The Alliance for Afghan Women’s Economic Resilience (AWER) is a public-private alliance developed in partnership between Boston University and the U.S. Department of State [dcd10915]. AWER aims to support women's rights in Afghanistan by promoting economic agency, addressing gender inequality, and promoting entrepreneurship and education [dcd10915]. Under Taliban rule, women in Afghanistan are denied universal human rights and freedom [dcd10915]. AWER recognizes the importance of the United Nations Charter in upholding the universal human rights of men and women [dcd10915]. By reintroducing women into the workforce, Afghanistan's economy could benefit from an estimated $1 billion, leading to reduced poverty rates and stronger communities [dcd10915]. AWER utilizes resources from the public and private sectors, including government resources and academic research from Boston University's Pardee School [dcd10915]. The project lead, Rachel Brulé, promotes women empowerment through the study of economics and believes in women's active participation in contributing to global welfare [dcd10915]. Boston University's Pardee School provides academic expertise through research, data, and policy planning to support AWER's strategy [dcd10915]. The partnership allows students to participate in collaborative programs and research opportunities with the U.S. Department of State [dcd10915]. The U.S. government believes that building more opportunities for equality leads to sustainable economic stability and security [dcd10915]. The government has also partnered with Afghanistan's economic leaders and Switzerland to introduce the Afghan Fund, providing funds for the reserves in the Afghan Central Bank [dcd10915]. AWER is a testament to the power of organizations coming together with a common vision to support women's rights and economic resilience in Afghanistan [dcd10915].
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will deliver remarks at the AWER Summit on Tuesday, February 27, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. ET at the U.S. Department of State [a3d351f1]. The Summit will be co-hosted by the U.S. Department of State and Boston University [a3d351f1]. The AWER Summit aims to convene the private sector, civil society, academia, and governments to share the newest AWER initiatives and engage stakeholders on how they can partner with the Alliance to advance shared objectives [a3d351f1]. AWER is a public-private partnership between the Department of State and Boston University, launched by Secretary Blinken in 2022 [a3d351f1]. It aims to catalyze innovative and scalable collaborations to support Afghan women and girls' access to education, employment, and entrepreneurship [a3d351f1]. The Secretary's remarks will be open to the press and streamed live on www.state.gov and www.YouTube.com/statedept [a3d351f1].
On June 8, participants in the first Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) program in Turkmenistan submitted their business proposals to a panel of experts in Ashgabat [e3397f26]. The event marked the conclusion of the AWE program launched by the U.S. Embassy in Turkmenistan in partnership with the Union of Economists of Turkmenistan in March this year [e3397f26]. AWE is a U.S. State Department program that provides women entrepreneurs with the knowledge, networks, and access required to start and grow successful businesses [e3397f26]. The first 50 Turkmen graduates of the program now join a global community of over 25,000 AWE alumnae [e3397f26].