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Working for Women Worldwide - Embassy of the United States

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As <strong>the</strong> section on economic empowerment shows,<br />

<strong>the</strong> <strong>United</strong> <strong>States</strong> <strong>of</strong>fers many programs to help countries<br />

develop market-based economies that create a climate<br />

in which men and women can go as far and as fast<br />

as energy and talent can take <strong>the</strong>m. Particularly in<br />

developing countries, <strong>the</strong> <strong>United</strong> <strong>States</strong> is an advocate<br />

<strong>for</strong> women’s property and inheritance rights, as well as<br />

equal access to credit and business opportunities. But<br />

<strong>the</strong> <strong>United</strong> <strong>States</strong> also backs up its advocacy with a<br />

major commitment to providing micr<strong>of</strong>inance and<br />

o<strong>the</strong>r entrepreneurial opportunities.<br />

U.S. support <strong>for</strong> microenterprise development<br />

has exceeded $150 million each year <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> past five<br />

years. A large proportion <strong>of</strong><br />

this assistance supports microcredit<br />

programs in developing<br />

countries, <strong>for</strong> which 70 percent<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> clients are women.<br />

Through such programs, millions<br />

<strong>of</strong> women have <strong>the</strong> means<br />

to better <strong>the</strong>ir own lives and<br />

contribute to <strong>the</strong> economic<br />

revitalization <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir communities<br />

and <strong>the</strong>ir countries.<br />

USAID provides grants<br />

<strong>for</strong> women’s agriculture cooperatives,<br />

and <strong>the</strong> U.S. Department<br />

<strong>of</strong> State’s International<br />

Visitor Program provides study tours <strong>for</strong> women<br />

entrepreneurs. The State Department’s Middle East<br />

Partnership Initiative supports a program that equips<br />

young Arab women business representatives with substantive<br />

experience and tools to participate in <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

countries’ re<strong>for</strong>m process.<br />

The 2002 Helsinki <strong>Women</strong>’s Business Summit<br />

was <strong>the</strong> largest ever public-private outreach program<br />

between <strong>the</strong> <strong>United</strong> <strong>States</strong> and countries in <strong>the</strong> Baltic<br />

region. We hope this will become a model <strong>for</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r<br />

regions to promote trade, commerce, and women’s<br />

economic empowerment.<br />

Experience shows that nothing is more effective<br />

in building entrepreneurship than person-to-person<br />

assistance. The U.S.-Afghan <strong>Women</strong>’s Council is<br />

based on this principle. Since 2002, U.S. and Afghan<br />

women have partnered to enable <strong>the</strong> Afghan women to<br />

take on political and economic leadership roles in <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

country. The council places top priority on education<br />

and micr<strong>of</strong>inance. For example, Connie Duckworth, a<br />

member <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> council, has established a microenterprise<br />

cooperative <strong>for</strong> Afghan women to make and<br />

export rugs. The company, Arzu, placed its first order<br />

<strong>for</strong> carpets on International <strong>Women</strong>’s Day in 2004.<br />

Finally, <strong>the</strong> <strong>United</strong> <strong>States</strong> has created a new program<br />

to award additional aid to countries that govern<br />

justly, invest in <strong>the</strong>ir people, and encourage economic<br />

freedom. The requirements <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Millennium<br />

Challenge Account include education <strong>for</strong> women and<br />

girls, respect <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir human rights, and o<strong>the</strong>r per<strong>for</strong>mance<br />

indicators that benefit women’s economic<br />

advancement in developing countries.<br />

Government and Civil Society:<br />

Empowering <strong>Women</strong> Leaders<br />

Empowering women economically<br />

goes hand in hand with<br />

empowering <strong>the</strong>m politically.<br />

True democracy does not exist<br />

where half <strong>the</strong> population is<br />

excluded from policymaking,<br />

political processes, and power<br />

structures. Without <strong>the</strong>ir political<br />

voice, women cannot share<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir perspective, or draw<br />

attention to <strong>the</strong>ir hardships, or<br />

recommend preventive actions<br />

or means <strong>of</strong> redress.<br />

As <strong>the</strong> stories on political<br />

empowerment demonstrate, <strong>the</strong> <strong>United</strong> <strong>States</strong> believes<br />

women’s political participation is essential to promoting<br />

freedom, democracy, development, and peace and<br />

to streng<strong>the</strong>ning civil society.<br />

In 2003, I was proud to lead successful negotiations<br />

at <strong>the</strong> <strong>United</strong> Nations on a resolution advancing<br />

women’s political participation. The <strong>United</strong> <strong>States</strong><br />

helped craft a blueprint <strong>of</strong> steps governments and civil<br />

society can take to advance women’s political participation.<br />

One hundred and 10 countries joined us as cosponsors<br />

<strong>of</strong> this resolution. Already I have heard that<br />

some countries are using <strong>the</strong>se guidelines to design<br />

legislation and programs that encourage women to<br />

become more politically active. It is a good first step,<br />

but like so many o<strong>the</strong>r ef<strong>for</strong>ts, <strong>the</strong>re must be <strong>the</strong> political<br />

will to implement change <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> long term.<br />

Above, Parool Mia, a rice farmer’s wife in Maria Village,<br />

Bangladesh, feeding her cow. Facing page, Iraqi women paste<br />

up election posters on a wall in central Baghdad.<br />

6

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