Table of Contents

1.    Letter from the Director
2.    Executive Summary
3.    Introduction
Vision and Mission
AWEC Growth

Organizational expertise
Our Comparative advantages
Areas of Activities

4.    Overview of the year
5.    Geographical Coverage
6.    Education:
Building Education Capacity Support System for Teachers
Shahid Wali Khan School
Working and Street Children Support Center
Street and Working Children Model Center
Early Childhood Development
Community Based School
7.    Women
Support to Women in Prison
Women Empowerment Program
Women’s Community and Peace Building Center
Vocational Training for EVI
Advocating for Reforms in the Family Law of Afghanistan
Men Peace Building Project
8.    Civil Society
Initiative to Promote Afghan Civil Society
Research on Relations between CSO and   Government
Strategic Planning
9.    Achievements and Impact

Letter from the Director 

AWEC passed a year full of challenges as well as great achievements which has been attributed to many things, the commitment of dedicated staff, generous support provided by our donors, individual donations, and community contribution which contributed in changing women’s living status and improving living condition of Afghan children. We want to highlight names of some staff members, included Dr. Hafiz Sajid, Nahida Ahmadyar, Dr.Aman Sultani, Moqadas Attalwala, Jawid Akbary and the support staff who worked really hard and did not let the gap of staff turn over to be noticed by undertaking double responsibilities to carry out work needed.

We are very grateful and recognize the importance of our generous donors, who provided their support to the organization, namely CAII through USAID, the British Embassy, WOMANKIND, Widows Rights International, Canadian Women For Afghan Women, UNODC, SC-UK, SC-US, Global Rights, BRAC, OSI, Christian Aid, Counter Part International, IRC, AKDN, IOM, Learning for Life, Global Fund for Women, Catholic Relief Services, ICCO, GTZ, UNHCR, WFP, ASDHA, the Finnish Embassy, CRS, CCODP, as well as individual donations especially Ann Haker, without their support the organization would simply not be able to help the most vulnerable communities specifically women and children.  

Special thanks goes to Ms. Aziz Rafi, Shinkay Karokhail, Adila Mohsini, Jamie Terzi, Juma Khan, Hidayat, and our Board members who took a leading role by advising and supporting the organization fill the gap specifically for filling the Director position for the organization.



Hasina Safi,

Director AWEC
 

 Executive Summary 

Afghan women, the most affected victims of war and social injustice still are the most vulnerable and deserve to be supported through practical means that encourage and foster their participation and role in reconstruction and development of Afghanistan. Women’s participation in social and economical activities can be promising only when they are empowered trough skills training and capacity building that enables women to be involved in state and private sectors.
Working for provision of legal support to marginalized women, helping working and street children sustain a better live, and working at policy level by advocacy and lobbying is a challenge ahead of those who are committed to support women and children socially and economically.
  This approach will not only support women to change their social and economic status in the family and society but will also provide a chance for them to contribute in shaping a better life for their families thus contributing to poverty reduction at the country level.   

2007 was a both challenging and successful year for the organization.

After passing 17 years of successful work at the grassroots level AWEC is proud f or its achievements. Having the mandate of supporting Afghan women and children, AWEC is committed to adopt positive changes into its overall framework shifting from emergency and  urgent support to developmental activities that ensure sustainable solution to the problems of Afghan women and children. This strategic thinking is and will be incorporated in AWEC strategic plan for next years.

Working in Afghanistan with consideration to the current security status is difficult while working with women become a challenge in most part of the country taking in account male dominated conservative communities where we operate. Apart from facing challenges AWEC strive to support Afghan women and children trough possible and promising means that aims to change their living status as a core organizational commitment.

Introducing Gender and Media Focal Point who represented AWEC in networks with partner organizations and carried out specific media and gender activities was another step for ensuring gender equality at organizational and project level. Establishment of first aid corner for staff members at head office demonstrated AWEC concerns about employees’ health and safety. We are sure that these basic steps taken form a start for further development of organizational values and culture that is critical for improving performance of the organizations employees.

A new experience for AWEC this year was partnership with SC-US formed in recognition of AWEC expertise working with children. AWEC expanded activities to  Faryab which is now fifth province where the organization support the marginalized women and children specifically in prison and community centers. This shift was part of our strategic plan.
 
Provision of land for model center for children and widows in Kabul by Ministry of Education is worth mentioning here. We are very eager to complete construction of this center in near future and will have a prominent place to support and improve street and working children living condition and help them to reintegrate into government schools.

One of the major achievements for the organization is membership in a consortium for implementing a nationwide program Building Education Support System for Teachers (BESST). Through this consortium AWEC got involved in a large scale project and its staff increased from 100 to more than 500 employees. The project is being implemented in 11 provinces by 5 national local organization including AWEC as the only women’s organization in the consortium. In this program AWEC cover whole Balkh province where more than 12000 teachers will receive trainings in coming two years.

While working with grassroots level we have occupied the special place in the community by getting their trust. As an example we can highlight working in Paktia and Wardak provinces within the most conservative communities. Bringing positive changes in the lifestyle of the communities can be done only with careful consideration of our Islamic values and the country’s laws. We do realize the importance of keeping good relations with all stakeholders including community, government entities, sister organizations, and international assistance community for better planning, implementation and evaluation of our work for further improvement.

AWEC is satisfied with its successes in 2007 and we look forward to play a more prominent role in supporting and empowering Afghan women and children in the years ahead. We believe that if all stakeholders involved in the process work together for achieving our common goal of supporting Afghan people, to bring laughter and joy in lives of poor and deprived, then the country’s development process will be sustained.  

Introduction

 Vision:
Establishing an environment, where women and children can have their human rights without any violence and discrimination, apply a strengthened civil society based on democracy, justice and gender equality.

Mission
Afghan Women’s Educational Centre with a commitment to promote human rights and gender equality works for the abolishment of any kinds of discrimination and violence against women and children through:
•    Awareness raising and advocacy
•    Social service delivery
•    Capacity building, self-sufficiency and sustainable development initiatives

Overall Objectives
1.    To increase social consciousness and support in social development by creating support networks and increase social work
2.    To work for socio economic development in rural community through creation of community centers
3.    To increase self-sufficiency among women through income generating projects and skill development initiatives
4.    To improve living condition of the marginalized group of women and street working children
5.    To improve health and psycho-social well being among women and children


AWEC Core Values:
Transparency, Impartiality, Integrity, Predictability, Accountability, Legitimacy,
Team Work, Effectiveness.




I- AWEC Growth
Islamabad Pakistan: 
    AWEC was establishing in 1991 by a group of educated afghan women who rallied together to address the luck of facilitates for afghan refugees in Islamabad- Rowal Pindi area of Pakistan.

Peshawar Pakistan:
    In 1997 AWCE expanded its activities in Pakistan from Islamabad to Peshawar where it established a center to address the needs of Afghan women and children refugee, many of whom were living and working on the streets.

Kabul Afghanistan:
    Soon after the fall of the Taliban government in Afghanistan in 2001, AWEC expanded its area of activity to Kabul. AWEC formed a center for the street children and vulnerable women of Kabul’s back ward area.

Mazar-e-Sharif Afghanistan:
    Afghan Women’s Educational Center was alerted to the problems faced by women in Mazar-e-sharif province resulting AWEC opening a center for women and children in 2003 which is still it is on going
    AWEC was selected as part of a consortium to implement a nation wide education project in 2003. The second phase of this nation wide education project is being implemented of which AWEC remains an implementing partner.

Paktia Afghanistan:
    In early 2004 AWEC’s leadership had a meeting with the Paktia stakeholders to identify the issues concerning women and children in the area and also conduct a needs assessment for Paktia. AWEC established a project office in Gardez and began activities in different districts of Paktia.

Wordak Afghanistan:
    In 2006 after a survey and needs assessment AWEC decided to expand its activity to Wordak province to address women and childrens’ issues. As a result a women’s political participation and support project was established in Wordak; it is on going.
Faryab Afghanistan
    In 2007 AWEC expanded its activities for women in Faryab, providing literacy, trainings and support for women in prison in Maimana city.







II- Organizational Expertise:

Women’s Shuras:
AWEC is has a long and successful experience in establishment of women’s shuras. This practice is applied even in the most conservative communities like Paktya, Paktika, and Wardak. It is worth mentioning that these shuras have proved to be a role model for women to develop their leadership and good governance skills and establishing good relationship with the community. After first experiences it has become evident that women’s shuras could better influence the community if they collaborate with men’ shuras and attain their support.

Community Mobilization:
As an example of the successful experience in mobilizing the community we should mention election awareness project in Paktya.

During presidential and parliament elections campaign in 2004 AWEC was able to increase awareness of  the women of Paktya province through workshops on civic education, right awareness, women rights about the importance of women participation in voting. in to take part in both presidential and parliament election As the result 45 present of voters in the Paktya province were women which was the largest number of female voters among all provinces of Afghanistan.

Through mobilizing and managing the women shura in Paktiya province AWEC supported the Paktiya women to identify candidates for provincial shura elections. Three of these candidates successfully joined the provincial shura and this was another big achievement for both AWEC and women of Paktiya.

Informal Education:
Having recognized that education forms the base for development AWEC gives to education the most important place in shaping the future of Afghanistan and the most important element in empowering women and children. Since its inception AWEC has implemented different educational projects which included literacy and accelerated learning methodologies for adult and overage children. Based on the expertise in this field AWEC has become member of a consortium consisting of 7 local leading agencies in Afghanistan including ADA, CHA, CoAR, DHSA, MSAS, SMSM. AWEC has celebrated the success of implementing a large educational program (Afghanistan Primary Education Project) in Kabul and Paktia provinces where 1000 teachers and 20,000 students (mostly overage girls) after completion of two years could join formal government schools. The consortium was awarded grant to implement another nationwide program- Building Education Support System for Teachers (BESST). For this program AWEC is covering whole Balkh province where more than 11000 teachers will be trained in two years.




Capacity Building:
Women’s empowerment can not happen without capacity building. Through different projects AWEC is providing this kind of support not only to individuals but is covering large segment of the civil society organizations (local non- governmental and community based organizations). Through Initiative for Promoting Civil Society AWEC is one of the two leading agencies serving as an Intermediary Service Organization for building capacity of 100 CSO in 17 provinces directly and indirectly through partner organizations.

Our Comparative Advantages
 
After 17 years of hard work AWEC has occupied a special place in the NGOs community and is trusted by the donor community. AWEC is well known for the services it provides to improve women’s status and help children in the local communities. 

Activity Vise:
    Work for and through community based organizations
    Advocacy and lobbying for women’s rights
    Work with marginalized women and children (e.g. prisoners, street/working children)
    Long term approach instead of short term projects
    Improving political participation of women

Relation Vise:

    Building the trust with the community and getting their support for implementation of projects
    Build the trust with donor organizations by being transparent in project implementation
    Build the trust is built with Afghanistan government by respecting and following laws  and regulation (tax and reporting obligations)
    Establish good and friendly relations with partner national and international organizations through networking and sharing experiences in workshops, seminars, conferences
    Membership  in a consortium that is consist of 7 leading Afghan NGOs where AWEC is the only women’s organization

Location Vise:
AWEC activities are directly covering five provinces of Afghanistan
    Kabul 
    Balkh
    Wardak
    Paktia
    Faryab

Areas of Activities:

Education:
1.    Basic Literacy
2.    Accelerated learning
3.    Formal and non- formal education trainings to women, children and youth.

Capacity Building:
1.    Teacher Training through short and long term training workshops
2.    Capacity building of civil society organizations and individuals (men, women, youths and children) through workshops on management and leadership.

Vocational Training & Income generation:
1.    Vocational training and skill development
2.    Creating access to income through local resources and facilitation of market for women.
3.    Introducing micro-credit programs through women self- help groups

Rights, Peace and Gender:
1.    Enhancing and expanding women’s participation and incorporation in decision making democratic structures.
2.    Organizing and mobilizing women and youth groups through community based activities and approach.
3.    Ensuring protection and support of child rights.
4.    Creating a mechanism for women participation in conflict management and peace building.
5.    Creating awareness for youth and women on civil society, gender, human rights, children rights, lobby and advocacy, peace, conflict and management resolution, leadership, political participation
6.    Collaboration with different government departments on education, right and development issues.
7.    Mainstreaming gender issues through community sensitization on gender based violence .

Networking, Advocacy and Lobbying:
1.    Networking with women and youth organizations to lobby and advocate for their rights.
2.    Networking and alliance building with other development actors working on rights issues.


Overview of the Year
Staffing:
Last year AWEC faced basic changes in its top management. Despite short term disturbances the organization was successful to find experienced professionals to fill the gaps. In terms of staff members 2007 faced a huge shift where the total no of employees changed from 100 to more than 500.
This change proved the good performance of the organization during the year and serves as a hope for further successes in the years ahead.
 
Gender:
•    Appointment of Gender and Media Focal point for AWEC for gender mainstreaming and media activities and organization’s visibility
•    Appointment of gender committee that include 8 members representing different projects
•    Conducting gender workshops in Mazar, Maidan Wardak and Paktya aiming to change community perception regarding women
•    Inviting Ms. Fatima Sediqi Lecturers of Islamic Faculty of Iran to conduct 3 days seminar, on women participation in all aspects of social activities from Islamic perspective, which was attended by 23 women organizations in Kabul.
•    Celebration of  International Women’s Day in provinces
•    Participation in monthly gender focal point group discussions with Counterpart International network
•    Starting work on creating of AWEC Gender Policy
•    Establishment of male shuras (MCBO) fir the first time to work with males and highlight their role in gender equality
•    Participation in Regional Symposium on Legal & Social Protection for Women hosted by Christian Aid and represented by women form India, Tajikistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan on 3rd-7th June 2007in Kabul.
•    Arrangement of psychosocial support  for women who are facing domestic violence
•    Arrangement and conducting workshop for government officials in Faryab Province to prepare the ground for AWEC to work in the Faryab prison with women prisoners and their children
•     Participation in panel discussion on reproductive health and forced marriages.

Media:
•    Publishing of Monthly Newsletter
•    Participation in media workshops arranged by Counterpart International
•    Establishment of good relations with Kabul media to create opportunities for women’s voices to be heard
•    Archiving different media items (e.g. CDs, magazines, newsletters, interviews, posters) with a focus on gender issues in Afghanistan
•    Radio  interviews with AWEC staff members and beneficiaries
•    Registration with Afghan and  international media organizations
•    Participation in family discussion round table in Niga TV in Faryab province with a focus on gender implications on family and social live on a weekly bases.


Public Relations:

Respecting social values and treating community with respect to traditions is one of the important elements in our success. This is how AWEC has built the trust and could work even in the most difficult places like Paktiya. We are part of the society and have to work in collaboration with all segments of the society. In this respect AWEC is working with other elements of civil society, including male community based organizations to get their support in improving women’s living status.

   
Relations with Government:
Without support from civil society the government can not be as strong as it is expected to be. We consider cooperation and coordination with government a key for solving many problems. Establishing positive relations is possible only when the organization adheres to the rules and policies of the government. AWEC is officially registered with ministry of economic and is fulfilling reporting obligations to all relevant ministries who have interest in our work including Ministry of Education, Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, and Ministry of Women’s Affairs. Besides that AWEC is registered with Ministry of Finance and pay taxes according to the requirements. 


Donor Relations:
Our relation with donors is based on trust and accountability. AWEC is committed to provide its donors with right and complete information on the project status on monthly, quarterly and yearly bases depending on the donors’ requirements. In partnership with donor community we feel responsible for providing the right services and support to our beneficiaries using available resources.


Monitoring and Evaluation:
AWEC is committed to ongoing monitoring and evaluation of its work. In the year 2007 the M&E department was established and visited project sites based on the pre-established plan. AWEC welcomed and hosted monitoring visits by donors and other related government agencies who wanted to see our work in person.

Project Name:     Building Education Capacity Support System for Teachers (BESST)
Location:     Balkh Province (18 districts)
Duration:      Two years  
Start Date:     September 2007
End Date:     March 2009 
Beneficiaries: 12 740 teachers  
Funded by:     USAID-CAII/MoE    
                   
 Project Goal: Building the capacity of school teachers, principles and head masters in Balk Province

Project Objectives:
1- To familiarize the school teachers and head masters with new teaching methodologies for quality improvement
2- To increase management capacity of principles and headmasters    for better school management
          .
 3- To support teachers to improve skills in their subject area

                   
Major Activities:
After the expertise gained through implementation of accelerated learning project for children who do not have access to schools in 2003-2006, AWEC was selected for implementation of a nationwide teacher’s education program as a part of local consortium. The BESST project, aiming to increase capacities of formal schools teachers is implemented in Balkh and currently is the largest AWEC project.
A team of 360 employees were hired and during the last four months of 2007 trained to start training for schools teachers, principles and headmasters. To overlook the project activities AWEC set up a site office in Mazar-e-Sharif city where all logistical and administrative arrangements were taken to prepare for starting the first phase of the project.
After the completion of the first training round the second phase of project will provide teachers with Accelerated Learning tools improving their pedagogical skills and work methodology.


Project Name:     Shahid Wali Khan School   
Location:     Islamabad, Pakistan   
Duration:      Ongoing  
Start Date:     1993
End Date:     Not specified
Beneficiaries:     600 Afghan refugee boys and girls
Funded by:    CW4AW                    

                                    
Project Goal:
  To provide education opportunities for refugees living in Islamabad, Pakistan

Project Objectives:
  To support and enhance the education level of Afghan refugees children in Islamabad, Pakistan

Major Activities:
The Shahid Wali Khan School for refugee children in Islamabad/ Rawalpindi area in Pakistan is more than 12 years old. The school has expanded from primary into secondary school and in 2007 has enrolled more than 600 students. The school curricula are approved in Afghanistan which means that when children return to their country, their educational level is recognized and they can be easily accepted into Afghan schools. Male and female students from class 7th to 12th are taught in separate classes.


Project Name:    Working and Street Children Support Centers (WSCSC)   
Location:     Kabul       
Duration:      One year     
Start Date:     November 2007
End Date:      October 2008
Beneficiaries:     450 boys and girls
Funded by:    SC UK and Embassy of Finland
                    
 Project goal:
To work closely with working children, their families, their employers and other key duty bearers in Kabul city to prevent all forms of child rights violations and establish protection mechanisms at appropriate levels.
Project objectives:
•    To provide basic non- formal education for 200 street children in each centre who are surviving on marginal activities on the streets of Kabul, working or begging
•    To provide more than 200 street children in centre, access to education and improve mental health conditions of street and working children whose lives have been impacted by the civil war in Afghanistan
•    To manage and solve different violence and conflict cases of the street working children with their employees, policeman, their families
•    To develop children groups which will be able to demand and raise their voice requesting defence of their rights.
•    To enhance awareness among the local community leaders , local government workers and employers of the children about the child rights and proper behaviour with the street and working children
Major Activities
Two resource centers in Kabul, Dehbori and Sarai Shamali areas are providing informal education for more than 450 children aged from 8 to 18 years in three shifts for one and a half hours every day. These centers provide opportunities for working children and through them to their families by giving them access to education, vocational skills training, life skills training and psycho-social support to develop as productive and respected citizens. Students of the centers who are working as apprentices, or in markets, previously had no chance of getting formal education because they had to work to find a living for their families. This project has engaged children’s employees to guarantee that children get appropriate training in the profession they have chosen for work (wiring, welding, auto mechanic etc).
Each centre has 2 outreach workers who conduct classes in the areas where children are unable to attend the centers, as well as protecting the rights of working children who are engaged in exploitative and hazardous activities. Weekly counseling services and medical help are offered to students at each centre, in some serious cases the children are also referred to hospitals for further treatment with a subsequent follow up for ensuring their full recovery. In addition children participate in awareness raising workshops on different issues such as drugs awareness and children’s rights. Disabled children who attend the centre are provided with special medical care.

Project Name:    Community Based School (CBS)   
Location:     Balkh province       
Duration:      Two years  
Start Date:      September 2007
End Date:      August 2008
Beneficiaries:     500 students
Funded by:      BRAC Afghanistan

Project goal:
To provide education opportunities for those children and teenagers who do not have access to formal education.


Major Activities:
A small building consisting of two classrooms will be constructed and serve as venue for school in the remote area of Mazar-e-Sharif where there is no school available to help out of school children access to education.
This school will provide accelerated learning for the overage students who have remained out of school and facilitate their joining to the government schools.


Project Name:    Early Childhood Development (ECD)   
Location:     Kabul Province   
Duration:       One year 
Start Date:      September 2007
End Date:      August 2008
Beneficiaries:     1500 children
Funded by:       Save the Children US

Project goal:
To prepare pre- school children for joining formal schools

Project objectives
    To familiarize children between 3 to 6 years old with different games and alphabet.
    To develop association of teachers and parents in order to improve quality of delivering education.

Major Activities:
This project started on November 2007 with meetings and orientation sessions with community shuras and local authorities to inform and encourage parents to let their children to join children groups. AWEC staff had also separate meetings with parents to discuss Early Child development (ECD) and to increase attention to health and future of their children.
120 female volunteers were running 60 playgroups using cassette players and novel books to stimulate moral and educational development of children.
Weekly supervision done by AWEC’s facilitators demonstrated that parents support the project and think that after completion of these activities their children will be ready to join school. In addition, facilitators visited schools and teachers to inform them about children groups and introduced children of appropriate age to nearest schools. As a result of their involvement, children from play groups have learned to play, become more confident and smarter than before.

Project Name:    Street and Working Children Model Center   
Location:     Kabul       
Duration:     One year           
Start Date:     April 2007     
End Date:     March 2008
Beneficiaries:     450 children/year
Funded by:     Anna Hecker
Land Contribution by Ministry of Education of Afghanistan   

Project goal:
To provide a safe haven for street working children where they can be equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in their life

Project objectives:
1.    To construct of centre for street working children in Kabul.
2.    To provide the basic non formal education for 450 street children in centre who are surviving by marginal activities on the streets of Kabul, mostly begging.
3.    To provide 450 street children with access to education and improve mental health status of those working children whose lives have been affected by the civil war in Afghanistan.
4.    To enhance the awareness among the local community leaders, local government workers and employers of the children about the child rights and proper behavior with the street and working children.
5.    To equip the children with different skills through vocational trainings.

Major Activities:
AWEC is the only non- governmental organization which has received a land from Government of Afghanistan. The land in Kabul will be used to construct a building for Street and Working Children Model Center and office. Basement for the building was laid out at the end 2007 and the construction is ongoing upon availability of funds.

WOMEN                                                    Projects 2007 

Project Name:    Support to Women in Prison   
Location:     Kabul, Balkh provinces   
Duration:       One year
Start Date:      August 2007
End Date:      July 2008
Beneficiaries:     146 women
Funded by:      ASDHA

                                            
Project goal:
To facilitate a process of rehabilitation for women prisoners while they are in captivity and assist with their reintegration back in society upon release

Project objectives:
•    To provide relief and assistance to at least 146 women and  their children inside the Kabul prisons
•    To establish network with outside agencies for referral services
•    To increase women’s awareness on rights, peace, conflict resolution, gender, health issues.
•    To conduct regular literacy classes for women prisoners.
•    To build their skills through conducting vocational training inside the prison with a goal to generate own income and to keep away from criminal activities.
•    To ensure delivery of legal services for women in prison and during their release from the prison.
•    To establish a shop to sell the products of women prisoners in Mazar-e-Sharif in order to build income generating system for them.


Major Activities

In April 2004, AWEC began working in the Wolayat detention centre with women prisoners in Kabul and in September 2005 started working in Mazaar detention center.  The project goal is to increase the well being and opportunities of women who are inside the Kabul and Mazaar prisons by hiring social workers to support these prisoners and to facilitate their re-entry into society; in this regard family members are visited by the social workers, and family visits with the women are arranged; this helps the women be accepted back into their families after release, and keeps them in touch with the society during their imprisonment. In addition, our social workers identify their basic needs for food, cloths, kitchen tools, hygiene materials etc so that these prisoners do not face any problems in this regard. Our social workers facilitate awareness raising workshops and sometimes invite other organizations to support us in this regard. We also provide literacy and vocational training for female prisoners. 

The doctor checks sick detainees twice a week regularly and sometimes conduct extra visits from prison when needed. In general women-prisoners were not able to access medical assistance, but now an Afghan female doctor is allowed both in Kabul and Mazaar detention centers to visit regularly, and she is providing treatment and medicines for women-prisoners twice a week.

With support from Global Rights International AWEC has hired legal assistant who conduct case studies because most of the women in prison can not afford to hire a lawyers for follow up of their cases. In addition to supporting women in prison AWEC support prisoner’s children, who live with their mothers in prison providing them education, toys, clothes and hygiene material, and introduce some of the children whose mothers trail period is more into orphanage.
In the framework of this project there is successful collaboration going on with other stakeholders and key players such as prison staff, UN and other NGO’s. Literacy learning and vocational training program (including embroidery, knitting, candle-making) was arranged, as well as creative art workshops for the women to express themselves.

Project Name: Women Empowerment Program (WEP)
Location:     Faryab Province
Duration:     Three Years
Start Date:     June 2007
End Date:     May 2010                          
Beneficiaries: 1260 women 
Funded by:     Christian Aid

Project goal:
To promote gender equality and women’s empowerment at community and local government level to ensure a truly sustainable development process in Afghanistan


Project objectives:
•    To provide all female detainees at the Faryab prison with skills training and referral services to facilitate their access to justice and help the smooth reintegration into society upon release
•     To develop understanding of various social difficulties faced by women on community and government levels and relevant authorities are sensitized towards women’s rights as an integral part of the development process
•    Through 2-3 community centers’ establish a platform to increase the literacy rate of women, sensitize families towards women’s rights and promote female leadership in the community

Major Activities:
The project focuses on promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment in community and improvement of situation of female detainees in Faryab province prison.
In June 2007, AWEC began working with women prisoners in Maimana and also started to provide literacy and vocational trainings at two community centers for illiterate women.The services provided for women in prison are the same as for Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif.

Project Name:    Women’s Community and Peace Building Centre
Location:     Mazar-e-Sharif
Duration:       Five years 
Start Date:      2005
End Date:      2009
Beneficiaries:     2200 men and women
Funded by:      Women Kind

Project goals:
•    To run a women’s centre in Mazar-e-Sharif city with a focus on peace education and community awareness building
•    To develop and disseminate peace education for women

Project objectives:
•    To encourage local population to allow women to participate in upcoming political processes
•    To increase women’s self-sufficiency by providing vocational training and literacy programs
•    To increase women’s understanding of rights, political and civic participation and peace education
•    To promote men’s understanding and support
•    To provide women with new options and ways to support each other through counseling, health education and awareness raising workshops
•    To link suitable women into small business development training (CEFE model)
•    To create a drop-in center for learning and discussion for women in surrounding community

Major Activities:
The project started on 2005 in Mazar-e-Sharif, by conducting literacy classes for illiterate women.
Health education was included as an integral part into daily literacy program and teachers used ICRC Health education guide line for community health educators.


During 2007 58 peace education workshops were conducted and approximately 1800 beneficiaries participated in these workshops. The issues discussed in workshops were: peace progress in the community, social development, conflict, reasons of conflict, different levels in conflict, violence, kinds of violence, physical & psychological violence, imagination , human rights, human rights in Islam, women rights, child rights, democracy and peace.




Project Name:    Women’s Political Participation, Awareness and Support   
Location:     Wardak province   
Duration:      Three years  
Start Date:      2006
End Date:      2008
Beneficiaries:     3500 women per year
Funded by:      ICCO
                                                                  
Project Goal:
To increase the participation of women in the upcoming civil and political processes

Project objectives:
•    To increase women’s self-sufficiency by providing vocational training and literacy programs
•    To increase women’s understanding of rights, political and civic participation and peace education
•    To promote men’s understanding and support of these issues
•    To provide women with new options and ways to support each other through counseling, health education and awareness raising workshops
•    To create and support two women’s shuras in the province

Major Activities:
The project for women in Wardak started in 2007 and was designed with an aim to increase the participation of women in the upcoming civil and political processes. As daily activity vocational training in tailoring and literacy programs were arranged for women. Those who graduated from tailoring course received also CEFE micro enterprise training to enhance their understanding about small business which they can start on their own and become self-sufficient.
Counseling, health education and awareness raising workshops were also part of the activities for women in order to provide them with new options to support each other.
To increase women’s understanding of their rights, political and civic participation and peace education awareness raising workshops were conducted. Along with the program for women, monthly meetings were also conducted with the men shuras, tribal leaders and other stake holders in order to promote men’s understanding of these issues.

Project Name:    Vocational Training for Extremely Vulnerable Returnees   
Location:     Paktika, Paktya and Khost provinces       
Duration:        Six months
Start Date:      June 2007
End Date:      December 2007
Beneficiaries:     140 women
Funded by:       UNHCR

Project goal:
•    To create and strengthen services for extremely vulnerable returnees cases

Project objectives:
•    To improve the economic conditions of the beneficiaries and the families.
•    To improve the health condition of the beneficiaries, their families and wider community
•    To strengthen the social fabric and relationships in the families of the beneficiaries and the wider community

Major Activities:
The project was designed to help most vulnerable returnee women who have come back home with hope and desire of having suitable living conditions and started in Paktya, Motta Kan, Zormat, Rabat, Sayed Karam and Jaji districts.
To help 140 returnee women improve their economic situation they were trained in tailoring training sewing and embroidery designs and supported with tool kits. After the initial stage, the project was extended to Paktika and livestock keeping added to vocational trainings. The second phase of the project was implemented in Khost province.

In addition to the mentioned activities AWEC introduced health trainings Said Karam and Mirzaka districts of Paktya and organized peace workshops and human rights trainings for all beneficiaries of the project.


Project Name:    Advocating for Reforms in the Family Law of Afghanistan   
Location:     Kabul       
Duration:      One Year  
Start Date:     January 2007
End Date:      December 2007
Beneficiaries:     80 men and women
Funded by:      Counter Part International

Project goal:
Improved access to justice leading to gender equality and empowerment of women in Afghanistan

Project objectives:
•    To enhance the understanding of a group of 80 activists from four major cities of Afghanistan on the country’s Family Law and build their capacity on advocacy and lobbying skills.
•    Mobilize the activists to form strong lobby groups in provinces for highlighting the issue of, amending and properly implementing the law, on a provincial and national level
•    Influence relevant government bodies (Ministry of Justice, Parliament, and Supreme Court) to accept recommendations forwarded by the Directorate of Family Law Court for necessary changes in the Family Law of Afghanistan.

Major Activities:
In order to establish close working relations, project direct activities started with meetings with local authorities and organizations that are working in the field of Women’s Rights. The project staff made trips to Kunduz, Jalalabad and Mazaar-e-Sharif to identify the beneficiaries for the project and selected 80 women. During the implementation of the project the beneficiaries from Kabul were also selected.

Expert trainers were selected to prepare training materials and conduct trainings on legal issues. Provincial conferences on rights issues were organized for groups of 40 beneficiaries in each of the mentioned provinces and a radio program about the project and related issues were launched in Kabul. 



Project Name:    Men Peace Building Project   
Location:      Mazar-e-Sharif       
Duration:      Six months      
Start Date:      December 2007
End Date:      May 2008
Beneficiaries:     900 men
Funded by:      Women Kind

Project goals:
•    To run peace education workshops and community awareness building programs for men in Mazar-e-Sharif and its districts.
•    To develop and disseminate peace education materials among the beneficiaries

Project objectives:
•     To reduce violence against women through using a holistic family approach
•    To provide support, encouragement and awareness for men to understand the needs and problems of the women in their families

Major Activities:
In December 2007 AWEC stared its work in Mazar-e-Sharif organizing workshops on Peace education with men’s participation and distribution of relevant materials on social, individual and domestic violence.
The above activities are the resulted in positive changes in people’s attitudes. Disseminating of information on peace education and violence against women and providing a forum for men to discuss these issues made the participants to rethink their daily practices at the same time strengthening the link between AWEC and the community.

During the last year AWEC has designed and run workshops for community as an introduction of a number of important issues. They are not designed to be comprehensive skills transfer sessions of conflict resolution techniques but focus on a variety of issues which include:

•    The definition of peace and its relevance to Afghanistan
•    Peace in the home as well as in the community and country
•    The nature of conflict
•    Violence and its effects, violence against women, treatment of children
•    Conflict resolution
•    Trauma and ways to deal with it
•    Human and women’s rights
•    Repatriation
•    Democracy and women’s participation in the process of building peace

The workshops were arranged at the local mosques, and other spaces provided by community. A male counselor provided advice and support to concerns that the beneficiaries wanted to share during workshops. The counselor also advised on legal or medical referrals if necessary. Each workshop was followed by a follow up to see the effects of the information on the lives of the families: a community worker visited the homes of the beneficiaries after a week and carried out short interviews to see what changes if any have come about in their behavior. Interview has also included questions with the female members of the family (if permissible) to see if they have noticed changes in the attitudes of their male relatives.

Civil Society                                                      Projects 2007 

Project Name:     Initiative to promote Afghan Civil Society (I-PACS)   
Location:     17 Provinces of Afghanistan directly and indirectly   
Duration:      Six years  
Start Date:     2005
End Date:      2010
Beneficiaries:     100 Civil society organizations
Funded by:      USAID/CPI
   
Project goal:
The goal of the project is to increase the role and viability of civil society in Afghanistan by providing capacity building training, and providing small grants to civil society organizations showing potential to be sustainable and effective organizations.         

Project objective:
To support institutional development and build capacity of AWEC and other civil society organizations (CSO’s)

Major Activities:
Since 2005AWEC is implementing partner of Initiative to Promote Afghan Civil Society (I-PACS) project funded by USAID / Counter Part International.
Directly AWEC is responsible for capacity building of 20 target CSO’s in Panjsher, Kapisa and Kabul. In 2007 these organizations received trainings in project design, proposal writing and basic advocacy.
Capacity building of AWEC staff was provided through trainings in human rights, admin/human resources, children rights, women’s rights and gender.

In order to provide quality technical assistance AWEC central office has opened a support centre which is equipped by computers, internet connection and library. I-PACS and non I-PACS CSOs, male and female individuals can use the center’s services.

Indirectly through I_PACS project AWEC is supporting 100 civil society organizations (CSO’s) including national NGOs, associations , foundations, and local shuras in East , South East , North East and Central regions of Afghanistan:
1.    Through Afghan Women Resource Center (AWRC) located in Nengarhar province AWEC supports 20 civil society organizations in Nengarhar , Laghman, Kunar, and Noorstan provinces.
2.    Through Education Center for Poor Women and Poor Girls of Afghanistan (ECW)     located in Kunduz AWEC supports 20 civil society organizations in Kunduz, Badakhshan, and Takhar and Baghlan provinces.
3.    Through Tribal Liaison Office (TLO) located in Paktya AWEC supports 20 civil society organizations from Paktya, Paktika, Khost, and Logar Provinces.
4.    Through Basic Education and Employable Skills Development (BEST) AWEC support 20 civil society organizations of Ghazni, Bamyan and Daikondi

Project Name:    Research on Relations between CSO’s and Government Departments   
Location:     Kabul   
Duration:      Six months
Start Date:      August 2007
End Date:      January 2008
Beneficiaries:     Civil Society Organizations and Local Government Departments
Funded by:       AKDN

Project goal:
Highlighting the shared contribution of civil society and government bodies to build a relation of trust between the two and together work towards the development and democratization of Afghanistan

Project objectives:
•    To disseminate and institutionalize the culture of research for clarification of facts
•    To build trust between government and civil society for joint efforts to prevent insecurity
•    Research effective examples of government civil society organizations /entities collaboration showing shared contribution towards development work
•    Publication of the research in the form of a book in two languages to be sent to relevant stakeholders around the country or outside
•    Influence the share of CSOs’ input into policy making at local and national levels

Project Activities:
An extensive research was done in Kabul which covered number of organizations and government departments. Results of the research were compiled into a book named         ” Relationship between Civil Society and Government in Afghanistan”. This book will be disseminated among national and international organizations, public libraries and embassies.


Project Name:    Strategic Planning   
Location:     Kabul   
Duration:       Three Years
Start Date:      2006
End Date:      2009
Beneficiaries:     AWEC Organization
Funded by:       ICCO

Project goal:
To develop Strategic plan for Afghan Women’s Educational Centre

Project objectives:
•    To create a Strategic plan for the organization which in the short term will enable women to help and support each other.
•     In the long term, to enable women to achieve social and financial self- sufficiency and independence. 
•    To serve as a funding mechanism through which donors are able to identify the long-term needs and vision of AWEC.

Major Activities:
AWEC Strategic plan has been developed over the course of 2 years. It was a highly participatory process involving AWEC staff from both field offices as well as their main office in Kabul and the Board of Directors. The foundations of this strategic plan were laid in 2005 and facilitated by an Australian consultant. However, the process did not make any further progress until September 5th 2006 followed by a second workshop was held on 17th - 22nd December, 2006. A participatory workshop planning process was held at the AWEC main office in Kabul, Afghanistan on both these dates. Two workshops were facilitated by Dr. Jaishree Mukherjee, a well known regional organizational development consultant, with the assistance of Ms. Hasina Safi, then AWEC’s Capacity Building Manager and now AWEC Director. As a result of these workshops the data were compiled in the new AWEC Strategic plan 2009-211.

AWEC                                                                                      Achievements 

Achievements and Impact:
 
AWEC has set a challenging task to successfully mobilize the community, especially women, towards self awareness and the realization of their social roles and has made important steps towards it.

In a period from 2002 to 2007 approximately 62,648 direct beneficiaries in different provinces of Afghanistan were involved into AWEC programs.

Success of AWEC projects lies in gradual winning the trust of people. In addition to organizations work experience we recognize honest and hard work of our devoted staff. Through the efforts of field staff, trainers and social workers, the organization has been able to claim its accomplishments.

 Women’s shuras:
    AWEC has thirty two women shuras in different districts (Ahmadaba, Gardiz, Saed Karam, Sakmani, Janikhail, Patan, Jaji, and Zurmat) of Paktia province. 
 
    Twelve women shura’s in Paktika province (Shirina, Sar Howza and Urgoon districts)
    Women’s Shuras established in Wardak and Faryab.

    Community Centers for women in five provinces

Participation of women in elections:
    AWEC has been able to persuade the women of Paktia province through civic education workshop, right awareness workshop, women right workshops and providing awareness about the importance of women participation and voting in both presidential and parliament election to take part in both presidential and parliament election. 45 percent of voters were women.

Women candidates for Provincial shura:
    In Paktia province, through AWEC mobilizing and management, women in Paktia were encouraged to nominate some female candidate for the provincial shura election. The women of Paktia selected five women from their shuras. Of these five three were selected into the provincial shura.

Introducing of students and teachers to Ministry of Education:
    Introducing approximately nine thousand students (in Kabul and Paktia) who graduated from grade six and enrolled in grade seven of formal education in ministry of education and as well as providing education training and skills to more than one thousand teachers in Paktia and Kabul Provinces who now have the ability to work efficiently and productively at a level acceptable to the Ministry of Education Afghanistan.

Providing Capacity to Women Headed NGOs:
    AWEC trained women headed NGOs (Director and Assistant Directors) in the field of Management and Accounting.  These NGOs now have a number of projects and which are being implemented very smoothly and professionally.

Selection of AWEC as an ISO (Intermediary Service Organization)
    The selection of AWEC as an ISO was a highly competitive process; it involved many organizations for the NGO community, including women and male headed organizations, and national and international NGOs, but none of them, save for AWEC, met the requirements of Counterpart International. AWEC was selected as a partner (ISO) to provide training, assistance and guidance to other local NGOs and community based organization.

Research and publication
     with support from AKDN AWEC conducted a research and published a book named” Relationship between Civil Society and Government in Afghanistan”.

Support from the communities
    Engagement of the community through support group which includes representatives from local authorities to ordinary people. The support group in their meetings carries out discussions about the program and provides good ideas for the success and smooth running of projects.
    Engagement of volunteer group
    Women who were not willing to talk are now sharing their life stories with the AWEC staff
    AWEC has received multiple requests from community for expansion of AWEC programs to other districts

Self – sustainability of women headed families
    Increased income for women-headed families after attending vocational trainings