DOCSLIB.ORG

UNICEF Afghanistan Country Office Gender and COVID-19 Strategies

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
UNICEF Afghanistan Country Office Gender and COVID-19 Strategies Putting women and girls at the forefront of UNICEF Afghanistan Programme: Gender and COVID-19 Update December 2020 /2020/Omid Fazel /2020/Omid UNICEF Afghanistan UNICEF © Background The COVID-19 pandemic has created a global crisis on an unprecedented scale, affecting lives and communities worldwide. As a result of the circumstances brought on by COVID-19, children, adolescent girls and women face a myriad challenges. These range from an increased exposure to violence and early marriage, to significant loss of learning opportunities, diminished access to health facilities and devastating economic losses. Within this context, the unique needs of women and girls have not been adequately prioritized in response plans. In addition, information about women and girls’ experiences often remains hidden within existing data, obscuring the complexity, nuances and uniqueness of their situation. In Afghanistan, the COVID-19 crisis has aggravated pre-existing gender inequalities that hamper women’s access to services. For example, women’s access to health and gender-based violence (GBV) services has been decimated, and 67 percent of women cannot go to health centers without a male escort (Care International 2020). This is also confirmed by a recent Oxfam Study in Afghanistan. This report presents the second and last gender newsletter for the year 2020 in Afghanistan Country Office (ACO). The newsletter captures promising programme strategies that were developed and put to scale during the pandemic to address the unique needs of mainly women and adolescent girls. Key Strategies by ACO to Address Gender Issues Affecting Women and Girls in Afghanistan Promising Strategy#1: Engagement of women CSOs into gender COVID-19 responses Lack of access to information on COVID-19 by specific civil society organizations (CSOs), Voice of Women, social groups, such as women and girls, was highlighted Women Activities & Social Services Association as a critical issue affecting access to COVID-19 related (WASSA), and Action Aid Afghanistan (AAA). UNICEF information and services by women. A Risk and partners launched a targeted approach in Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) awareness raising at household level, using study in Afghanistan confirmed that 30 percent of mechanisms preferred by women and girls, in five women were aware of COVID-19, compared to 48 provinces, including Herat, Farah, Badghis, Ghor and percent of men, and that only 58 percent of women were rural Kabul. This ensures that women and girls have aware of COVID-19 symptoms, compared to 79 percent access to accurate information on COVID-19 and its of men. This lack of gender sensitive two-way implications on the safety, health and well-being on communication contributed to serious inequalities in themselves and their families. Since June, over 734,726 regard to access to critical information and services by women, girls, men and boys were reached with women compared to men. To address this inequality, information on COVID-19 and gender related issues. UNICEF Afghanistan engaged three women-focused Read more Beneficiaries reached with information 38563 1234 46545 Girls 16261 20072 1439 November 32195 October 1217 51567 Boys 14932 September 18418 11465 August 65799 1425 July 98335 Female 38069 38641 7808 June 55909 1760 98264 Male 33062 ©WASSA Herat/2020 35665 6081 Promising Strategy # 2: Alternative approach to reaching out to adolescent girls with WIFS amidst COVID-19 UNICEF Afghanistan’s Nutrition section devised an distribution has been piloted in the Karukh district of alternative model during COVID-19 pandemic to reach all Herat province, Kama district of Nangarhar province and adolescent girls with weekly iron folic acid supplements Garabagh in Kabul province -- all with strong results. It (IFA) to prevent anemia while schools were closed. This was also welcomed by all stakeholders, including model helped them to better reach adolescent girls who Ministry of Public Health and Ministry of Education. The are not attending any form of school or staying at home nutrition section is expanding this model to three other due to COVID-19. To date, this community-based districts in the coming months. Girls Received IFA 12703 7753 7224 School girls 5268 3492 3228 Out of school girls ©UNICEFAfghanistan/2019/Maroof Kama Qarabagh Karokh 1 Strategy # 3: Scaling up prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) capacity Experience tells us that during pandemics or other emergencies, sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) often increases, and timely reporting and response is often compromised. All beneficiaries of humanitarian aid must remain safe from sexual exploitation and abuse, so it is very important that humanitarian organizations and actors integrate PSEA into their COVID-19 preparedness and response. As part of the measures to address SEA and strengthen systems, UNICEF Afghanistan stepped up its role to ensure effective systems to prevent and respond to SEA for its staff, partners and its beneficiaries through targeted cascade trainings, awareness raising, and activation of clear reporting and redress mechanisms for all SEA cases. So far, around 2,745 staff, implementing partners and contractors PSEA hotline card, UNICEF Afghanistan have received training on PSEA and GBV. Promising Strategy 4#: Reaching out to women and girls with psychosocial support services through pair- social workers Safety and security concerns prevent women from taking up formal employment as frontline workers. Simultaneously, the lack of a female workforce hampers access to services by many Afghan women because of cultural norms that prevent women from accessing such services from a male health/social worker. For instance, learning from the model of community health workers that are recruited as a pair (husband and wife), Voice of Women (UNICEF’s partner in western region), is deploying social workers in pairs to facilitate critical psychosocial and referral services especially for women and girls. Use of social workers working as a pair for mobilization, safe referrals and case management, facilitated timely access to GBV services for women and Girls in Badghis. Since July 2020, over 130,267 girls, women, men and boys have received services. ©UNICEF Afghanistan/2020 Promising Strategy # 5: Meeting the dignity and sanitary needs of women and girls affected by COVID-19 During a pandemic or emergency, menstrual health and hygiene (MHM) needs become more pronounced because of movement restrictions, including lockdowns, and quarantine for women and girls. Being able to manage menstruation safely, hygienically, and with confidence and dignity, is critical for the health, education and dignity of girls and women, as well as overall gender equality. Millions of women and girls in Afghanistan were already struggling to meet their menstrual needs before the current crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the situation. During the Pandemic, UNICEF ACO emphasized the ©UNICEF Afghanistan/2020 importance of meeting the hygiene and dignity of 2 women and girls as a critical programming issue. In Herat water facilities and menstrual hygiene facilities remains a and Farah, in collaboration with the Directorate of top priority for the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) Women’s Affairs, UNICEF distributed hygiene kits section. During the first COVID-19 response, over 14,500 targeting women and girls. Secondly, ensuring access to women and girls received WASH services. Promising strategy # 6: Promoting the voice of Afghanistan girls through U-Report as an innovative tool to promote two-way communication Afghanistan has started using U-Report to promote What issue matters most to you as an Afghan girl? two-way-communication with its beneficiaries, including women and girls. U-Report is a social platform 59% developed by UNICEF, available via social media and Girls Health/Nutrition mobile phone, where youth can express themselves on issues that matter to them. The results of short surveys Girls Education are shared on the U-Report website. On the International Day of the Girl, girls made their voices Violence Against Girls heard on U-Report covering issues that affect them most. This platform will remain a critical mechanism to 13% 15% Menstrual Hygiene provide information, and also receive useful feedback 6% 8% from beneficiaries. For more information, please visit Others the website: www.ureportafghanistan.in Human Interesting Story: Scaling up routine immunization amidst COVID-19; polio workers on the frontline Tamara Abu Sham 16 May 2020 Jalalabad, Eastern Afghanistan: House-to-house polio immunization campaigns have been halted since the COVID-19 outbreak reached Afghanistan in late February, but the work of thousands of polio programme workers continues. Amidst the pandemic, workers are supporting families to ensure that children under one year receive childhood immunizations at health facilities, protecting them against numerous life-threatening vaccine-preventable diseases. The polio programme’s support of routine immunization in Afghanistan has made ©UNICEF Afghanistan/2020 important gains, especially in eastern Afghanistan, in the areas bordering Pakistan. Polio social mobilisers from the UNICEF-run Immunization Communication is a useful and cost-free process.’’ Network (ICN), support mother and child health referral services, and help families The work of polio mobilisers is even more valued during the COVID-19 keep track of their children’s health records. As the mobilisers are from the response. Vaccinator
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Justice & Security Practices, Perceptions, and Problems in Kabul and Nangarhar
    Justice & Security Practices, Perceptions, and Problems in Kabul and Nangarhar M AY 2014 Above: Behsud Bridge, Nangarhar Province (Photo by TLO) A TLO M A P P I N G R EPORT Justice and Security Practices, Perceptions, and Problems in Kabul and Nangarhar May 2014 In Cooperation with: © 2014, The Liaison Office. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, recording or otherwise without prior written permission of the publisher, The Liaison Office. Permission can be obtained by emailing [email protected] ii Acknowledgements This report was commissioned from The Liaison Office (TLO) by Cordaid’s Security and Justice Business Unit. Research was conducted via cooperation between the Afghan Women’s Resource Centre (AWRC) and TLO, under the supervision and lead of the latter. Cordaid was involved in the development of the research tools and also conducted capacity building by providing trainings to the researchers on the research methodology. While TLO makes all efforts to review and verify field data prior to publication, some factual inaccuracies may still remain. TLO and AWRC are solely responsible for possible inaccuracies in the information presented. The findings, interpretations and conclusions expressed in the report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cordaid. The Liaison Office (TL0) The Liaison Office (TLO) is an independent Afghan non-governmental organization established in 2003 seeking to improve local governance, stability and security through systematic and institutionalized engagement with customary structures, local communities, and civil society groups.
    [Show full text]
  • “Poppy Free” Provinces: a Measure Or a Target?
    Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit Case Study Series WATER MANAGEMENT, LIVESTOCK AND THE OPIUM ECONOMY “Poppy Free” Provinces: A Measure or a Target? This report is one of seven multi-site case studies undertaken during the second stage of AREU’s three-year study “Applied Thematic Research into Water Management, Livestock and the Opium Economy” (WOL). David Mansfield Funding for this research was provided by the European Commission. May 2009 Editor: Emily Winterbotham Layout: AREU Publications Team © 2009 Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, recording or otherwise without prior written permission of the publisher, the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit. Permission can be obtained by emailing [email protected] or by calling (+93)(0)799 608 548. “Poppy Free” Provinces: A Measure or a Target? About the Author David Mansfield is a specialist on development in drugs-producing environments. He has spent 17 years working in coca- and opium-producing countries, with over ten years experience conducting research into the role of opium in rural livelihood strategies in Afghanistan. About the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit The Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU) is an independent research organisation based in Kabul. AREU’s mission is to conduct high-quality research that informs and influences policy and practice. AREU also actively promotes a culture of research and learning by strengthening analytical capacity in Afghanistan and facilitating reflection and debate. Fundamental to AREU’s vision is that its work should improve Afghan lives.
    [Show full text]
  • Cisco Broadband Data Book
    Broadband Data Book © 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. THE BROADBAND DATABOOK Cable Access Business Unit Systems Engineering Revision 21 August 2019 © 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 1 Table of Contents Section 1: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 4 Section 2: FREQUENCY CHARTS ........................................................................................ 6 Section 3: RF CHARACTERISTICS OF BROADCAST TV SIGNALS ..................................... 28 Section 4: AMPLIFIER OUTPUT TILT ................................................................................. 37 Section 5: RF TAPS and PASSIVES CHARACTERISTICS ................................................... 42 Section 6: COAXIAL CABLE CHARACTERISTICS .............................................................. 64 Section 7: STANDARD HFC GRAPHIC SYMBOLS ............................................................. 72 Section 8: DTV STANDARDS WORLDWIDE ....................................................................... 80 Section 9: DIGITAL SIGNALS ............................................................................................ 90 Section 10: STANDARD DIGITAL INTERFACES ............................................................... 100 Section 11: DOCSIS SIGNAL CHARACTERISTICS ........................................................... 108 Section 12: FIBER CABLE CHARACTERISTICS ...............................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Afghanistan Security Situation in Nangarhar Province
    Report Afghanistan: The security situation in Nangarhar province Translation provided by the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons, Belgium. Report Afghanistan: The security situation in Nangarhar province LANDINFO – 13 OCTOBER 2016 1 About Landinfo’s reports The Norwegian Country of Origin Information Centre, Landinfo, is an independent body within the Norwegian Immigration Authorities. Landinfo provides country of origin information to the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (Utlendingsdirektoratet – UDI), the Immigration Appeals Board (Utlendingsnemnda – UNE) and the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Public Security. Reports produced by Landinfo are based on information from carefully selected sources. The information is researched and evaluated in accordance with common methodology for processing COI and Landinfo’s internal guidelines on source and information analysis. To ensure balanced reports, efforts are made to obtain information from a wide range of sources. Many of our reports draw on findings and interviews conducted on fact-finding missions. All sources used are referenced. Sources hesitant to provide information to be cited in a public report have retained anonymity. The reports do not provide exhaustive overviews of topics or themes, but cover aspects relevant for the processing of asylum and residency cases. Country of origin information presented in Landinfo’s reports does not contain policy recommendations nor does it reflect official Norwegian views. © Landinfo 2017 The material in this report is covered by copyright law. Any reproduction or publication of this report or any extract thereof other than as permitted by current Norwegian copyright law requires the explicit written consent of Landinfo. For information on all of the reports published by Landinfo, please contact: Landinfo Country of Origin Information Centre Storgata 33A P.O.
    [Show full text]
  • Statistical Summary of Conflict-Induced Internal Displacement 30 November 2012
    UNHCR Afghanistan Statistical Summary of Conflict-induced Internal Displacement 30 November 2012 IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) are persons or groups of persons who have been forced or obliged to flee or leave their homes or places of habitual residence, in particular as a result of, or in order to, avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of generalized violence, violations of human rights or natural or human-made disasters, and who have not crossed an interna- tionally recognized State border (UN Secretary General, Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, E/CN.4/1998/53/Add.2, 11 February 1998). Total Increase Decrease Overall change Total displaced as at Total recorded in 2012 31 October 2012 November 2012 November 2012 November 2012 30 November 2012 459,162 32,907 10,192 22,715 481,877 199,007 Summary • IDPs overall: As at 30 November, 481,877 persons (75,630 families) are internally displaced due to conflict in Afghanistan. • November 2012 : 32,907 individuals (5,545 families) have been newly recorded as displaced due to conflict of whom 8,102 individuals (25%) were displaced in November, while 9,291 individuals (28%) were displaced in October and 14,698 indi- viduals (45%) were displaced prior to October 2012. The remaining 816 individuals (2%) were displaced prior to 2012. • Overall in 2012 : Since January 2012, a total of 199,007 conflict-induced IDPs have been recorded in Afghanistan. This figure includes 91,095 conflict-induced IDPs (46%) who were displaced in 2012 whereas 107,912 (54%) individuals were displaced prior to 2012. Displacement by region in 2012 end-Oct The Central region reported the highest in- Region Increase Decrease end-Nov 2012 crease in displacements due to military opera- 2012 tions, general insecurity, insurgencies, person- North al hostilities, landlessness, infiltration, threat/ 53,199 750 - 53,949 intimidation by AGEs.
    [Show full text]
  • Politics and Governance in Afghanistan: the Case of Nangarhar
    Uzbekistan Tajikistan n Researching livelihoods and China Turkmenistan Tu Nangarhar Kabul Afghanistan Iran Pakistan Politics and Governance in Arabian Sea Afghanistan: the Case of Nangarhar Province Working Paper 16 Ashley Jackson June 2014 Funded by the EC About us Secure Livelihoods Research Consortium (SLRC) aims to generate a stronger evidence base on how people in conflict-affected situations (CAS) make a living, access basic services like health care, education and water, and perceive and engage with governance at local and national levels. Providing better access to basic services, social protection and support to livelihoods matters for the human welfare of people affected by conflict, the achievement of development targets such as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and international efforts at peace- and state-building. At the centre of SLRC’s research are three core themes, developed over the course of an intensive one-year inception phase: § State legitimacy: experiences, perceptions and expectations of the state and local governance in conflict-affected situations § State capacity: building effective states that deliver services and social protection in conflict- affected situations § Livelihood trajectories and economic activity in conflict-affected situations The Overseas Development Institute (ODI) is the lead organisation. SLRC partners include the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU), the Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA) in Sri Lanka, Feinstein International Center (FIC, Tufts University), Focus1000
    [Show full text]
  • The Voice of Afghanistan's Private Sector in Balkh
    BALKH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRIES: THE VOICE OF AFGHANISTAN’S PRIVATE SECTOR IN BALKH PROVINCE BUILDING THE INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY OF EMPLOYERS’ ORGANISATIONS TO FOSTER A ROBUST PRIVATE SECTOR FOR PEACE AND RESILIENCE BALKH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRIES: THE VOICE OF AFGHANISTAN’S PRIVATE SECTOR IN BALKH PROVINCE Building the institutional capacity of Employers’ Organisations to foster a robust private sector for peace and resilience Case Holders: Grania Mackie and Carmen Mollman of the Gender Research Alliance and Joel Alcocer and Chandni Lanfranchi of the ITCILO SUMMARY OF PROJECT FOCUS The Project ‘Promoting rural youth employment in Afghanistan through Entrepreneurship education and Vocational training’ is a capacity development initiative facilitated by the ITCILO and financed by the Government of Norway under the Norway-ILO Programme Cooperation Agreement 2018-2019. Reflecting global practices in countries affected by fragility, the Project aimed to strength the institutional capacity of ILO constituents, social partners and other stakeholders in Afghanistan to tackle youth employment challenges through appropriate policies and programmes. TABLE OF CONTENTS THE CHALLENGE AND THE ITCILO APPROACH. 5 ABOUT THE BALKH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY AND THE ITCILO PROJECT . 6 THE BCCI: NEW ANALYTICAL SKILLS AND DIALOGUE TO DEVELOP A ROBUST PRIVATE SECTOR . .7 CONNECTING EXPERIENCES AND CAPACITIES FOR PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT. 8 BCCI’S INCREASED SUPPORT FOR WOMEN’S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT . 8 SUPPORTING A ROBUST PRIVATE SECTOR BY KNOWING THE LOCAL CONTEXT AND ESTABLISHING RELATIONSHIPS . .9 BCCI: WHERE TO FROM HERE . 11 BIBLIOGRAPHY. 11 List of interviewees. .11 FIND OUT MORE... 11 4 BALKH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRIES: THE VOICE OF AFGHANISTan’s prIVATE SECTOR IN BALKH PROVINCE THE CHALLENGE AND THE ITCILO APPROACH Afghanistan has been affected by political instability, violent conflict and socio-economic crisis for decades.
    [Show full text]
  • End of Year Report (2018) About Mujahideen Progress and Territory Control
    End of year report (2018) about Mujahideen progress and territory control: The Year of Collapse of Trump’s Strategy 2018 was a year that began with intense bombardments, military operations and propaganda by the American invaders but all praise belongs to Allah, it ended with the neutralization of another enemy strategy. The Mujahideen defended valiantly, used their chests as shields against enemy onslaughts and in the end due to divine assistance, the invaders were forced to review their war strategy. This report is based on precise data collected from concerned areas and verified by primary sources, leaving no room for suspicious or inaccurate information. In the year 2018, a total of 10638 attacks were carried out by Mujahideen against invaders and their hirelings from which 31 were martyr operations which resulted in the death of 249 US and other invading troops and injuries to 153 along with death toll of 22594 inflicted on Kabul administration troops, intelligence operatives, commandos, police and Arbakis with a further 14063 sustaining injuries. Among the fatalities 514 were enemy commanders killed and eliminated in various attacks across the country. During 2018 a total of 3613 vehicles including APCs, pickup trucks and other variants were destroyed along with 26 aircrafts including 8 UAVs, 17 helicopters of foreign and internal forces and 1 cargo plane shot down. Moreover, a total of 29 district administration centers were liberated by the Mujahideen of Islamic Emirate over the course of last year, among which some were retained
    [Show full text]
  • Final Evaluation of the Project for Building Resilience and Self
    Project evaluation series Final evaluation of the project for Building Resilience and Self-reliance of Livestock Keepers by Improving Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease and other Transboundary Animal Diseases in Afghanistan PROJECT EVALUATION SERIES Final evaluation of the project for Building Resilience and Self-reliance of Livestock Keepers by Improving Control of Foot-and- Mouth Disease and other Transboundary Animal Diseases in Afghanistan OSRO/AFG/402/JPN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS Rome, 2019 Required citation: FAO. 2019. Final Evaluation of the Project for Building Resilience and Self-reliance of Livestock Keepers by Improving Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease and other Transboundary Animal Diseases in Afghanistan. Rome. 8 pp. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO. The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by FAO in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. The views expressed in this information product are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of FAO. © FAO, 2019, last updated on 17/09/2021 Some rights reserved. This work is made available under the Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 IGO licence (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO; https://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/igo/legalcode/legalcode).
    [Show full text]
  • Afghan Lawmaker Declare Jihad (Holy War) Against TV Talent Shows
    افغاوستان آزاد – آزاد افغاوستان AA-AA چو کشور وباشـد ته مه مبـــــــاد بدیه بوم وبر زوده یک ته مــــباد همه سر به سر ته به کشته دهیم از آن به که کشور به دشمه دهیم www.afgazad.com [email protected] زبان های اروپائی European Languages http://www.khaama.com/afghan-lawmaker-declare-jihad-holy-war-against-tv-talent-shows-1685/print/ Afghan lawmaker declare Jihad (holy war) against TV talent shows July 22, 2013 According to reports an Afghan politician and member of the parliament Abdul Sattar Khawasi has declared Jihad (holy war) against the television talent shows calling the programs against the culture and customs of the country. Khawasi has reportedly secured a promise from the Afghan minister of information to review the programmes which he condemns the way they feature unveiled women singing and dancing. “I have already made it clear in the lower house that I am going to start a jihad against these kind of shows and programmes on our television channels,” Khawasi quoted by The Telegraph said. www.afgazad.com 1 [email protected] His criticisms were mainly aimed at the program,‟Voice of Afghanistan‟, which follows the established format of „The Voice‟ with blind auditions and battle rounds, and is featured by Aryana Sayeed, who was born in Kabul but now lives in London having established herself as an international star, as one of the three singing coaches. The Afghan lawmaker Abdul Sattar Khawasi quoted by The Telegraph said, “Look at its name, The Voice of Afghanistan, how sweet the name is and how great it looks, but unfortunately look at the contents of the show – it does not represent the culture and customs of our country.” This comes as Ariana Sayeed has faced a barrage of criticism on social media sites for not wearing a headscarf and wearing figure-hugging clothes.
    [Show full text]
  • September 2007
    EU-25/27 WATCH No. 5 ISSN 1610-6458 Issued in September 2007 Edited by the Institute for European Politics (IEP), Berlin in collaboration with the Austrian Institute of International Affairs, Vienna Groupe d’Etudes Politiques Européennes, Brussels Bulgarian European Community Studies Association, Institute for International Relations, Zagreb Sofia Institute for World Economics of the Hungarian Center for European Studies / Middle East Technical Academy of Sciences, Budapest University, Ankara Institute for Strategic and International Studies, Centre européen de Sciences Po, Paris Lisbon Centre d’Etudes et de Recherches Européennes Institute of European Affairs, Dublin Robert Schuman, Luxembourg Institute of International Relations, Prague Centre of International Relations, Ljubljana Institute of International Relations and Political Cyprus Institute for Mediterranean, European and Science, Vilnius University International Studies, Nicosia Istituto Affari Internazionali, Rome Danish Institute for International Studies, Latvian Institute of International Affairs, Copenhagen Riga Elcano Royal Institute and UNED University, Madrid Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies, EuroCollege, University of Tartu University of Malta European Institute of Romania, Bucharest Netherlands Institute of International Relations Federal Trust for Education and Research, London ‘Clingendael’, The Hague Finnish Institute of International Affairs, Helsinki Slovak Foreign Policy Association, Bratislava Foundation for European Studies, European Institute, Swedish
    [Show full text]
  • AIHRC-UNAMA Joint Monitoring of Political Rights Presidential and Provincial Council Elections Third Report 1 August – 21 October 2009
    Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission AIHRC AIHRC-UNAMA Joint Monitoring of Political Rights Presidential and Provincial Council Elections Third Report 1 August – 21 October 2009 United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan UNAMA Table of Contents Summary of Findings i Introduction 1 I. Insecurity and Intimidation 1 Intensified violence and intimidation in the lead up to elections 1 Insecurity on polling day 2 II. Right to Vote 2 Insecurity and voting 3 Relocation or merging of polling centres and polling stations 4 Women’s participation 4 III. Fraud and Irregularities 5 Ballot box stuffing 6 Campaigning at polling stations and instructing voters 8 Multiple voter registration cards 8 Proxy voting 9 Underage voting 9 Deficiencies 9 IV. Freedom of Expression 9 V. Conclusion 10 Endnotes 11 Annex 1 – ECC Policy on Audit and Recount Evaluations 21 Summary of Findings The elections took place in spite of a challenging environment that was characterised by insecurity and logistical and human resource difficulties. These elections were the first to be fully led and organised by the Afghanistan Independent Election Commission (IEC) and the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) took the lead in providing security for the elections. It was also the first time that arrangements were made for prisoners and hospitalised citizens, to cast their votes. The steady increase of security-related incidents by Anti-Government Elements (AGEs) was a dominant factor in the preparation and holding of the elections. Despite commendable efforts from the ANSF, insecurity had a bearing on the decision of Afghans to participate in the elections Polling day recorded the highest number of attacks and other forms of intimidation for some 15 years.
    [Show full text]