Women for Women Study Shows Progress and Problems for Women in Afghanistan

Congo Panel Representatives John Holmes, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator at the UN speaking at the Women for Women International  policy forum at Chatham House in London. On the right Zainab Salbi, Founder and CEO of WWI.

Women's Role in Shaping Afghanistan's Future - Study Shows Some Progress but Lack of Women's Rights in Afghanistan

London, December 2, 2008 – Experts are calling for increased involvement of Afghan citizens in decisions about their country's future. The role of women is essential, not just as civil society observers, but as full and equal participants in the process. The well-being of all Afghans depends on a comprehensive and broad effort that must go far beyond the current approach.

Speaking at a Women for Women International policy forum in London on the role of women in post-conflict nation-building, John Holmes, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator at the UN said "passing a UN resolution doesn't change the reality on the ground. The international community needs to pump more resources into action and be innovative in order to develop new ways to solve conflicts sooner."

In a survey conducted by Women for Women International of 1,500 Afghan women from both urban and rural communities in the provinces of Balkh, Herat, Kabul, Kapisa, Nangahar, Parwan and Wardak, 86% said that knowing their rights was helpful, yet more than half (52%) felt they had fewer rights simply because they were women. The study clearly reflects the disparities in Afghanistan where militants actively prevent aid agencies from improving the lives of the most vulnerable.

Sweeta Noori, Afghanistan Country Director of Women for Women International speaks of 'two Afghanistans'. "There is one that the international community sees and one that exists beyond their eyes. Women don't feel like there is a safe place for them to talk about the things that are happening to them," Noori said at the forum. "If they complain they face the real danger of being jailed, raped, or becoming the victim of a so called 'honor' killing."

"...passing a UN resolution doesn't change the reality on the ground. The international community needs to pump more resources into action and be innovative in order to develop new ways to solve conflicts sooner "


- John Holmes, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator at the UN

So far, little has been achieved for the rural and most impoverished Afghans. As security and development initiatives have been focused on the capital, the provinces continue to be neglected, partly because of the lack of security. Women for Women International's survey shows that in remoter provinces the central government is more popular with women than their local leadership. 73% were confident that the national government is concerned about the issues women care about, but only 63% have the same confidence in their local government; 58% were confident that the national government is actually doing something about the issues women care about, while only 47% believe local officials are addressing these issues.

"Investing in women is not simply a moral imperative; it is an investment that yields progress for the economy, stability, health, and education. Peace processes need to be changed so that there is a space carved out for women, not just as observers, but as full participants and equal partners." says Judithe Registre, UK Director of Policy and Outreach for Women for Women International.

Despite the overall bleak picture, 85% of the women surveyed are optimistic about the future of their country. "Our data shows that we need to focus on the grassroots and particularly women. You can change laws and policies, but if we cannot change the reality for women, we are failing. Stabilization strategies can't focus solely on security. They need to address many things simultaneously like health, food security, the economy and education," said Zainab Salbi, Founder and CEO of Women for Women International. 

Since 2002, Women for Women International has served nearly 40,000 women, benefiting an additional 216,000 family and community members in Afghanistan. Through a holistic program that includes direct aid and emotional support, rights awareness and life skills trainings, market-based vocational and skills development, and income generation assistance such as micro loans, women are able to preserve hope and create stability and self-sufficiency amidst an otherwise chaotic and volatile environment.  In 2007 alone, the program reached more than 19,000 women in the Afghanistan provinces of Balkh, Herat, Kabul, Kapisa, Nangahar, Parwan and Wardak.



For more information go to www.womenforwomen.org.

Contact: Natalia Cieslik ncieslik@womenforwomen.org  phone 1 202 492 7453