KABUL -The Afghan Government reiterated its commitment today to strengthen and build upon the women’s rights achievements made during the past 13 years.

“We want to create sustainable transformations for women in society,” said the President of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani, in a speech in Kabul at a ceremony held to commemorate International Women’s Day.

In the event, organized by the Afghan Ministry of Women’s Affairs in collaboration the United Nations, President Ghani said the Afghan Government is committed to bringing fundamental and sustainable change for Afghan women. He said the Afghan Constitution gives due rights to women. The Government, he said, will fulfil its commitments concerning women’s rights by ensuring full implementation of the constitution.

The President outlined several points in his administration’s general approach to supporting women’s socioeconomic development in the years ahead, including with a new women’s university that will be built in Kabul with the assistance of the Government of Turkey.

“I have asked that all the foreign-funded projects being implemented in Afghanistan go through a comprehensive assessment,” he said. “In the coming weeks, all the projects will be re-categorized on the basis of our priorities, and women’s issues will be given special consideration in each project.”

International Women’s Day is celebrated each year on 8 March around the world with the aim of recognizing the challenges women face and focusing greater attention on women’s rights. The theme of this year’s Women’s Day is “Empowering Women, Empowering Humanity.”