The Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan last year has produced a desperate humanitarian situation in the country. Nearly half of all households are experiencing acute food insecurity, maternal and infant mortality rates are rising quickly, and 97% of families are at risk of dropping below the poverty line.

Most concerning is the intentional and vicious erasure of women and girls from public life by the Taliban, especially the ban on girls’ access to secondary education and the rapid deterioration of education quality across the country.

Afghanistan under the Taliban is currently the only place in the world where girls’ education is banned. Islamic scholars, activists, and the leadership of other Muslim-majority countries agree that gender-based exclusion in education is not justified.

In the aftermath of the international withdrawal, Afghan women have endured some of the most disturbing consequences of the Taliban’s brutal pursuit for power coupled with indifference from the international community. Far more needs to be done to support Afghan women and children, especially in the education space.

What is happening to the women and girls of Afghanistan creates not simply a moral imperative, but a growing threat to regional and even global peace, prosperity, and security.

Every Afghan, regardless of gender, geography, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, needs to see their fundamental rights respected and protected. For peace and prosperity everywhere – now more than ever – the administration, Congress, international policymakers, the media, and the private and philanthropic sectors each have a role to play.

“Only countries where all people are involved can be successful. When we look around the world and we see countries where half of the population is marginalized or left out, then we usually see countries that are failing.” – Mrs. Laura Bush, Global Women’s Network, 2015

Secretary of State Antony Blinken launched the Alliance for Afghan Women’s Economic Resilience (AWER) on September 20 on the margins of the UN General Assembly. AWER is a new public-private partnership between the Department of State and Boston University that aims to catalyze business, philanthropic, and civil society commitments to advance Afghan women’s entrepreneurship, employment, and educational opportunities in Afghanistan and third countries.

In his remarks, Secretary Blinken highlighted AWER’s first initiative, the Million Women Mentors Initiative for Afghan Women and Girls (MWMA), which aims to accelerate private sector and civil society commitments to mentor one million women and girls over the next five years. He noted Deloitte’s commitment to work with the Alliance’s first member Pod in mentoring 2,000 Afghan women under MWMA as an example of how AWER aims to foster economic opportunity for Afghan women and girls.

This announcement follows $1.5 million in additional Department of State funding for this effort, including funds from the Gender Equity and Equality Action Fund that supports the economic security of women and girls globally, to advance Afghan women’s access to business incubation and partnership with the private sector.

The launch event convened leaders from the private sector, civil society, the U.S. and foreign governments, and Afghan women entrepreneurs and business leaders. It featured a panel discussion on public-private opportunities to advance Afghan women’s economic security. Panelists included: Her Royal Highness Princess Sarah Zeid, Maternal and Child Health Advocate, Fereshteh Forough, CEO, Code to Inspire; Ayesha Hashem, Public Policy Manager, South Asia, Meta; Manizha Wafeq, Co-Founder, Afghanistan Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry; and Nell Todd, Managing Director, Deloitte Consulting LLP. Other event speakers included Katrina Fotovat, Senior Official in the Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues, Rina Amiri, Special Envoy for Afghan Women, Girls, and Human Rights, and Thomas West, Special Representative for Afghanistan.

AWER creates a pathway to generate sustainable, market-driven solutions to Afghan women’s economic security and underscores the United States’ deep commitment to Afghan women and girls.