as a senator and secretary of sta state, i've met with business people, diplomats, our brave troo troops as well as our brave shared participation by the international community all of hoom have sacrificed for the promise of a safe and secure afghanistan. but i actually come back to the time when i met a remarkable woman who is changing afghanistan. roya is chief executive of a software development firm called citadel. and the local authorities did

absolutely everything they could to stop her dead in her tracks. they even pressured her family to close her company, but she like a lot of the women sitting here and like so many women across afghanistan absolutely refused to be in-tim gated. the first time she competed for an afghan government proper correc project, she went up against six businesses led by men and she won. and it's a good thing because she's invested almostshe went u businesses led by men and she won. and it's a good thing because she's invested almost all of her profits to provide internet access to 35,000 girls. and she's just getting started. today she has plans to help five times as many girls across afghanistan. now i'm sure you'll hear this in the discussion in a little while. it is hard enough to start your own business anywhere else in the world. but to start it in afghanistan,

fight against incredible outrage, is shear guts and current and determination. she never backed down. instead she's using hert talent and money to connect boys and girls to a global community and global economy where all of us are connected to each other. that's the world women in afghanistan want to share into. as she said to me, she doesn't want to be the only woman who is an entrepreneur in afghanistan. shall i wants all where i am to have that opportunity. and she believes nothing should stop any of them.i wants all wh have that opportunity. and she believes nothing should stop any of them. i'm serious when i tell you that i think of her and the women like her every time i hear the amazing numbers that illustrate how far this country has come

since 2001 and that underscore what secretary clinton was saying about how lit ccritical choices are with respect to the future. in 2001 back then there were only 900,000 afghan children in school. and all of them were boys. today nearly 8 million students are in school and more than a third of them are girls. think about what that means for the future. in 2001, maternal mortality was 1600 per 100,000 births. today it's down by 80%. in 2001, life expectancy for the average afghan was 42 years. today it's 62 years. and rising. in 2001, 9% of afghans had access to basic health care.

today 60% of afghans live within an hour of basic health services. in 2001, there was only one television station and it was owned by the government. today there are 75 stations and only two -- and all of those but two are privately owned. in 2001, there were virtually no cell phones in the country. today there are 18 million covering about 90% of residential areas. 80% of afghan women now have access to cell phone meaning that they are connected to their families, their friends and most importantly they're connected to the world and to their futures. thanks to entrepreneurs, afghan women will also now be connected to the internet, too. ten years ago, it just would have been unfathomable to

imagine this. but because of so many acts of courage, this is the future we're watching afghan women build. as sepcretary clinton and laura bush and ambassadors powerfully remind us, when afghan women live longer and go to school in greater number, all afghan families and their communities will grow stronger. when afghan women run their own businesses, all afghans profit from more diverse, dynamic and inclusive economy. and when afghan women hold public office at the local and national levels, all afghans gain a stronger voice in their communities. that is the vision behind the united states national action plan of women, peace and security which hillary spoke about just a few minutes ago.

and that's why we're committed to bringing the perspectives of women and their full participation to bear going forward. now, what has moved me and i mean moved me, in my meetings with an impressive group of afghan women, when afghan women move forward, believe me, they never want to go back. not to the days when the taliban ruled afghanistan. not to the days before the taliban when the country was torn apart by violence. and that is why it is so important that we keep investing in and defending the progress that empowers afghan women as well as men to have their voices heard and to buy into their future and shape their future. what has been achieved is nothing less than remarkable. and if would have been more than

a tragedy if the world ever allowed this progress to be threatened. or worse yet abandoned. so the question now, where do we go from here. we're mindful of the challenges that afghan women ten to face. this is a critical moment. many of the women that i met share very legitimate concerns that the gains of the past decade could be lost. all that i talk about could be wiped out. and the truth is their anxiety that i hear when i visit afghanistan or you'll hear today is pal p pabl. many challenges still remain. and we remember too well the difficulties, the difficult history that led to the decades of war in afghanistan. we know the costs of walking

away believe me, afghan women know the costs because they have always paid the steepest price. so i say to you today, as afghanistan sees women standing up in afghanistan to take control of their country's future, not only for themselves, but for all afghans, we have to be determined that they will not stand alone. america will stand up with them as they shape a strong and united afghanistan that secures the rightful place in the community of nations. and that is why president obama and president karzai signed a have a tee strategic partnership agreement last year that lays out our mutual commitments. that's why america's relationship with afghans is changing. it's not ending.

there is stop to go. and obviously the road ahead is not easy. the violence that has plagued afghanistan for decades has left very deep wounds. and it is going to take time to heal. we himself know securialso know real challenge. afghans have to strengthen the rule of law, improve access to justice. we also know that discrimination and violence against women continue to be major problems. but i know every one of these women and women this afghanistan today will remain determined and we have an obligation to remain determined and stand by them. we intend to make clear that securing the rights of afghan women and girls is not just a challenge for this moment, it's

a generation al challenge. we've made a significant down payment, but finishing the job will take courage and not just the courage of women in afghanistan. as a proud father of two daughters, i have many times been reinforced in the fact that this job will require the courage of men, too. in afghanistan, it will take the courage of every man who defends his daughter's right to an equal education. it will take the courage of every brother who challenges the law that keeps his sister from owning property or opening a business. and every husband who not only promises that the cycle of domestic violence can stop with him, but who actually prove it is. we have spent a great blood and treasure in afghanistan. and that makes even greater our obligation to get this right. yes there are challenges ahead. for sure the transition is going to be did ticket.

but without question there is a world of possibilities staring us in the face. in fact the transition that we are talking about and now working on is really about three transitions. a political transition, a security transition and an economic transition. and no surprise afghan women are playing an integral role in all of them. just look at the political transition. we all know the single most important milestone over the next year is the peaceful transfer of power from president karzai to a democratically elected successor. the elections have to be on time. they have to be accountable and transparent and free. they have to result in an outcome that is perceived as legitimate by all segments of afghan society, above all, but also by the international community. above all, the elections obviously always especially tail competition and debate.

they have to be a up guying moment for the country. not a divisive one. as we speak, as we are here, afghan women are leading the charge to ensure that the elections next year are credible, inclusive and transparent. gulalai is it a teacher by profession, but she'sed a a passion for public service. she used to work as a human rights commissioner in kandahar. today she's serving on the independent election commission. she told president karzai she has only one character flaw. that she fears no one. we're deeply encouraged by the hundreds of women all over the country who are running for positions on councils and pleased to lend our support in partnership with the united

nations to train female volunteer as they facilitate secure access for women at the polls. there is no question that lasting security and prosperity and up filed afghanistan will take root only when women have as loud a voice as men, not just on election day, but every day. si success of the political transition is essential. but make no mistake, it's not enough. it is not sufficient and won't do the job alone. that's why the united states firmly supports and will continue to support an afghan-led peace and reconciliation effort as the surest way to end the violence and bring lasting stability to afghanistan in the region. but peace is only possible if it respects the historic achievements that afghanistan has made over the past decade. all those things i listed and

talked about including above all the protection of the rights of all afghans both men and women. and as part of the outcome of any process, the taliban and other armed opposition groups have to end the violence, break ties with al qaeda, accept afghanistan's constitution, including its provisions on women's right. those are the standards which will lead us in this effort. there can be no compromise on these points. and there can be no peace without respecting the rights of all afghans and afghan women have to have a seat at the table. afghan women are also at the forefront of the second part of the transition, the security transition. this is one of the most stunning things. you saw it in the video. these folks in uniform. unprecede unprecedented. they're joining the army and police and serving as judges,

prosecutors. in some of the most conservative parts of the country. it's an extraordinary trance information mailings. my team recently met with a female police officer from kabul.my team recently met with female police officer from kabul. for those of you who have been to afghanistan, you'll know there aren't too many female police officers. and even fewer of them are willing to step forward and tell their story. but on her way home from work one evening, this particular police officer heard another woman screaming inside a house. and when she heard the cries being she didn't run away, she didn't call someone else to go do the job. she knocked down the door in order to help. police officer went inside and she saw a woman inside badly beaten on the ground. and her husband was standing over her. without any hesitation, she was not intimidated, not an ounce of fear, she pushed the husband

aside and took the victim to her own house in order to record her statement and make a report. believe me, believe me, that is courage. and it's an example that all afghans can be proud of and for him. they can be proud that their security and law enforcement forces are growing stronger by the day, more capable by the day. and of course they can be proud that this past summer, the afghan national security forces took over the lead responsibility in providing security all across the country. as you know, we have made a commitment along with our nato partners to continue to support the afghan forces beyond 2014. should afghans approve within the next two weeks the bilateral security agreement.

make no mistake, bringing women into the force and supporting their safe and meaningful participation is going to be a key part of this transition. i'm pleased to report to you now that we are closer than ever to completing this task of defining our new partnership with afghanistan going well into the future. the bilateral security agreement when it is completed will help both countries to fulfill the long standing commitment that we made through a security partnership after 2014. but i want to underscore again that nothing, neither this agreement when completed nor the assistance that we provide, will replace the role that the afghan people themselves will play determining the future of their country. afghan women are also taking enormous risk to support afghan

through third transition, that's the economic transition. and women like hasena are leading the charge. i melt has ech s i met hasena in march. she started a trucking company with $500. now she has 500 trucks. of her 650 employees, 300 are women. who not so long ago would absolutely never have had the opportunity they have today. she told me that she always knew she wanted to be a business women when she grew up. and i asked why and she said severally because then i'll get to be my own boss. now, obviously that's not just an afghan trait. that's universal aspiration. but afghan women like hasena are forming connections not just within afghanistan, but all across the region. actually her trucking company is doing a great deal of work in

the outside of afghanistan in order to bring supplies and food and so forth into the country. what i found is that all of the afghans understand they may be land locked respect but they're not trapped and they refuse to be trapped. the reality is that afghanistan's fortunes are tied to the whole region. just as the future of the region is tied to the state of afghanistan. we call this the new silk road vision. which secretary clinton launched in july of 2011. it's a vision we believe in. and it's a vision we'll continue to work hard to implement. hasena knows the benefit of investing in women and girls are not limited to onevil village,

p province or one country. you remember the great quote of robert kennedy's about rippling and creating a huge current that sweeps to s down the mightiest of oppression. that's what's happening. and that's why investing in afghan women are so important. that's why we launched the women's initiative in order to link female entrepreneurs to markets in south and central asia. and that strength thens those women to have those connections to those other parts of the region. that's why we're investing in the education of afghan girls so they can break the cycle of poverty and become community leaders and engage citizen this is ways that inspire and actually strength then their neighbor's willingness to join them. that is the future that even here today we are all building

together. and that is the story that i want to leave you with today. as i was flying back from kabul in march, my staff handed me a letter from a young afghan girl who had earned a from kabul in march, my staff handed me a letter from a young afghan girl who won a scholarship. this girl has courage like the girls marching forward to define the future for afghanistan. she has the same vision as leaders like hillary rodham clinton and laura bush who know that no country can succeed if it leaves half of its people behind. the phrase hillary and i both loved as we heard it, the bird with two wings, you can't fly with one wing. one line in that girl's letter

stood out to me. she wrote about the importance of education and how her goal was not just to help herself but to lift her community, her society and her country just like the girls are doing today. you know what she wrote very simply? she said i want to be one of them. that's the power of example. that's the ripple fanning out to create. think about that for a moment. she feels ownership over the future she's creating in afghanistan. that's not something her sisters or her mother could say even a decade ago. girls all over afghanistan, believe me, i promise you, they are saying it today and they are living that dream thanks to the courage and leadership in afghanistan. our responsibility is clear. we need to make sure they succeed. this is one of those benchmark

moments not just for them but for all of us. what we care about, what we fight for and who we are. as we move forward, just keep thinking about that young girl who wrote that letter and the inspiration she draws from these women. she just wants to be one of them. making that happen is going to take every single one of us. thank you very much. >> thank you. thank you very much. now we get to the exciting part of the program. i want to invite secretary clinton, mrs. bush had iri and

the extraordinary colleagues to come up on stage so we have the opportunity to hear from her for a moment. then we'll go out and set up chairs and the program will continue. can i invite all of you up here, please.

>> thank you, secretary kerry. secretary clinton, mrs. bush, you have no idea how much your work has impacted afghan women in afghanistan. is a special honor for me to be on the stage with my afghan role models, afghan women leaders today. secretary kerry told you about the woman he met in afghanistan that showed him the change that is possible in my country. i see myself as one of those young women. my story is like theirs. like many afghan children, i saw the world through eyes of a refugee. i had dreams of my homeland. but my dreams only became a reality in 2002 when my family could finally return to

afghanistan. returning home was not easy. we had to make many adjustments. life was hard but we finally were home. my family took advantage of opportunities and sent me and my four sisters and my brother to school. well, i did well enough that i was able to become an exchange student in 11th grade in california. the move was not easy. i was alone. the culture was so different. but i learned new things. i had always believed that young people could make a difference, but i didn't know how. back home people either believed you had to do something really big or nothing. i learned from my fellow american students you could do very small things in the community like cleaning up your neighborhood. it doesn't look big through through small collective actions it makes a big difference.

then i went back home to kabul, i took lessons and talked to my fellow students and started mentoring other students. we thought about things we needed to change. for example, we were tired of being harassed every time we tried to live a normal life. like going to school or going shopping. my friends and i started anti-harassment campaign. we decided to go out, young men and women, and confront those people who harassed us. we organized a demonstration to make our voices heard. no one ever talked about these issues. we didn't even have a definition for harassment. but after our march, people started and began talking about it, and it was an example of a small collective action making a big impact. why am i telling you this story? well, i'm telling you this

because i want you to know that we are not stuck in the past. our country is made up of 60% men, young, and women. people around me for a change. women are not simply victims. we see ourselves as agents of chan change. my story is just one story. throughout afghanistan there are many of us. through small actions, sacrifices, working hard to transform our society and future, but we need your help, all of you. we have an expression in afghanistan that you cannot clap with one hand. we have raised our hand. join us to help our future. thank you. [ applause ]

>> ladies and gentlemen, please remain seated. the program will resume shortly with a conversation with secretary hillary clinton, mrs. laura bush and ambassador. >> more on the future of women in afghanistan with former first ladies hillary clinton and laura bush. they also spoke at this event held at georgetown university last week. it's 35 minutes. >> well, it's my pleasure as well to be able to welcome secretary clinton and mrs. bush back to georgetown and hear for this conversation this morning.

no one can question the commitment of either of you. i remember firsthand secretary clinton when you were first lady at the end of the '90s calling the world's attention to the abuses the taliban were perpetrating and how critical the afghan women were. and i remember so well, mrs. bush, when the military engagement called by your husband after 911 and you took the role of the radio address and told the world that the role of afghan women would be important to building their country. so you've heard a lot this morning. we're at a crossroads. the women have made enormous progress. they are very worried their progress may be reversed. there are important events