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The CAID name and logo are trademarks of CAID © CAID October 2013 14-477-J1860 Cover photo: CAID / Sarah Malian

Working together for gender equality and a better life for allCAID and AWEC Non-State Actors Programme 2012–2015

CAID in Afghanistan: partnership for changeCAID’s programme in Afghanistan has been running for nearly three decades under four regimes – from the People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan, which controlled the country during the Soviet invasion, to the current government that was voted in after the United States-led intervention of 2001.

Today, our work in Afghanistan focuses on protecting human rights during conflicts, increasing food security, building the resilience of communities, and promoting the rights and empowerment of women.

We work alongside local Afghan organisations on projects that reach and respond to the needs of communities facing high levels of poverty, disempowerment and inequality. We work with our partners at every stage of a project – from needs assessment and design, to supportingpartners and communities as they implement projects– and to regularly monitor and evaluate the impact andchanges the work makes on the ground.

All of our projects in Afghanistan are designed with our partners, and draw heavily on their relationships and lines of communication with communities. This approach means partners and communities understand the projects and are fully committed to them from the start. Since the majority of programme activities are implemented by the communities themselves, sustainability and a sense of local ownership are integral.

We have implemented Humanitarian Accountability Partnership (HAP) standards across our work in Afghanistan, and we are supporting our partners to do the same.

About AWEC The Afghan Women’s Educational Centre (AWEC) is committed to promoting human rights and gender equality, and to working towards the abolition of any kind of discrimination and violence against women and children. We do this through awareness raising, advocacy, social service delivery, capacity building and initiatives to promote self-sufficiency and sustainable development.

AWEC was established in 1991 by a group of educated Afghan women who rallied together to address the lack of facilities for Afghan refugees in the Islamabad/Rawalpindi area. It was the first non-profit organisation to mobilise scattered refugee women in and around Islamabad. The centre provided a place for women to meet, as well as offering classes in literacy, tailoring, English, women’s rights awareness, computer training and typing.

AWEC has collaborated with other agencies and women in the establishment of various networks and groups. These include: the Afghan Women’s Network in Islamabad; Roazana in Peshawar, which looks at legal issues for Afghan women; and the Irfan Cultural Center, which represents, promotes and protects the cultural identity of Afghans.

In recent years, AWEC has expanded its activities to include peace-building education, capacity building for women-led NGOs, a girls’ school in Kabul, and a project focusing on one-off support and needs assessment for widows in Kabul.

The AWEC project team discuss the impact of the training workshop at a meeting of the women’s Shura in Zindajan district.

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Project name EU-funded NSA project, Afghanistan Job number 14-477-J1860Item name DL leaflet Proof stage v3Client Chris McWilliams Proof date 25/09/13Client team SPD CD: IDCU Feedback due 26/09/13

Contact usCAID Afghanistan PO Box 100 London SE1 7RT

Telephone: +44 (0)20 7620 4444 Email: hr.cahrt@gmail.com

This project is funded by the European Union.

Introduction CAID Afghanistan and its partner the Afghan Women’s Education Center (AWEC) are strengthening local capacities, empowering communities and reducing socio-economic vulnerability in Afghanistan through a three-year European Union-funded programme.

The programme develops the capacity and strengthens the role of women’s and youth councils, as well as Provincial Women Councils (PWCs), by building greater links between these organisations and government. It aims to reach 1,560 women and girls in 80 villages of the Herat, Balkh and Faryab provinces of Afghanistan before October 2015.

At the highest level, the programme contributes to sustainable peace in Afghanistan. It also supports civil society to play an active role in ensuring that all members of the community – but particularly women and young people – can work together for equal access to civil rights, increased livelihood opportunities and better living conditions.

Through this programme, CAID and AWEC will build the technical and institutional capacity of non-state actors (NSAs) – organisations outside any established institution or the state, but with the potential to influence and bring change – so that they can effectively engage in regular dialogue, information exchange and networking on key development issues.

The programme promotes community action and improved responses from authorities. It will support community-based organisations to cooperate and coordinate across districts, provinces and at national level, so that all sections of society in the target areas are part of decision-making processes.

Building capacity, boosting accountabilityThe programme’s key activities are:

• to identify and build the capacity of local women’s and youth Shuras through monthly workshops, networking and advocacy

• to establish networks among women’s Shuras, youth councils, local NGOs and government, and introduce them to the relevant provincial level ministries; follow up on cases reported by the Shura members; and promote accountability and transparency

• to establish literacy classes (alongside workshops and training) for women’s Shura and youth council members

• to set up complaint boxes in at least five ministries and for provincial development committees (PDCs).

Achievements so farThe NSA programme began in October 2012, and we have already made some good progress towards our goals. We have:

• completed baseline surveys in the three provinces

• established 104 women’s and youth Shuras with 1,560 members in eight districts

• supported these Shuras to engage actively in advocacy and community mobilisation for gender equality by holding regular monthly meetings and forums

• trained 1,050 women on peace, women’s rights and conflict management

• established two community centres to provide support to vulnerable women at district level

• coordinated the programme with government and local authorities.

Fatima’s story‘ By joining the Shura and attending the monthly sessions, step by step I got more confidence and spoke with other members about the key needs of women in the village and how they should promote gender equality in collaboration with key community leaders.

‘ By participating in capacity-building workshops on women’s rights and peace building, I have developed my skills and knowledge on how to solve conflict inside families and how to influence the decision-making process in the village equally with men.’ Fatima, a member of the women’s council in Kohsan district.

About CAID CAID is an international NGO that insists the world can and must be swiftly changed to one where everyone can live a full life, free from poverty.

We work globally for profound change that eradicates the causes of poverty, striving to achieve equality, dignity and freedom for all, regardless of faith or nationality. We are part of a wider movement for social justice.

We provide urgent, practical and effective assistance where need is great, tackling the effects of poverty as well as its root causes.

We work with, and through, partners in developing countries: hundreds of local organisations that are rooted in the communities with whom they work, and so understand what is required to lift those women, men and children out of poverty.

We have an integrated approach to poverty eradication, working on humanitarian relief, long-term development, specific advocacy issues, and campaigns for change and influence.

The programme contributes to sustainable peace and ensures that people work together for civil rights and better living conditions.

The programme has established 104 women’s and youth Shuras with 1,560 members in eight districts.

Women Shura members attend a capacity-building workshop on gender equality and peace building in Baba Ali Sher village, Balkh Province.

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