Afghan Civil Society Forum
 

ACSF

The goal of ACSF is to promote the development of civil society in Afghanistan.

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What is civil society?

Civil society refers to the space which lies between the state and private sectors and represent un-coerced collective action around common interests, purposes and values. Civil society comprises a diversity of spaces, actors and institutions varying in their degree of formality, autonomy and power. Civil society is valued for its civilian nature and its role in strengthening peace and stability.

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Advocacy Committee of Persons with Disabilities

Why advocacy for the rights of PwD?

 

After more than two decades of civil war in Afghanistan, One of the main consequences of the war has been disability of a large number of Afghans including children, women and men who have lost their limbs during the wars, by landmines and UXOs. While hundreds of thousands of Afghans were disabled by war and landmines, many more have acquired impairments from birth, inadequate healthcare, congenital disabilities accidents or malnutrition and preventable diseases such as polio. Large number of people who were psychologically traumatized receives minimal services, if any. In addition, there are many people with learning disabilities, mental impairments and multiple disabilities that are yet to receive adequate attention from the international community, the government of Afghanistan and disability organizations working in Afghanistan. 

Unfortunately, in addition to these serious problems, lack of healthcare, low economic levels, lack of awareness about disabilities in society, inadequate education and lack of clear policies concerning rights of persons with disabilities have isolated persons with disabilities and their families even more. 

Thus, the idea to begin advocacy work of ACSF around the issue of persons with disabilities emerged in 2005, but finally took off around March/April 2006.  This was seen as an issue that was somewhat neglected in the national debate, and thus one where ACSF might be able to achieve some impact.    

To date, there are no disability public policies in place to promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities into national life.  At the outset, ACSF staff surveyed most of the government ministries to inquire about policies for the disabled population. None were found.  Even the Ministry of the Martyrs, Disabled and Social Affairs did not have many policies in place. At the same time, there was great resistance from most ministries, who were not very open in sharing information.                                      

ACSF responded to this situation by inviting representatives of key organizations to form a committee that would carry out high-level advocacy work.  The organizations represented include the Afghanistan National Association for the Deaf, Community Center for the Disabled, All Afghan Women Disabled Union, Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, Swedish Committee for Afghanistan, Afghanistan Science Academy, Handicap International, the Afghanistan Independent Journalists Association, and the Afghan National Association for the Blind.  The membership of the Advocacy Committee was based, first, on suggestions made by the Ministry of Martyrs and Disabled, although other names were later added. 

The Advocacy Committee bases its work on the following commitments made by the Government of Afghanistan:

 

  • Afghan Constitutions 53rd Article says: “The state takes necessary measures for regulating medical services and financial support to descendants of those who were martyred or are missing, to disabled or handicapped, and their active participation and re-integration into society in accordance with the law.”

 

  • The Afghanistan Compact states: “By end-2010, increased assistance will be provided to meet the special needs of all disabled people, including their integration in society through opportunities for education and gainful employment.”

 

  • According to the Social Protection sector of the Afghanistan National Development Strategy, it is planned that: “Government will create a barrier-free society for all based on the principles of participation, integration and the equalization of opportunities, as defined by the United Nations. In doing so, the government of Afghanistan gives priority to enabling disabled people to take charge of their lives by removing barriers that deter them from full participation in society, While continuing to honor the sacrifices that the war-disabled have made for Afghanistan, the Government will expand its focus to address the needs of other disabled population as well.”

 

ACPD Goal
 

·         Integrating persons with disability in the society

·         Rights equality of persons with disability with the other Afghan citizens

 

Objectives  

1.                                  To make a better coordination among all national and international organization working for disability in Afghanistan for brining positive changes in laws and polices concerning persons with disability                 

2.                                  To mainstream the principle of “Improving lives of Persons with disabilities” in all endeavors of the Government

 

The member organizations for ACPD are as follows:

 

 Afghan Civil Society Forum (ACSF)

 

1.      Afghanistan National Association of the Blind (ANAB)

2.      Afghanistan National Association of Deaf (ANAD)

3.      Community Center for Disabled (CCD)

4.      All Afghan Disabled Women Union (ADWN)

5.      Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC)

6.      Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA)

7.      National Disability Rights and Advocacy (NPAD)

8.      Afghanistan Science Academy (ASC)

9.      Handicap International (HI)

10. Afghan Independent Journalist Association

Executive Summery of ACPD activities as bullet points

Major Activities

 

  1. ACPD prepared and Sent statement to all ministries for mainstreaming the disability issue in their policies
  2. ACPD held press conference to announce the output of  statements sent to the ministries
  3. ACPD members held meeting with the head of National assembly Mr. Younus Qnoni, in order to encourage parliamentarians to give more support for the persons with disabilities.
  4. ACPD members held meeting with the National assembly disability related commissions and discussed the ways how government could give more support to persons with disability
  5. ACPD held meeting with the minister of martyred, disabled and social affairs and talked about the need of a national law for persons with disability in Afghanistan
  6. Sent out suggestion letter to the governmental entities for implementing the issued presidential decree for recruiting 5% of their staff from persons with disability.
  7. Cooperated with the legislation committee of ministry of martyred, disabled and social affairs for drafting the new law for concessions and rights of persons with disability
  8. Celebrated the National Blind day in coordination with the ministry of martyred, disabled and social affairs in order to increase the public awareness on the rights of PwD.
  9. Celebrated the International Disability day with other disability organizations and issued a resolution at the end of the session.
  10. ACPD members held meeting with the president for getting president’s support for the new law In the country.
  11. Disseminating two press release to the media from the ACPD meetings with the president and parliament
  12. During last year ACPD members held 20 periodical meetings of advocacy committee of persons with disability 
  13. Prepared code of conduct and statute of operation for ACPD

 

Achievements 

 

  1. After sending out the statement to the Ministries by ACSF’s advocacy department, some  of ministries have accepted to mainstream the disability issue in their framework such as  Ministry of women affairs and Ministry of Education 
  2. Parliament has accepted the committee of persons with disability as an advisory board for parliament in disability related issues.
  3. ACPD has managed to have its representative in the formulation commission of ministry of martyred, disabled and social affairs for drafting the new disability law; as a result all the suggested articles by ACPD were mainstreamed in law.
    4.   Published the resolution of persons with disability in print media.

 

Environmental Protection Advocacy Committee

Why Advocacy for the Environmental Protection?

 

Decades of conflict and violence coupled with drought and earthquakes have had devastating impacts not only the people of Afghanistan, but now suffering from years of overexploitation of natural resources and habitat loss.

 

It is tragic to see how many people have left Afghanistan due to war and drought-related issues. Apart from the conflict, environmental degradation has been an important force driving people to find a better future elsewhere. The lack of water resources has led to the collapse of many livelihoods, and most of the country is subject to an alarming degree of land degradation propelled by poverty, population growth and the need to survive. The country has also been robbed of its precious forest resources by Afghan and non-Afghan timber mafia and smugglers. The net result of the degradation is widespread desertification and erosion, and increased vulnerability to environmental disasters. Now is the time to take stock of the current conditions, develop system for the sustainable use of resources and look for ways to rehabilitate degraded ecosystems

 

ACSF’s Environmental Protection goal Afghanistan’s current levels of degradation, and sets forth a path that the country can take towards sustainable development.

 

How Environment Protection Advocacy Committee Established?

 

In Afghanistan there wasn’t much care on the environmental protection; environment issue had a always been one of the neglected issues in the framework of different government periods. finally by the formation of the new government in Afghanistan, during the process of ratification of new constitution in the country, the environmental protection issue considerably mentioned in the constitution, as the fifth article of the constitution imprecisely obligates the government for environmental protection, which as a result the National Environment Protection Agency (NEPA) is established and for the first time Afghanistan government drafted its environmental law.

 

Based on the second entry of seventh article of environment law, ACSF takes the environmental protection as an important mission for civil society, on 31/Aug/2006 ACSF established the  Environment Protection Advocacy Committee with the participation of governmental entities representatives such as ministry of agriculture and irrigation, Afghanistan academy, non-governmental organization such as De-mining organizations , United Nations Environment Protection, World Bank, Faculty of agriculture and Faculty of geology from Kabul university, Faculty of natural science from education university and the  National Environment Protection Agency representatives.

 

The main objective for the establishment of the committee is to seek effective ways of using the natural resources such as grazing lands, forests, wild lives, echo system of dry and water areas, natural areas, water, soil and air. as well as to support and improve the environmental protection spirit in the general education and higher education institutions, to support the research and studies about the problems of ecology, extinction of animals and plants, depletion of Ozone substances, biosphere global warming, moreover  to attract attention and cooperation of national and international organization for the betterment of Afghanistan environment.

 

Organizations who are currently members of the committee

 

  1. National Environment Protection Agency (NEPA)
  2. Education University of Kabul (Faculty of Natural Science)
  3. Afghanistan Academy
  4. Ministry of agriculture and irrigation
  5. World Bank
  6. United Nations Environment Protection (UNEP)
  7. Afghan Organization of Human rights and Environmental protection
  8. Kabul University (Faculty of agriculture & Faculty of Geology)
  9. AREA
  10. ANCB
  11. ACBL/MDC
  12. Asia Development Bank (ADB)
  13. EPPP

 

EPAC Goal & Objectives

 

  1. To increase coordination and cooperation among all governmental and non-governmental organizations working for the environmental protection
  2. To mainstream the issues of Environmental protection in all endeavor of  government
  3. To Influence polices of government and bring positive changes for the environmental protection.
  4. To increase awareness of people, why they should protect the environement?

 

Executive Summery of EPAC activities as bullet points

 

Major Activities

 

-          Advocacy Department held 5 productive meetings with different governmental and non governmental organizations

-          EPAC held meeting with parliament and upper house environment related commissions

-          Disseminated two press release to the media

-          Introduced the environment protection advocacy committee to all governmental and non governmental related organizations by sending the EPAC introduction letter.

-          Elaborated the environment law and prepared suggestions.

-          Elaborated the mine law and prepared suggestions.

-          Sent statements to all government ministries to mainstream the environmental protection issue in their policies and strategies 

 

     Achievements 

 

1.      EPAC members suggested 10 new articles to environmental law which three articles are finally mainstreamed in the law.

2.      EPAC prepared and submitted specific suggestions for the mine law to parliament.

3.      EPAC Prepared questionnaire regarding Kabul municipality activities assessment and submitted to the parliament.

4.      EPAC prepared environmental protection suggestions for each ministry and submitted to the parliament.

 

Other major Advocacy Activities

 

-          Designed and prepared modification suggestion for the social organization and submitted to parliament

-          Organized an international conference on civil society development in Afghanistan.

-          Analyzed national consultation data for London conference, survey carried out in 34 provinces of Afghanistan by ACSF in 2005.

-          Cooperated with the legislation committee of AWN for drafting the new law naming Elimination of Domestic Violence against Women. 

-         Participating Human Rights Research and Advocacy consortium (HRRAC) monthly meetings.

 

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