Afghanistan
2009/2010 Allocation | $9.0 million
return to | Humanitarain and emergency assistance
Children in Bamyan Province
The programme focuses on sustainable rural livelihoods, health, education, and capacity development of provincial government and
non-governmental organisation staff, and also pays close attention to human rights and women's empowerment, which are cross-cutting issues within NZAID.
NZAID's programme focuses on Bamyan Province, and is additional
to
the work of the New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team and the
New Zealand Police training and mentoring for the Afghan National
Police Force.
Snapshot
Afghanistan was a poor country prior to the Russian invasion in 1979. Since then, armed conflict, poverty, and human rights violations have meant little improvement for the majority of the population. Afghanistan ranks 173rd in the Human Development Index, ahead only of Burundi, Mali, Niger, Burkino Faso and Sierra Leone, and the Human Poverty Index for Afghanistan remains one of the worst in the world.
The situation in Afghanistan is compounded in Bamyan, which has experienced a century of social neglect and isolation within a harsh local environment. Opportunities for agricultural development are relatively limited as the region is entirely mountainous, with little resources. Bamyan Province has one of the poorest maternal and child health indicators in Afghanistan and the world, and the ethnic minority Hazara population has suffered long-term discrimination.
Bamyan's history of conflict and the human rights abuses committed during the Taliban occupation, coupled with lack of physical infrastructure and the harshness of the natural environment means the people of Bamyan and its surrounding districts remains in great need of assistance.
NZAID priorities
NZAID's programme is focused on four key areas:
- sustainable rural livelihoods
- health
- education
- capacity development.
NZAID's programme in Afghanistan incorporates a cross-cutting focus on gender and human rights.
NZAID on the ground
Sustainable rural livelihoods
Sustainable rural livelihoods is vital
to
development in Afghanistan
NZAID contributes to the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development to support the National Solidarity Programme in Bamyan. This programme develops understanding of democratic processes at the village level through grants to locally elected councils to implement small infrastructure projects identified and prioritised in participatory planning processes.
NZAID contributes to the United Kingdom's Department for International Development's Sustainable Agricultural Livelihoods programme in Eastern Hazarajat. The programme is implemented by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.
NZAID has provided funding for women to learn literacy and numeracy skills, and train in vocations for income generating opportunities. Families in rural areas without access to land require training in areas other than agriculture. Tailoring is one such training area that can help generate income.
The Provincial Government has developed a strategy with the Aga Khan Foundation
to reopen Bamyan to international tourists, creating local livelihoods while preserving its cultural and natural heritage.
NZAID funding supports the creation of eco-tourism related income generation opportunities and demand for local products and services.
A women's literacy circle run by the Shuhada Organisation
NZAID supports Shuhada Organisation in providing a small carpet-weaving training programme to women to provide income generation and broaden access to other opportunities. In addition to vocational training, women access basic literacy, through which they learn about women's rights, reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, and community health.
Health
In partnership with the Aga Khan Foundation, NZAID funding supports delivery of basic health services to 36,000 people in the Shiber district. Activities focus on developing access to and improving the quality of health services, in particular access to pre and postnatal care for women and infants, access to reproductive health services, reproductive health and immunization programmes. Making good quality basic health care accessible to all underpins improvements in particular areas such as maternal mortality and infant mortality statistics.
NZAID support has been used to improve tertiary level care in the Bamyan Hospital, including construction of a new maternity ward. The New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team facilitated the construction of the ward.
Education
NZAID's support for education initiatives seeks to respond to the scarcity of basic resources and infrastructure, and the shortage of trained teachers (particularly female teachers).
Teacher training, and education programmes supported by NZAID aim to include as many women teachers as possible. Development partners work to remove barriers to education, such as providing the means for male family members to accompany women on training courses and ensuring appropriate accommodation.
Support to Bamyan University provides for staff development opportunities to improve education quality and to improve student and staff access to teaching and learning resources. The focus again is on improving access to tertiary education for young women by promoting recruitment and retention of women staff, and providing for their professional development.
Capacity development
The Programme for Professional Development provides needs-based training to government officials and NGO staff in areas such as budget development and management, project management, communication skills, and monitoring and evaluation.
NZAID funding provides a strategic planning advisor to assist the Bamyan provincial governor. In addition, NZAID supports strategic planning processes in the province and offers capacity development opportunities for government staff and NGOs to deliver development programmes.
Human rights
NZAID provides core funding for the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, which aims to ensure the promotion and protection of human rights across Afghanistan. It is staffed primarily by Afghans and is active in human rights education and monitoring violations of human rights across the country.
Gender
Improving the situation of women is a key concern for NZAID in Bamyan. Supporting women's participation in key initiatives across a range of areas is one way to influence and improve women's access to opportunities.