U.S.-Afghan Women's Council's "Women in Government"

Secretary of State Colin L. Powell met with 14 Afghan women participants from the U.S.-Afghan Women’s Council program "U.S. Leadership Management and Computer Education" at a reception hosted by Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs Paula J. Dobriansky and Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Patricia S. Harrison.

The Council has brought Afghan women working in various ministries of the government to the United States for four weeks under the State Department’s International Visitor program. The International Visitors Program brings participants to the United States from all over the world each year to meet and confer with their professional counterparts and to experience the United States firsthand. This program will focus on computer education, proposal development, communications and leadership management.

During their stay in the U.S., the participants will have a chance to meet and build relationships with U.S. Government officials, representatives of Non-Governmental Organizations and other members of the donor community. Their itinerary also includes visits to Los Angeles, Denver, Atlanta, Austin, and New York. The goal of the project is to build local capacity to support Afghan women.