Thematic Area: Poverty Reduction & Achievements of the MDGs

Project Document

Progress Report Quarter 1 2010

Progress Report Quarter 2 2009

Progress Report Quarter 1 2009

Annual Report 2008 and Annex 1
Gender Mainstreaming Progress Report Quarter 1 2008
ICB-GE Progress Report Quarter 1 2008
ICB-GE Progress Report Quarter 2 2008
ICB-GE Progress Report Quarter 2 2008 Annex 1 AWP
ICB-GE Progress Report Quarter 3 2008
ICB-GE Progress Report Quarter 3 2008 Annex 1 AWP
ICB-GE Progress Report Quarter 2 2007
ICB-GE Progress Report Quarter 3 2007
ICB-MoWA Annual Report 2006

[Last Updated May 2010]

roject Start Date: March 2007
Project End Date: May 2010
Project Location: Kabul
Status of the project: Ongoing
Partners: Ministry of Womens’ Affairs (MoWA), Ministry of Economy

Background

The Institutional Capacity Building for Gender Equality project (Gender Equality) is collaboration between the Government of Afghanistan and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with the ministries of Women’s Affairs and Economy being the main counterparts. The overall goal of the project is to promote gender equity and women’s rights in Afghanistan. The project aims to develop effective gender mainstreaming models and strengthen the capacity of government ministries and institutions. The Project is in line with the goals set out in the ANDS for gender equity and consistent with the Millennium Development Goals of gender equality and empowerment of women. The Project has three components: 1) Modelling gender mainstreaming through selected ministries; 2) Sustainable knowledge building and management on gender; and 3) Towards women’s empowerment: conflict resolution, justice, security and peace at the sub-national level.

Gender Equality is a multi-stakeholder project with the Ministries of Finance, Agriculture, Hajj and Religious Affairs, Justice and Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC), Central Statistics Office (CSO), Kabul University (KU) and the ANDS are being the key implementing partners. The project is being implemented in close collaboration with UNAMA, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNIFEM, and UNESCO .

The new Institutional Capacity Building for Gender Equality project (Gender Equality) was signed in the 1st quarter of 2007.

The project has the following achievements in 2010.

Component 1: Modelling gender mainstreaming through selected ministries

Technical assistance for Line Ministries (Ministries of Women’s Affairs, Economy, Finance, and Agriculture:

• Developed ministry-specific (49) tools for ensuring gender is integrated into the implementation of ANDS by line ministries;

• Supported MOWA for the organization of Regional Conference on Women & Qu’ran, and in organizing the SAARC Conference on Women, Youth and Children;

• Facilitated the training of 370 women in civic education by MOWA before presidential elections;

• Provided support for training of MoEc officials on gender budgeting & planning at the national level;

• Supported the development of MoEc Website & handed over website to MoEc, and trained two officials of the Ministry to update the website on regular basis;

• Organized Bamyan Development Working Group (BDWG) & ensured the integration of gender into the activities of the different line ministries involved in the development of the province;

• Reviewed the Gender Policy & Strategy of MAIL for identifying entry points for joint activities;

• Organized training workshop on Women’s Entrepreneurship Development (WED) in the Rural Sector in collaboration with MAIL; follow-up going on to support identified programmes for promoting WED;

• Organized workshop for MoF, MOWA, & MoEc for collaborating on issues relating to gender responsive planning, budgeting & implementation.

• Finalized assessment report on the existing budgetary process in the Ministry of Finance and in different line Ministries as an input for the Gender Responsive Budgeting workshop organized by the Budget Directorate, Ministry of Finance;

• Finalized collaboration with the MoF Directorate of Budget and  GTZ to establish a Gender Responsive Budget cell in the Directorate;

Component 2: Sustainable knowledge-building and management on gender

Gender Studies Institute (GSI)

 Gender Curriculum Development Exercise

• Regular meetings of GSI Advisory Committee were held. The GSI Committee comprises of Kabul University, UNDP/GEP, Ministry of Higher Education, Afghan Women’s Network, UNESCO and the Ministry of Women’s Affairs. In its 3 rd meeting– action for developing curriculum decided, alternative premises for GSI discussed, started regular meetings with Chancellor and faculty members of Kabul University to form a working group for the identification and selection of new research topics of Gender Studies Institute (GSI) & mainstreaming gender in KU ‘s faculties;

• Developed the curricula for Masters courses and also tested curriculum for certificate course in a workshop and finalized the curriculum;

• Completed pilot certificate course on Gender, Development and Conflict.

• The first regular certificate course was organized from 17th January 2010 till the 23rd February 2010 at Kabul University. About 19 faculty members from Kabul University participated in the course which took place four days a week for four hours every day and resource persons with expert knowledge in the different topics of the sessions such as Gender and Development, Islamic concepts and Gender, Conflict and Peace-building and Gender, International, Customary and Shari’a law among other different topics provided the participants with an in-depth understanding of these topics;

• Finalized the survey and research study on sexual gender-based violence (SGBV). In collaborated with the research was undertaking in 3 universities; Kabul, Balkh and Herat Universities. The final report of the survey has been completed and is presently being edited for presentation at a workshop. Other topics for consideration of the second topic for research is being discussed with representatives from Kabul University, UNESCO and GEP and a draft outline of the topic accepted on a consensus basis will be prepared in April;

• CISCO Networking Academy trained over 137 women students on Basic and Advance IT courses.

Component 3: Towards Women’s empowerment: conflict resolution, justice, security and peace at the sub-national level enhanced

Organization of of Mullahs training programme in Balkh and Herat provinces:

• Launched Mullah training in Herat & Balkh. Nearly 500 Mullahs from five districts in each province went through a series of trainings, knowledge-building and participatory discussions on women’s rights according to Islam. The program aimed to disseminate awareness mainly to men in the communities through their Mullahs and religious leaders especially on matters relating to violence against women which carries a lot of weight when taught by religious leaders who wield considerable influence in Afghan communities;

• Organized exposure visit to Malaysia for 15 participants of 1st phase of Mullahs training programme from 2 provinces of Balkh and Herat to meet government officials, representatives of academic institutions, civil society organizations, & other focal points in Malaysia to gain first-hand experience of progress achieved in another Islamic country;

• Organized a feedback workshop on the return of the delegation to share the information gathered during the exposure visit and discuss the follow-up actions and programmes;

• Organized the second phase of the Mullah training programme in Balkh and Herat.

Establishment of Legal Help Centres:

• In collaboration with Departments of Women’s Affairs and Justice in Herat and Balkh Provinces, 8 legal help centres for women have been established in the two provinces; 4 in each province. The aims of these centers are to provide free legal consultation to victims of gender-based violence and also conduct technical programs for training of para-legals.

Establishment and Equipment of Media Centres:

• Supported the establishment of Media Centres in the Departments of Women’s Affairs (DoWAs) in Herat and Balkh provinces. The aim of these centres is to help DoWAs in their advocacy and awareness raising campaigns on gender and women’s rights issues.

Awareness Raising Work:

• Organized advocacy campaigns for protection of women’s rights in Balkh & Herat centred around important dates: international women’s day, mothers’ day, international day for the elimination of violence against women, etc combined with exhibitions displaying women –manufactured products;

• Undertook special campaigns on EVAW in the 2 provinces; organized drug awareness raising workshop in Balkh for 120 women; and organized awareness raising programmes on specific gender issues for 300 female and male students in Herat University.

• Organized one-month long leadership training programme for 30 young women in Herat with internship arranged for 10 participants to work in DOWA, Roshan, Women’s Council and other organizations.

Partnerships and Resources

Target Budget: USD 10,628,500

Funded Budget: USD 7,481,137

Donor: UNDP, CIDA, Italy, DFID

Focal Points: Razia Fazl, Programme officer, UNDP/CO razia.fazl@undp.org

Ms. Sharmistha Dasbarwa, Project Manager, GEP/UNDP Sharmistha.dasbarwa@undp.org

Gender Awareness and Development Manual
Gender Mainstreaming Manual