Kavita Ramdas, CEO Global Fund for Women 9-6-02 0:27:28 -

The Global Fund for Women is a grantmaking foundation supporting women's human rights organizations in 160 countries around the world working to address critical issues such as gaining economic independence, increasing girls' access to education, and stopping violence against women. provides support for women.

In the interview, Ms. Ramdas said 9/11 was an attack against all of us. There was a collective holding our breath: Would violence be met with more violence. Their hope was that dialogue would be used to solve the problem, not more war. The Global Fund for Women had been working with women in Afghanistan since 1990. The women in Afghanistan had experienced twenty-five years of war. There is great concern for the well being, health, and education of women in Afghanistan.

In the interview Ms. Ramdas said that removing the Taliband from Afghanistan did not address the larger issues that face women in Afghanistan. Ms. Ramdas also expressed concern over the erosion of civil liberties since 9-11. Often she is pulled out of line at the airport and she worries about her husband who was born in Pakistan. She says that the United States is very influential and leads by example so when we support Saudi Arabia and Kuwait where women continue to be oppressed it shows that the United States is not consistent in applying its principles of human rights. She further worries that the terrorist attack distracts the United States from helping to prevent AIDS, environmental degradation, poverty, and ignorance.

See their web page at http://www.globalfundforwomen.org