Governance and Representation in the Afghan Urban Transition
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Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit Case Study Series Women’s Rights, Gender Equality, and Transition: Securing gains, moving forward Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit September 2013 - Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit Research for a Better Afghanistan This page has been left blank to facilitate double-sided printing Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit Issues Paper Women’s Rights, Gender Equality, and Transition: Securing gains, moving forward Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit Funding for this research was provided by the Embassy September of the Netherlands and the 2013 Embassy of Finland in Kabul 2013 Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit Editing: Patricia Gossman for AREU Layout: Sradda Thapa Cover Photographs: Mothers enjoy an afternoon at Karte-Sakhi with their children; A recent graduate of Kabul University teaches a class at Marefat School in Kabul; Filling out voter registration forms ahead of the 2014 presidential elections; University students protest in Kabul (all photos by Hanifa Alizada for AREU). AREU Publication Code: 1308 AREU Publication Type: Issues Paper © 2013 Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit. Some rights reserved. This publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted only for non-commercial purposes and with written credit to AREU and the author. Where this publication is reproduced, stored or transmitted electronically, a link to AREU’s website (www.areu.org.af) should be provided. Any use of this publication falling outside of these permissions requires prior written permission of the publisher, the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit. Permission can be sought by emailing [email protected] or by calling +93 (0) 799 608 548. i AREU Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit 2013 About the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit The Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU) is an independent research institute based LQ.DEXO$5(8·VPLVVLRQLVWRLQIRUPDQGLQÁXHQFHSROLF\DQGSUDFWLFHWKURXJKFRQGXFWLQJKLJK quality, policy-relevant research and actively disseminating the results, and to promote a culture of research and learning. To achieve its mission AREU engages with policymakers, civil society, researchers and students to promote their use of AREU’s research and its library, to strengthen WKHLUUHVHDUFKFDSDFLW\DQGWRFUHDWHRSSRUWXQLWLHVIRUDQDO\VLVUHÁHFWLRQDQGGHEDWH AREU was established in 2002 by the assistance community working in Afghanistan and has a board of directors with representation from the donor community, the United Nations and other multilateral agencies, and non-governmental organisations. AREU currently receives core funds from the Embassy of Finland, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency(SIDA), and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation(SDC). 6SHFLÀFSURMHFWVLQDUHFXUUHQWO\EHLQJIXQGHGE\WKH(XURSHDQ&RPPLVVLRQ (& WKH6ZLVV Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Women, as well the Embassy of Finland. Acknowledgements AREU wishes to thank the following as the major contributors of the paper: Kari Egge, Emily Winterbotham, Andrea Lee Esser, and Paula Kantor. AREU would like to express its sincere gratitude to the following for their valuable participation in the management and guidance of the project: former AREU Director Mathew Varghese and the members of the High Level Advisory Group (HLAG), who not only gave advice and inputs in the study formulation, but also provided insightful feedback on the paper. Within AREU, the following in the Gender Unit of the Research Department gave their valuable LQSXWV&KRQD5(FKDYH]/HQD*DQHVK-HQQHIHU/\Q/%DJDSRURDQGIRUPHU6U5HVHDUFK2IÀFHU 5HEHFFD 0LOOHU6U 3XEOLFDWLRQV 2IÀFHU 6UDGGD 7KDSD DQG IRUPHU 3URJUDP 6XSSRUW 2IÀFHU ,GD Brekke Andersen not only validated the references used, but also participated in the discussions with the Gender unit and gave their inputs. Fawzia Ludin collected additional information from WKHÀHOGDQGWRJHWKHUZLWK0DVVRXGD.RKLVWDQLUHYLHZHGDGGLWLRQDOOLWHUDWXUH AREU also acknowledges the contribution of the different informants in the interviews and participants in the focus groups discussions for they informed the work. Nader Nadery Director, AREU September 2013 Women’s Rights, Gender Equality, and Transition ii 2013 Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit Table of Contents Glossary ........................................................................................................ vi Acronyms .......................................................................................................vii Executive Summary ........................................................................................... 1 1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 4 Methodology and scope ............................................................................. 4 2. Concepts in context: Framing the analysis of women’s rights and gender equality in Afghanistan ............................................................................................ 6 2.1 Understanding gender ............................................................................ 6 2.2 Analytical framework for gender equality and women’s rights ............................ 8 3. Institutionalizing progress on gender equality and women’s rights: Barriers and opportunities, 2002-2012 ........................................................................... 9 3.1 National Government: Commitment and capacity issues ................................... 9 Afghanistan, the Millennium Development Goals and national development plans ......10 3ROLFLHVFRQYHQWLRQVDQGODZVQHFHVVDU\EXWLQVXIÀFLHQW ...................................12 3.2 International Community: strong rhetoric, strong domestic pressures ..................13 3.3 National and international civil society organisations: diversity and coordination ....16 3.4 Culture and Religion .............................................................................18 Agents of cultural change – migration, youth, media and mullahs ..........................21 3.5 Institutionalizing gender equality: Summary ................................................22 4. Progress toward Gender Equality in Women’s and Girls’ Daily Lives, 2002-2012 ..............23 4.1 Education: good to moderate outlook ........................................................23 4.2 Health: moderate outlook ......................................................................26 4.3 Economic and social development: poor outlook ...........................................28 Economic development ............................................................................28 Social development .................................................................................31 4.4 Local leadership: moderate to poor outlook .................................................32 4.5 Peace and security: moderate to poor outlook .............................................35 Reconciliation and reintegration .................................................................36 Violence against girls and women ................................................................38 Child marriage .......................................................................................39 4.6 Cornerstones Summary: Uneven outlook across the pillars ................................40 iv AREU Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit 2013 5. Key Conclusions and Recommendations ..............................................................42 5.1 Recommendations ................................................................................43 Annexes ........................................................................................................48 Annex 1: International conventions and instruments .............................................48 Annex 2: Hadiths on women’s rights .................................................................49 Annex 3: International conferences and commitments made ..................................53 Annex 4: 2004 Constitutional guarantees for women .............................................58 Annex 5: NAPWA Indicators............................................................................61 Boxes and Table Box 1: Lessons from the history of state engagement ................................................... 7 Box 2: Local level impacts for women: Small improvements from low benchmarks ...............15 Box 3: Increased Mobility, Limited Decision-Making .....................................................19 Box 4: “In the next ten years our voices must be heard” ..............................................20 Box 5: Lack of opportunities impedes women’s economic contribution .............................29 Box 6: One-off Support to Women as Publicity Stunts? .................................................31 Box 7: Men’s Greatest Fear? Withdrawal of Western Troops ...........................................36 Box 8: Effective EVAW Law Dissemination ................................................................39 Table 1: Rating Scale of Outlook for Women’s Rights Realisation .....................................23 Women’s Rights, Gender Equality, and Transition v 2013 Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit Glossary Baad The practice of compensating a murder (or even an accidental killing) by the family of the killer