During my meetings in Malta over the past two weeks, it has become clear to me that the Maltese are strong partners in the international community’s support of freedom, democracy and human rights throughout the world. I look forward to Malta and the United States working together with the international community to advance these values in places where international support is needed to ensure they are protected.

Afghanistan is such a place. Four years ago, Afghanistan was suffering under the yoke of an oppressive regime that had no respect for freedom, human rights or human dignity. Afghans had no reason to imagine they would ever have the right to choose their leaders in open, fair elections. But today, 18 September, Afghan voters go to the polls to elect legislative representatives. The new parliament that emerges from these elections will be the final step in constructing Afghanistan’s first entirely democratically elected government.

After a quarter of a century of war and oppression, Afghan voters had their first taste of democracy with the October 2004 presidential elections, in which they chose Hamid Karzai to form a Cabinet and lead the country back down the path of freedom and prosperity. With the ballots they cast today, the voters will choose a legislature to work with the president’s Cabinet and the judiciary and to establish a legal structure for Afghanistan’s social and economic recovery.

Over 2,700 candidates are competing for seats in Afghanistan’s lower house of parliament, the Wolesi Jirga. According to the Afghan Constitution, each of the country’s 34 provinces will have at least two women representatives, meaning that more than one quarter of the representatives in the Wolesi Jirga will be women – a dramatic step forward for women who, four years ago, were not allowed to work outside their homes or appear in public unless accompanied by a male family member.

Voters will also cast ballots for provincial council representatives. These regional governing bodies will establish local development targets and work with provincial administrators in pursuing those goals. They will also send representatives from their ranks to fill seats in Afghanistan’s upper house of parliament, the Meshrano Jirga.

Over 12 million Afghans have registered for the right to vote. While extremist groups have tried to intimidate the Afghan people with threats of election day violence, officials are hopeful that the voters will once again show their courage, as they did in the presidential election, and send a clear message to the anti-democratic forces who want to strip them of their basic rights: Afghanistan will not return to its dark, oppressive past.

With the help of the international community, Afghanistan has made remarkable progress over the past four years. The economy is growing; children are returning to school; healthcare is improving; the infrastructure is being rebuilt; militias are being disbanded, and Afghan national forces are taking control of security. But in order for this progress to continue, Afghanistan must have a fully functioning government. The Afghan people understand that today’s elections are a crucial part of building the democratic institutions that will allow them to move forward.

The international community also understands the importance of these elections and has provided almost $160 million to ensure that they proceed smoothly. Contributions have flowed in from the European Union, Japan, the Netherlands, Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy and Australia, as well as from the United States.

The new Afghan parliament will ensure a balance of power in the Afghan government. With its diverse constituencies, it will ensure that all Afghan voices are heard. With its extensive oversight responsibilities, it will ensure that no individual or group of individuals can take the country hostage to a narrow, extremist agenda. The United States and the international community stand by the Afghan people as they go to the polls and take their next important step towards a brighter and more prosperous future.

This article was written by US Ambassador Molly Bordonaro