The Foreign Service Journal, May 2012

26 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / M A Y 2 0 1 2 stitution that protects the rights of all citizens equally, as well as creating the economic and social structures that underpin a future offering security and prosperity. How Can the U.S. Help? Real and lasting change will take time, so we must take advantage of every opportunity to help our allies stay on the path to democracy and inclusiveness. In par- ticular, we must support national voices calling for women’s inclusion and empowerment. Such assistance need not be solely direct or financial; moral support in our public and private messaging is key. In addition, helping women build organizational capacity and greater connections to civil society, regionally and in- ternationally, will be vital. One of the chief lessons of the Arab Spring is that democracy is everyone’s business — women and men, Muslim and Christian, young and old. Success comes when everyone participates. The revolutions were not about pitting one group against another, but people com- ing together to bring about sustainable societal change for a better life. This point was driven home recently when I met with Yemeni Nobel Laureate Tawakkol Karman. She de- scribed the struggle as directed not only against the Saleh regime but also against strong cultural and religious tra- ditions used by some in the Arab world to keep women out of power. After declaring that “the women of the Arab Spring have come alive, and they will not go back to sleep,” she added: “It is in the interests of dictators to keep women out of politics.” This is a critical juncture for American engagement and diplomacy. Emerging leaders, often for the first time in decades, are open to new ideas on political reform. It is an historic opportunity for us to advocate equal citi- zenship and opportunity for all. F OCUS