said Lee. "This amendment will help ensure that the Ministry for Women’s Affairs will protect the basic rights that Afghan women deserve, and support their work to improve conditions of Afghan women."

Congresswoman Lee urged quick consideration of H.R. 3656 by the House of Representatives.

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