UNDP Afghanistan Newsletter

DIAG one year on spreading across the country

15 June 2006

One year on since the official launch of DIAG, the Disband- ment of Illegal Armed Groups, the process is continuing to move forward at a steady pace with a number of activi- ties in the last weeks and more than 20,000 weapons collected in the first year.

In Daikundi province the proc- ess is continuing when on May 24 the Provincial DIAG Coordination representative in Daikundi held a workshop for the launch of the DIAG Main Phase in the province.

The workshop was attended by the Governor, local heads of the Ministry of Rural Reha- bilitation and Development, the Afghanistan National Army, the National Depart- Inside this issue: ment of Security, the Chief of Main Phase of DIAG is part of Karim Khalili. The letters give Police, representatives of the a governmental programme the groups and officials 30 Eleven public toilets handed 2 Ministry of Haj and Religious implemented by the Joint days to surrender their weap- over to Kabul municipality Affairs, the Ministry of De- Secretariat of the Disarma- ons and disband or sever fence, the Ministry of Water ment and Reintegration Com- their links with illegal armed First retreat for UN 3 and Energy and a member of mission with the support of groups. If they do not comply, Volunteers in Afghanistan Regional Verification commit- the international community to they will face dismissal and/or Profiles of some UN 4 tee. disband illegal armed groups prosecution by state institu- Volunteers in Afghanistan in the country. tions During the workshop, the Disability projects get top 6 Provincial DIAG Coordinator DIAG IN TAKHAR General Daud the Deputy billing at UNAMA press for Daikundi explained the Minister for Interior Affairs conference Concept of Operation and the June 1 was marked as D-Day said that DIAG is not a pro- Provincial Implementation for the launch of the DIAG gramme to take only take Vital computer training for 6 Plan for the Main Phase to be Main Phase in Takhar Prov- weapons from individuals but the police launched soon in Daikundi ince. Takhar is the fourth that it is a programme to dis- province. province in group one after band the armed groups in Disability and development: 7 Kapisa, Herat and Farah to order to ensure a sustainable Time to walk the talk The purpose of the workshop begin with the implementation safe and secure country. was to follow up on the con- of DIAG Main Phase. Bronze for UN Afghanistan 8 ference held on May 14 for Volleyball team the eight provinces targeted Thirty eight identified illegal under the DIAG Main Phase armed groups and govern- DIAG — Disbandment of National Assembly staff to 8 in the second group which ment officials linked with ille- Illegal Armed Groups — is Estonia for E-Parliament include Badakhshan, Farah, gal armed groups were given part of UNDP’s training Ghor, Nangarhar, Bamyan, notification letters signed by Afghanistan’s New Wardak, Ghazni and Dai- the Second Vice President, SEAL forum on civil society 8 kundi. Beginnings Programme 15 June 2006

DIAG: More than 20,000 weapons handed over

MEDIA WORKSHOP DIAG is a process intending to eradicate the influence of illegal In other DIAG related news the Afghan media development NGO Nai, organ- armed groups in Afghanistan, ized a one day informative workshop thus allowing the consolidation on the DIAG programme and its proce- of peace, rule of law and pros- dures. perity in the country. By volun- tarily surrendering their weap- The workshop was officially inaugu- ons, disbanding or severing rated by Dr. Mohammad Yosef Noris- links with armed groups, ex- tanee, the Deputy Minister of Defence commanders and government and Deputy Director of the DIAG pro- officials linked with groups will gramme, in the presence of Dr. Said Mr. Norihiro Okuda, Japanese demonstrate their support to the Ambassador in Afghanistan speaking Makhdoom Raheen, acting Minister of Information, Culture and Youth. government to build a safe and at the Takhar event prosperous Afghanistan. About 40 journalists from 18 provinces, DIAG IN LAGHMAN as well as ISAF and Coalition forces press representatives attended the On June 7 the Joint Secretariat of the workshop. Disarmament and Reintegration Com- mission officially launched the Main The workshop was funded by the Phase of the Disbandment of Illegal ANBP (Afghanistan New Beginnings Armed Groups (DIAG) process in the Programme) and implemented by Nai. province of Laghman.

A high level delegation travelled from The DIAG process was launched on Kabul to attend the launching cere- June 11 2005. mony and the weapons collection at the office of the Governor, Gulab Man- As of June 11 2006 22,896 weapons, gal. including 14,304 operational weapons Right: General Mohammad Daud, Deputy as well as 21,467 rounds of boxed and Minister for Interior Affairs presenting the During the ceremony, notification let- 191,760 rounds of unboxed ammuni- letters of notification in Takhar ters to disband in 30 days were tion have been handed over to and handed over to 17 ex-commanders and three government officials linked verified by ANBP collection teams in with illegal armed groups. Afghanistan.

Eleven public toilets handed over to Kabul municipality

Most reasonable estimates suggest UNDP and requested that the population of Kabul has grown that more public toilets since the fall of the Taliban regime in should be built in the November 2001 from 500,000 to per- city. haps as many as four million people. The project, which took The resulting pressure and strain on seven months to com- public services is tremendous. plete at a cost of US$ 654,000, was originally In an effort to alleviate some of the suggested by Kabul mu- strain in the busy city the Urban Devel- nicipality as it looked at opment Group (UDG), of UNDP with some of the most urgent the municipality of Kabul and the Min- infrastructure needs of istry of Urban Development, has just Each building has five toilet rooms and the city. completed building eleven public toilets separate sections for men and women in eight different districts of the city. including a fully accessible toilet for In keeping with the guiding principles of people with disabilities. UDG projects the construction of the toilets provided a total of 17,574 man Speaking at a handover ceremony the days of work for internally displaced Page 2 Mayor of Kabul, Ghulam Sakhi Noor- people ex-combatants, returnees and zad, said he appreciated the work of vulnerable people. UNDP Afghanistan Newsletter

First retreat for UN Volunteers in Afghanistan

“At the heart of volunteerism are The objectives of the retreat were to The United Nations Volunteers is the ideals of service and solidarity promote voluntarism, to review and the UN organization that supports and the belief that together we can advocate for the Millennium Develop- sustainable human development ment Goal, to provide an opportunity globally through the promotion of make the world better. In that for sharing of experiences among UN volunteerism, including the mobili- sense, we can say that Volunteers and to discuss ways of zation of volunteers. The UNV pro- volunteerism is the ultimate bringing effective solutions to their gramme has been present in Af- expressions of what the United problems. ghanistan since 1989 and since then Nations is all about.” Kofi Annan more than 1000 International Na- A special message from Mr. Ad de tional and TOKTEN UN Volunteers Raad, Executive Coordinator of UN have contributed to the reconstruc- More than 70 international and national Volunteers from the headquarters in tion and development in Afghani- UN Volunteers from different parts of Bonnto was read out to UNVs in Af- stan by supporting relief, humani- Afghanistan joined the first Retreat of ghanistan. In it he said: “It is my hope tarian and capacity building pro- UN Volunteers on June 9-10 at the that — especially in an environment grams, and the Voter Registration UNICEF Conference Room in the you live and work in as in Afghanistan and the Electoral Assistance pro- UNOCA compound on the Jalalabad — your time together during the retreat jects, in preparation for Afghani- Road in Kabul. will be one of strengthening the large stan’s first presidential and parlia- UNV family we have there. You are an mentary elections. The event was inaugurated by exceptional group of professionals, Ameerah Haq, UN Resident Coordina- and you make us very proud that you tor and UNDP Resident Representa- are associated with the UN Volunteers tive. Ms. Haq pointed out the valuable programme.” contributions UNVs have made in Afghanistan and how they are the Mr. Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of www.unvafghanistan.org backbone for every grassroots the United Nations is quoted as saying: achievement especially in areas such “At the heart of volunteerism are the as elections. ideals of service and solidarity and the belief that together we can make the world better. In that sense, we can say that volunteerism is the ultimate ex- pressions of what the United Nations is all about.” As part of the UN’s fifty years of in- volvement in Afghanistan, the United Nations Volunteers programme has been present in the country since 1989. Over this period, more than 1,200 in- ternational, national and TOKTEN (Transfer of Knowledge through Expa- triate National) UN Volunteers have contributed to the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan by sup- porting relief, humanitarian and capac- Page 3 ity building programs as part of differ- ent UN agencies. 15 June 2006

Profiles of some of the UN Volunteers in Afghanistan From Malawi, India, Nepal and Tajikistan

Being a UNV in Afghanistan Name: Rose Khan is challenging to everyone Age: 50 and so is being a UNV all Country: Malawi over the world. I am one of Job title: Programme Officer those long serving UNVs in (Health & Nutrition) the system. I have served as Duty station: Country Office a UNV in different capacities Agency: WFP and have acquired vast Time in Afghanistan: Since 2004 experience in my life as a UNV. For me it is a great opportunity for sharing my Name: Dr. Pandu Nagarajan professional working experience Age: 52 Country: India with my fellow International and Job title: UNDP Dispensary Doctor National colleagues and it Duty Station: Kabul contributes to my input on Agency: UNDP governance, human rights and Time in Afghanistan: From December 8 2005 development process a challenging and rewarding experience. Thank you to UNV and let us keep the "V" spirit UNV offers me a Being a UNV and as a Doctor, growing TALL and WIDE. challenge and real my main goal is to serve the job satisfaction. people of Afghanistan and the staff of UNDP and other agencies in Afghanistan, where medical facilities are inadequate.

Name: Shrestha Bina Name: Malika Iskandari Age: 50 Age: 28 Country: Nepal Country: Tajikistan Job title: Programme Officer Job title: Programme Officer Duty station: Jalalabad Duty station: Gardez Agency: WFP Agency: WFP Time in Afghanistan: From September Time in Afghanistan: One month 2004

Being a UNV I hope to help the poor and vulnerable and make their life better.

Page 4 UNDP Afghanistan Newsletter

More profiles of some of the UN Volunteers in Afghanistan From Ghana, Tajikistan and Sierra Leone

Working with WFP in the remote Name: Zarif Rahmanov Badakhshan province and feeding Age: 38 Country: Tajikistan food to insecure people is a lifetime Job title: Finance / Administration Officer challenge and I am glad to see the Duty station: Mazar-e-Sharif difference I have made in peoples’ Agency: WFP lives working as a volunteer. Time in Afghanistan: Since January 2003

Being a UNV in Afghanistan is a Name: Kobby M. Mensah big challenge for Age: 32 me as it is my Country: Ghana Job title: Programme Officer first experience Duty station: Badakhshan, Faizabad to be an interna- Agency: WFP tional specialist. Time in Afghanistan: For the past 27 months It is a great opportunity for me to share my professional working experience with my international and national colleagues and it UNVs in Afghanistan have played gives me a chance to make a contribution to the an indispensable role in the agencies and especially during development process of Afghanistan. During the the past two elections. period from 2003 – 2006 I was directly involved with the WFP operation in Afghanistan and have been working in Faizabad, Kandahar, Mazar and Turkmenistan.

Name: Andrew Stanley Colway Name: John Hamilton Age: 33 Age: 42 Country: Sierra Leone Country: Sierra Leone Job title: Finance Officer Job title: Administration / Finance Duty station: Kabul Duty station: Kunduz Agency: UNAMA Agency: UNDP/ ANBP Time in Afghanistan: Since December 2004 Time in Afghanistan: The past eight months

The reason why I became a UNV is because I was working for UNAMSIL in my country as peacekeeper and I wanted to con- tinue with a peacekeeping operation with the United Nations. I joined the UNV because I wanted to do peace building in a country affected by war and I wanted to help the development of the nation. Also, there was so much senselessness in my country for ten years, but due to the effort of UNV and perma- nent staff members of the UN we (Sierra Leoneans) are enjoying peace and economic development now.

Page 5 15 June 2006

Disability projects get top billing at UNAMA press conference

UNDP’s National Programme FACTS AND FIGURES for Action on Disability pre- sented its work at the weekly There are more than 800,000 UNAMA press conference on June 12. disabled people in Afghanistan according to a NPAD’s Programme Manager Shaya Asindua Ibrahim briefed Handicap International the media on issues such as the survey (the real figure could development of Afghanistan’s be as high as two million) sign language, the completion of a Disability Resource Centre People with physical in Khair Khana in Kabul (see UNDP Newsletter May 15 2005) disabilities make up 44%, Aleem Siddique, UNAMA’s and a disability awareness trip mental 38% and sensory Ministerial Disability Advisor S.W. Senior Public Information Officer, attended by eight Afghans in 18% introduces the guest speaker, America. Saraj interviewed by the media NPAD’s Programme Manager, Next week deaf experts from 25% are war related Shaya Asindua Ibrahim, at the America start work in Afghani- 75% of children with weekly UNAMA press stan on further developing the conference country’s sign language from disabilities are out of school 2000 words to 4000 words. There are an estimated 10,000 80% of people with people in Afghanistan who are disabilities are unemployed hearing impaired.

The basics of Afghan sign language with thanks to Parween Azimi, UNDP’s NPAD Education Adviser and Ab Ghaffar, President of the Afghanistan National Association of the Deaf

From left to right in Dari: Salaam a-laykum, chi-toor-hasty?, khub-os-tom, ta-shar-koor (two actions), khuda hafiz

From left to right in Pashto: Salaam a-laykum, senga ye?, ze kha yam, manena (two actions), de khudai paman

From left to right in English: Salaam a-laykum, how are you?, I am fine, thank you (two actions), good bye

Vital computer training for the police

Forty eight police officers from 15 prov- Database which is part of the Law and subject areas, which are intended to inces in Afghanistan have started 20 order Trust Fund’s (LOTFA) support to bring each candidate up to an accept- days of basic computer training to al- the police service. able skill level, so that further personal low them to implement the Electronic advancement may be achieved inde- Payroll System and Human Resource The computerization of the payroll pro- pendently through continued practice, ject for the police of the Ministry of and by using other software pro- Interior started in March 2004. grammes. Page 6 The training, which will be complete at The training is a joint effort of LOTFA the end of June, covers a number of and the Ministry of the Interior. UNDP Afghanistan Newsletter

Disability and development: Time to walk the talk By Phitalis Were Maskhwe, National Programme for Action on Disability

For a couple of decades now the topic people with disabilities could resort to mayed. And where some disabled of disability and development has fea- illegal and socially damaging survival people are employed, what positions tured prominently in development dis- tactics. If the plight of the disabled do they hold? Do they add value or are course. Many studies linking disability continues to go unaddressed, it could they merely window-dressing? and development have been under- pose a serious threat to peace and taken by major development movers stability not only in Afghanistan, but Disabled people deserve bolder strides and shakers. Global and regional initia- globally. toward mainstreaming. They need to tives have been convened to discuss, be integrated into planning mecha- reflect and analyze the cost of exclu- The number of people with disabilities nisms, with more resources dedicated sion. continues to rise every day through to the cause as we have seen with disease, malnutrition, accidents, terror- HIV/AIDS, environmental sustainability As a result, major development part- ism, man-made and natural disasters and other causes. Disability- ners have pledged to ensure that their and war. According to UN figures, only disaggregated data should be standard policies, resources and programmes 5% of disabled children are accessing output in our development monitoring are accessible and inclusive of the education and fully 80% of people with and reporting. Barriers to mobility and more than 600 million disabled world- disabilities worldwide are unemployed. access need to be removed at once, wide. Yet my concern is that we have While talk of disability mainstreaming and donor and government commit- lingered far too long at the level of talk- goes on, the World Bank and the ment to these efforts needs to be re- ing, researching, conferencing and United Nations continue to churn out flected in the design of schools, hospi- theorizing! Isn’t this a scandal in our mind-boggling statistics on the state of tals and the entire infrastructures these age? Can disabled people eat intellec- the world’s disabled. Eighty-two per- partners support. tual disquisitions on disability and de- cent of people with disabilities live be- velopment? These theoretical flour- low the poverty line in developing Above all, disabled people need more ishes benefit only those who engage in countries like Afghanistan. The World resources channelled toward strength- them. It’s time for an end to develop- Bank says that one in every six abso- ening their capacity for self-advocacy. ment polemics. lutely poor people has some form of Many development partners are reluc- disability. With this wealth of statistics tant to fund the organizational develop- This article is written based on my over at our disposal, how is it that the dis- ment of groups comprising the disabil- twelve years’ practical experience and abled remain practically invisible in our ity movement, citing “lack of capacity.” observation working in the field of dis- development programming and initia- But isn’t capacity-building one of our ability and development, first in Kenya tives? core mandates as development part- and now in Afghanistan. I also write it ners? It’s time to walk the talk on dis- as one who has lived with a disability All development partners and NGOs ability and development. for the last 35 years, having contracted have one thing in common: they are all polio at the tender age of three. So I committed to observance of human have seen it all! rights for all and to poverty eradication, as expressed in the Millennium Devel- The writer is a regular commentator Here in Afghanistan, resources are opment Goals and similar pro-poor on disability and development. He is extremely wanting. Among the formi- schemes. Yet an objective critique of currently the International Advisor, dable challenges are low human ca- these landmark development blue- Disability Rights & Advocacy for pacity, a fragile and fragmented dis- prints reveals a conspicuous absence UNDP Afghanistan. ability movement, disproportionately of the disabled. The current interna- high poverty and illiteracy among the tional development framework largely disabled, and a lack of policy and legal excludes them, particularly at ground infrastructure to support the main- level. streaming of the over 2 million Afghans with disabilities. Getting the interna- To be sure, many development part- tional community present in Afghani- ners, NGOs and civil societies have stan to appreciate the enormity of dis- produced flowery disability-affirming ability as a human rights and develop- policies and good statements of intent ment issue is an uphill climb. My work on disability mainstreaming. But take includes alerting development partners those statements and measure them to the larger repercussions of exclu- against practice in those organizations, sion: that disgruntled and hopeless and the picture is maddening. Walk into their offices and count the number of disabled employees, the adjust- ments to the physical workspace, and Page 7 you are bound to come away dis- 15 June 2006

Bronze for UN Afghanistan Volleyball team

The UN Afghanistan Volleyball team has won a Bronze medal at the UN games held in Pesaro, Italy on May 17-23. More than 1,350 UN staff members participated in the games. Twenty four sportsmen from Afghanistan’s UN agencies took part in the games, including football, basket- ball, swimming, table tennis and volleyball.

Younis Imal from the UNDP Financial Management Unit said: “For the first time Afghanistan participated in the UN games. I was asked by the main organiser of the games to carry the flag in the opening ceremony wearing my tradi- tional Afghan clothes. We also performed an Afghan na- tional dance during the games.”

The UN Afghanistan Volleyball team in Italy

National Assembly members to Estonia for E-Parliament training

Thirteen members and secretariat staff (Support to the Establishment of the mation society and the use of ICT in of Afghanistan’s National Assembly Afghan Legislature) has organised the the public sector. The country has (five members of the Wolesi Jirga, training as part of its commitment to reached a high level in the overall three members of the Meshrano Jirga and work with the national assembly spread and use of ICT (eg: 78% of and five secretariat staff) are attending members and staff. Income Tax declarations were submit- information, communications and tech- ted online in 2005). nology training to help them see the The specialised week long course is importance of having in place the right taking place in Tallinn in Estonia at the The training program specifically ad- national policies and strategies on the e-Governance Academy which was dresses various forms of public-private information society. initiated in 2002 by the United Nations partnerships among key stakeholders, Development Programme, the Open shows how the general public should This will help them achieve meaningful Society Institute (OSI) and the be involved and emphasizes a critical impacts in real life, help the process of Estonian Government. importance of the political will to en- democracy and see the potential ICT sure a much needed continuity and can have in a country’s overall Estonia has been one of the success consistency during the implementation development. UNDP’s SEAL project stories in the development of the infor- of adopted policies and passed laws.

SEAL forum on civil society

The UNDP’s SEAL project (Support to A further aim is to ensure assembly to interact and communicate more the Establishment of the Afghan Legis- committee members are aware of the effectively amongst each other through lature) held a half day forum at the importance of Afghan civil society and the forum of discussion that we are National Assembly on enhancing the advocate human rights, especially going to have.” relations between civil society organi- women’s rights in the civil service and zations and the Gender and Civil civil society fields. Sediga Balkhi, the chairperson of Gen- Society committees of the parliament. der and Civil Society Committee of the Speaking at the opening of the forum Meshrano Jirga praised the fact that The main purpose of the forum was to Anita Nirody, Acting Country Director civil society and the assembly commit- link up civil society organizations with of UNDP said: “Through our SEAL tees were coming together. He ex- the parliamentary committees to help project, UNDP has provided and will plained the work of the committee: the future coordination of civil society continue to provide substantial support “The main duty of our committee is support activities. to the establishment and functioning of studying and evaluating civil societies the National Assembly. A very key and gender, implementation of laws, element of that support is to extend the also making laws and studying laws public outreach of the National Assem- that are made by the government and Page 8 bly and its interactions with civil soci- by civil society and the laws that we ety. I very much hope that we can use are jointly making and implementing; this meeting to find ways and solutions those are the duties of our committee.” UNDP is the UN's global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life.

United Nations Development Programme, Shah Mahmood Ghazi Watt, Kabul, Afghanistan;

tel: +93 (0) 20 212 4000 or +93 (0) 20 212 4076

For more information on any of these stories, or to make contributions, please contact:

Dominic Medley, Media Relations Officer; tel: +93 (0)70 691 985; email: [email protected]

Aziz-u-Rahman Gulbahari, National Public Information Officer; tel: +93 (0)799 370 567; email: [email protected]

www.undp.org.af

An Image of Afghanistan