Dianne Feinstein: “I rise this morning alongside my colleagues Senators Hutchison and Mikulski to voice my support for the Afghan Women and…”

“I rise this morning alongside my colleagues Senators Hutchison and Mikulski to voice my support for the Afghan Women and Children's Relief Act of 2001, which I am proud to cosponsor. This bill authorizes the President to provide educational and health care assistance to the women and children living in Afghanistan and as refugees in neighboring countries. This is an important new front in our war against terrorism--and for the people of Afghanistan--and a much overdue one at that. For over twenty years Afghanistan has known little but violence, bloodshed, and civil war. It has seen mass killings, disappearances, land mines, child soldiers, and one of the world's largest refugee outflows and internally displaced populations in history. And, since the Taliban takeover in 1996, Afghanistan has also been witness to a horrifying war against women. Until the accession of the Taliban women in Afghanistan were involved in public life, had access to education, were able to travel freely within their own country, and had access to jobs. Indeed, many were professionals--doctors, nurses, and teachers. But under the Taliban women have been systematically denied access to education and health care. They have been denied access to employment. They have been forced to wear burkas, an all-encompassing garment, if they go out in public--something they can only do if accompanied by a male relative.”