Afghanistan region reaches female registration goal

[darrels joy]

Afghanistan?s goal of having women account for 50 percent of registering voters was recently surpassed in the central highlands region.

Statistics for this region show a positive trend, particularly when accounting for women registrants, all a result of cooperative effort between the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and coalition forces, officials said.

June 28th statistics from the central highlands reflect 169,774 men and 190,116 women, or 52.8 percent women have registered to vote in the country?s first national election to be held in September. These numbers make up approximately one third of available voters in that region.

The Provincial Reconstruction Team located near Bamyan, ran by personnel drawn from the New Zealand Defense Force, has been integral in the successes seen throughout that area, officials said.

?By conducting presence patrols in known trouble spots in the area, we have been able to provide reassurance that it is safe for people to come out and register to vote,? said Lt. Col. Dave Pirie, the chief of staff for the PRT.

By working closely with UNAMA security and registration workers, the PRT has provided vital support to the registration process.

?Our patrols have visited nearly every one of the 176 registration sites within Bamyan Province,? Pirie said.


Note: (Editor's note: This article first distributed via the Army's new Digital Video and Imagery Distribution site, or DVIDs.)