Thank you.
First, I want to tell you that during this year in Afghanistan, women have achieved much. For example, we have a new constitution. This is the first time Afghanistan has this. There is no discrimination, and no violence, and women and men have the same rights in our constitution.
Also, women have the opportunity to participate in social, political, and economic life. You know, there are a lot of women now in Parliament since these two elections, presidential and also parliamentary. They are very active in participating in this process.
And also, we have a women's ministry. We have a human rights commission, and civil society is very active. So we are happy about this.
This is also, I think, quite an achievement for our male-dominated society, but this is not enough. Until now there has been a lot of violence against women. For example, in the six months since January, every month there has been self-immolation and also a lot of rape and sexual harassment against women. And women haven't had any security, and there has been poverty and everything. So women in Afghanistan have had a lot of problems until now, which is why we need you and we need the support of the international community, and it is our hope that you won't forget us.
We have started this process for democracy and also social justice in Afghanistan, but we need your support. We are moving fast, but we have to go a lot further, and our progress is short. We have to go a long way, and also we have a lot of problems and challenges. We really need your support in Afghanistan.
I think when the international community came to Afghanistan, a big goal was to defend women's rights in Afghanistan, and you know what has happened now in Afghanistan with women's rights.
Women don't have security, and now every day Afghanistan's enemies burn girls' schools. And they make a chemical treatment and they put it in the face of women in Kandahar. And there is also what has happened in Kapisa Province and Parwan Province in girls' schools.
This is closing the way for progress for women. Now women and girls are afraid, and every family worries about that when they are sending their children to school. They worry about what may happen to their children and what may happen to their girls because of the kidnapping and everything that has happened. And there is no guarantee against that happening or that the girls will return home. And we are all mothers. We are worried when we are sending our girls to school. We don't know. Even in kindergarten we don't know if they will come back or not.
So this situation is very bad. And we women need your support. And also I speak for all women in Afghanistan. Please don't forget us. We really need your support.