A To Z Guide To Afghanistan Assistance 2012
A To Z Guide To Afghanistan Assistance 2012
A To Z Guide To Afghanistan Assistance 2012
IMPORTANT NOTE: The information presented in this guide relies on the voluntary contributions
of ministries and agencies of the Afghan government, embassies, development agencies
and other organisations representing donor countries, national and international NGOs, and
other institutions. While AREU undertakes with each edition of this guide to provide the most
accurate and current information possible, details evolve and change continuously. Users
of this guide are encouraged to submit updates, additions, corrections and suggestions
to publications@areu.org.af.
© 2012 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 areu@areu.org.af or by
calling +93 (0) 799 608 548.
Cover photograph: An engineer checks the gas pipes at Gerquduq filtering house, close to the
Shiberghan gas fields (Jawad Jalali/Afghan Eyes Photo Agency).
Tab photographs: (A to Z) Installation of Radio Killid broadcasting antenna in Karte See, Kabul City/
Najibullah Musafer (Killid Group); (Government) 2010 parliamentary election campaign poster,
Kabul City/Jawad Jalali (Afghan Eyes Photo Agency); (Documents) School students march in front
of the President and Cabinet in celebration of Education Day, Kabul City/Najibullah Musafer (Killid
Group); (Maps) Samangan-Mazar Highway/Jawad Jalali (Afghan Eyes Photo Agency); (Provincial
Profiles) Villager purchasing a solar panel from Shinwary District Bazar, Parwan Province/
Najibullah Nusafer (Killid Group); (Contacts) Journalists interview a man for TOLO TV, Kabul City/
Jawad Jalali (Afghan Eyes Photo Agency); (Index) Public bathing at Band-i-Amir, Bamiyan Province/
Oliver Lough (AREU).
AREU gratefully acknowledges the financial assistance of the governments of Denmark, Finland,
Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom in publishing the tenth edition of the A to
Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance.
The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance
Table of Contents
About the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit .......................................................................iv
About the A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance.......................................................................iv
The AREU Library..............................................................................................................................v
Contact Information.........................................................................................................................v
AREU Publications 2011.................................................................................................................vi
A to Z: Contents..................................................................................................................................... 1
Government: Contents........................................................................................................................83
Background....................................................................................................................................84
Government in Afghanistan..........................................................................................................84
Elections in Afghanistan............................................................................................................... 97
Documents: Contents.......................................................................................................................111
The Constitution of Afghanistan (2004)....................................................................................112
Code of Conduct for NGOs engaged in Humanitarian Action, Reconstruction,
and Development in Afghanistan (2005)..................................................................................141
Maps..................................................................................................................................................153
Provincial Profiles: Contents.............................................................................................................155
About this section........................................................................................................................156
Contacts: Contents............................................................................................................................195
Provincial Contacts: Contents.....................................................................................................196
About this section.................................................................................................................197
Kabul.....................................................................................................................................198
Other Provinces....................................................................................................................245
Pakistan................................................................................................................................306
Provincial Media Guide: Contents..............................................................................................307
About this section.................................................................................................................308
Kabul.....................................................................................................................................309
Other Provinces....................................................................................................................318
Index..................................................................................................................................................343
Notes..................................................................................................................................................349
The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance
AREU conducts research on a wide variety of topics and produces dozens of research publications
each year, ranging from policy-focused briefing papers to comprehensive issues and synthesis
reports. Many are translated into Dari and Pashto. AREU also publishes the annual A to Z Guide to
Afghanistan Assistance and maintains a website (www.areu.org.af). AREU also regularly organises
workshops and conferences to facilitate research use and enable and encourage debate among
policymakers and other stakeholders.
AREU was established in 2002 by the assistance community working in Afghanistan and has a
board of directors with representation from donors, the United Nations and other multilateral
agencies, and non-governmental organisations. AREU currently receives core funds from the
governments of Denmark, Finland and Sweden.
When the first edition of the A to Z Guide was published in 2002, the goal then—as it is now—
was “to provide a guide to the terms, structures, mechanisms and coordinating bodies critical to
the Afghanistan relief and reconstruction effort to help ensure a shared vocabulary and common
understanding.” Over the years the guide increased in scope and size, but has always followed the
same successful model.
The information presented in the guide relies on the voluntary contributions of agencies and
organisations, and the situation in Afghanistan can change rapidly. Users of the guide are
encouraged to contact publications@areu.org.af with suggestions for additions, updates,
corrections or improvements.
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Tenth Edition 2012
The library also aims to make available in Afghanistan research produced overseas about the
country and the region. Materials of all types (books, journal articles, maps, posters, CDs, DVDs,
databases and more) are available for use inside the library (no public borrowing is allowed).
Photocopying facilities are available and the entire collection is listed online (see the “Library”
page of AREU’s website at www.areu.org.af). The library also has over 50 gigabytes of accumulated
softcopy publications on Afghanistan, all of which are indexed and listed in the library database
and made available for research use (where copyright laws permit).
The library is located at the main AREU office in Kabul and follows these opening hours:
Contact Information
3rd street on the right from Charahi Haji Yacoub toward Charahi Shaheed
Second block, House No. 649 on the right
Shahr-i-Naw, Kabul, Afghanistan
Phone: +93 (0) 799 608 548
Email: publications@areu.org.af
Website: www.areu.org.af
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A to Z: Contents
Afghan Development Association (ADA).............................................................................................. 4
Afghan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO)................................................................... 4
Afghan Local Police (ALP)..................................................................................................................... 5
Afghan National Army (ANA)................................................................................................................. 6
Afghan National Police (ANP)............................................................................................................... 7
Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF).............................................................................................. 9
Afghan NGOs Coordination Bureau (ANCB)......................................................................................... 9
Afghan Transitional Authority (ATA).................................................................................................... 10
Afghan Women’s Network (AWN)....................................................................................................... 10
Afghanistan Centre at Kabul University (ACKU)................................................................................11
Afghanistan Civil Society Forum-organization (ACSFo).....................................................................12
Afghanistan Compact..........................................................................................................................12
Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC).......................................................13
Afghanistan Investment Support Agency (AISA)............................................................................... 14
Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS).......................................................................15
Afghanistan New Beginnings Programme (ANBP)............................................................................ 17
Afghanistan NGO Safety Office (ANSO)..............................................................................................19
Afghanistan Peace and Reintegration Programme (APRP)..............................................................20
Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF).................................................................................22
Afghanistan Rural Enterprise Development Program (AREDP)........................................................23
Afghanistan Social Outreach Program (ASOP).................................................................................. 24
Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief (ACBAR)......................................................................25
Basic Package of Health Services (BPHS)........................................................................................25
Berlin Meeting and Declarations.......................................................................................................26
Bonn Agreement................................................................................................................................. 27
Bonn Conference 2011...................................................................................................................... 27
Calendars in Afghanistan...................................................................................................................28
Central Statistics Organization (CSO)................................................................................................28
Civil Society and Human Rights Network (CSHRN)...........................................................................30
Clusters and National Priority Programs (NPPs)...............................................................................30
Coalition Forces (CF)...........................................................................................................................32
Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP) and Humanitarian Action Plan (HAP)...................................34
Constitutional Loya Jirga (CLJ)...........................................................................................................35
Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (CHA)..............................................................................35
Counter-Narcotics (CN).......................................................................................................................36
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ADA implements multi-sectoral rehabilitation and development projects aiming to support and
empower vulnerable and marginalised groups. Particular attention is given to the agricultural sector
and rural activities that can contribute to more productive and sustainable livelihoods at the grassroots
level. Community participation is an integral part of ADA’s project planning and implementation.
As per its current five-year strategic plan, ADA is organised into five departments: Planning, Capacity
Building, Education, Integrated Rural Development (IRD), and Finance. Each department is headed
by a director and is supported by line staff, resources and facilities. ADA also operates a Disaster
Risk Reduction Unit, which has expanded into each of the ADA project areas.
ADA will update its five-year plan in 2012, putting an increased emphasis on capacity building and
institutional development of project beneficiaries.
Until the Soviet Invasion in 1979, AGCHO had completed 26 percent of the geodetic triangulation
of Afghanistan and 30 percent of the cadastral surveys necessary to cover the country. Since
2001 there have been renewed efforts to modernise the agency; AGCHO has produced a number
of thematic maps for government departments and external organisations and now also provides
GIS training. It also established departments of Geography and GIS at Kabul University and Kabul
Polytechnic University. In 2011, AGCHO published several new maps, including a 1:18,000 digital
imagery street map of Kabul, produced in association with GISWorking Kabul. In cooperation with
the German government, AGCHO is aiming to publish a national atlas containing over 50 maps in
June 2012.
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AGCHO provides its services to government ministries and to international organisations, which
in some cases require specific supporting documentation. By law, all maps that are printed in
Afghanistan should be approved by AGCHO.
In 2006 the Afghan National Auxiliary Police (ANAP) was launched by the US military and the
Ministry of Interior, only to be halted in 2009 over concerns about arming groups with only
tenuous loyalty to the government. However, 2009 also saw a rapid increase in the use of local
forces to provide security. In July 2009, the government created Community Defence Forces (CDF)
to provide security during the elections in areas with limited Afghan National Security Forces
(ANSF, p. 9) presence (although the locations chosen to receive CDF funding led to accusations
that political agendas were determining their use). In the same year, the Afghan Public Protection
Programme (AP3) was launched in Wardak Province, nominally under the control of the Ministry
of Interior but largely directed by US Special Forces. Meanwhile in July 2009 US Combined Forces
Special Operations Command Afghanistan (CFSOCC-A) created the Community Defence Initiative
(CDI), which was soon renamed the Local Defence Initiative (LDI). These programmes sought to
provide local communities with the means to defend themselves from anti-government groups. By
2010, CDI/LDI had fallen under the umbrella of Village Stability Operations (VSO), overseen by the
US Department of Defense. Following August 2010, CDI/LDI groups were subsumed into the ALP.
The ALP programme had been due to run until 2015, although that date now looks likely to
be extended. Districts selected to take part in the programme nominate around 300 men to
receive uniforms, AK47s and training from US Special Forces. In theory, recruits must all be
vetted and approved by district-level shuras (councils) and Afghan domestic intelligence. The
shuras responsible for vetting recruits are those created by the Independent Directorate of Local
Governance’s Afghanistan Social Outreach Program (IDLG, p. 43, ASOP, p. 24). There is also a
strict limit on ALP members’ powers—they cannot make arrests, patrol outside their districts or
possess heavy weaponry, and they are in theory under the control of the local police chief.
There are widespread concerns that community-based self-defence initiatives are vulnerable to
usurpation by local powerholders with little loyalty to the government, possibly leading to inter-ethnic
or factional tensions. It has also been suggested that these groups could undermine state authority
and the progress made in disarmament. The September 2011 Human Rights Watch report entitled
“Just Don’t Call it a Militia: Impunity, Militias, and the Afghan Local Police” detailed many of these
accusations.
Despite these concerns, community-based defence remains a key part of the Transition process of
handing security responsibility to Afghans (Transition, p. 73). Currently numbering around 10,000,
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ALP strength is projected to grow to around 30,000. The ALP programme is largely funded by the
US Department of Defense.
In January 2010, the Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board (JCMB, p. 47) approved the lifting of
the troop ceiling from 134,000 (consisting of 122,000 operational troops and 12,000 soldiers-in-
training) to a new level of 171,000 by October 2011. In June 2011 the JCMB raised the approved
figure to 195,000; plans for a further increase to 240,000 now seem likely to be dropped. As of
December 2011, the ANA’s reported personnel strength stood at approximately 180,000 troops;
of these, approximately two-thirds were combat forces and three percent were air corps. The ANA
is divided into six corps, ranging in size from 12,000 to 18,000 troops; the Kabul-headquartered
Capital Division responsible for the security of the capital and the seat of government, numbering
around 9,000 troops; a Special Operations Force Division of 8,800 troops; and an air corps
providing essential airlift support to ANA brigades. More brigades may be added under the revised
plan. Continuing to build the ANA is central to US strategy and the implementation of Transition
in Afghanistan (p. 73), in which the ANA will take over responsibility for internal security from the
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF, p. 45) in several stages.
The ANA is a conventionally structured and light infantry-based force. It is designed primarily
to combat insurgents but lacks overall capability in terms of defending Afghanistan’s national
sovereignty and territorial integrity. Its six ground-manoeuvre corps are distributed as regional
commands in Kabul, Gardez, Kandahar, Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif and Lashkar Gah. The personnel
charts of ANA battalions, or kandaks, consist of 650 soldiers, sergeants and officers. Mostly
equipped with refurbished Soviet Union-era aircraft, the Afghan National Air Corps is being trained
to perform a range of missions including presidential airlift, medical and casualty evacuation,
reconnaissance and airborne command and control, and light air attack. As of January 2012, the
Afghan National Air Corps had 76 aircraft, including 50 helicopters.
To ensure geographic and ethnic diversity, the ANA has recruitment centres in each of
Afghanistan’s 34 provinces. Around 6,000 new recruits join the ANA every month. Recruits
complete 12-week training courses at the Kabul Military Training Centre (KMTC). All trainers are
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Afghan, supported by military trainers from the United States, the United Kingdom, France and
other countries. On graduation from the KMTC, ANA soldiers undergo an additional six weeks of
training and equipping (joining their fellow unit officers and non-commissioned officers) before
being deployed to their respective corps. Additionally, in 2009 the first-ever class of ANA officers
graduated from the National Military Academy of Afghanistan, which was established in 2004.
ANA personnel sign three-year contracts, which can be voluntarily renewed. The maximum length
of service is 25 years. In spite of these formal contractual mechanisms, desertion continues to
be a serious problem in the ANA. Over the last two years, the attrition rate has averaged 2.65
percent a month.
US training teams are embedded in most ANA units, ranging from kandaks to corps. Through its
Operational Mentor and Liaison Team Programme, ISAF similarly embeds mentors in selected
ANA units.
The United States is the key partner in training and equipping the ANA, providing the majority of
the required technical and financial support. It has committed to spending $17 billion on training
and equipping the army from 2008 to 2013. Following that date the United States will reduce
funding to $3 billion annually. Other donor nations are expected to contribute a combined total
of $1 billion. This has led to concerns over the fiscal sustainability of maintaining the ANA at its
present size
The current aim of the Afghan government is to assume full security responsibility throughout
Afghanistan by end-2014, as part of the Transition process.
• National Police, or Afghan Uniformed Police (AUP)—responsible for most day-to-day police
activities and assigned to police districts as well as Provincial and Regional Commands; each
of the six regions ultimately reports to the Deputy Minister of Security; strength of 80,275.
• Afghan National Civil Order Police (ANCOP)—a highly trained and specially equipped quick-
reaction force aimed at dealing with “advanced police situations,” such as civil disorder,
looting, hostage-taking and riots; strength of 13,678.
• Afghan Border Police (ABP)—engaged in law enforcement at international borders and the
country’s other points of entry; strength of 23,086, structured into six zones (West, South-
west, South, East, North, North-east).
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• Other units–including personnel assigned to the MoI, the Criminal Investigation Division, the
Counter Narcotics Police (with a strength of approximately 2,500), and training, intelligence
and fire department units; combined strength of 21,082.
• In addition, 7,840 recruits were undergoing training.
The Afghan government has experimented with several local defence programmes, seeking to
augment the ANP by finding non-official, community based security solutions. The most recent
iteration of these is the Afghan Local Police (ALP, p. 5).
The 2006 Afghanistan Compact (p. 12) established as a benchmark for 2010 a fully constituted,
professional, functional, and ethnically balanced ANP force of up to 62,000 members. In April 2007,
in response to increased insurgency in southern Afghanistan, the Joint Coordination and Monitoring
Board (JCMB, p. 47) raised this number to 82,000. The authorised size of the ANP was again
increased to 96,800 in the run-up to the 2009 elections. In January 2010, the JCMB approved a
further increase to 109,000 by October 2010 and to 134,000 by October 2011. In June 2011 this was
again revised upwards to 157,000. Some donors have raised concerns about the fiscal sustainability
of increasing the size of the ANP; others are concerned that the focus of police reform is shifting from
the establishment of a civilian police force to that of a paramilitary or counterinsurgency force.
Reform of the police sector, one of the five pillars of the Afghan government’s Security Sector Reform
strategy (SSR, p. 71), has focused primarily on training and mentoring, provision of equipment and
infrastructure, and institutional restructuring such as pay and rank reform. The Law and Order
Trust Fund for Afghanistan (LOTFA, p. 51) has primary responsibility for coordinating donor support
for ANP salaries. The police sector in Afghanistan has been supported by approximately 25 donor
countries, with Germany taking the coordinating role of “key partner” until 2007. In June 2007,
the European Union Police Mission in Afghanistan (EUPOL, p. 39) subsumed Germany’s primary
role in police reform with the aim of consolidating different approaches among EU members; the
mission was originally mandated until June 2010. In May 2010, the Council of the European Union
extended the mandate of the mission until 31 May 2013.
The United States has been by far the largest overall contributor of human and financial resources
to support the police sector. Since 2005, the Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan
(CSTC-A, see Coalition Forces, p. 32) has led police reform efforts by the US, along with the training
and development of the ANA. CSTC-A has several thousand personnel and contractors dedicated
to its ANP mission.
Approaches to police reform varied widely among donors and efforts to consolidate and integrate
these approaches were slow to emerge. In early 2007, donors and the Afghan government
established the International Police Coordination Board (IPCB) aimed at consolidating and
integrating international police reform efforts and enhancing Afghan ownership of the reforms. By
late 2007, the IPCB Secretariat was operational, its members meeting regularly and engaging with
CSTC-A, EUPOL and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF, p. 45). In June 2009, the
NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan (NTM-A) was established to train the ANP. NTM-A cooperates
with CSTC-A in a single headquarters.
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The main laws governing the ANP are the 2005 Police Law and the 2004 Interim Criminal
Procedure Code. These laws are based on Articles 56, 75 (3) and 134 of the Constitution. The
chain of command is: 1) Minister of Interior, 2) Deputy Minister for Security Affairs, 3) Regional
Commanders, 4) Provincial Chiefs of Police, and 5) District Chiefs of Police. There are currently six
ANP regions (Kabul Province, North, East, South, West and Central).
In principle, a commissioned ANP officer (saran) requires a 12th-grade education and three years
of training at the Kabul Police Academy (KPA). A non-commissioned officer or sergeant (satanman)
is required to complete 9th grade and a nine-month course at KPA. Patrolmen (satunkai) complete
training courses at either the Central Training Centre in Kabul or one of the Regional Training
Centres in Bamiyan, Gardez, Herat, Jalalabad, Kandahar, Kunduz and Mazar-i-Sharif.
ANCB membership is restricted to Afghan NGOs, with 190 current members. Applications for
ANCB membership are considered by the Board of Directors and subsequently voted on at the
General Assembly (the quarterly meeting of member organisations). ANCB’s 11-member Board of
Directors is elected for a period of one year by the General Assembly.
ANCB’s headquarters is located in Kabul and it has satellite offices in Nangarhar and Wardak
provinces. It convenes monthly member meetings on topics such as health, education, agriculture,
sanitation, reconstruction and government policy. It also arranges seminars and training courses
aimed at building the technical capacity of member NGOs in needs assessment, management,
finance, administrative development, human rights, democracy, legal awareness and report and
proposal writing. ANCB provides internet facilities for its members in the ANCB office and produces
a weekly newsletter, the quarterly magazine Paiwastoon (Coordination), and a directory of all its
members.
ANCB is a member of the Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief (ACBAR, p. 25), the
International Council of Voluntary Agencies, the World Civil Society Forum, and the Affinity Group
of National Associations. It is also actively involved in the Afghan Civil Society Forum-organization
(ACSFo, p. 12). The bulk of ANCB funding comes from membership fees.
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Under the ATA the Constitutional Loya Jirga (CLJ, p. 35) decided on a constitution for the new
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in January 2004. As per the 2004 Constitution, the ATA was
due to stay in power until a fully representative government could be elected through free and
fair elections. In October 2004, Hamid Karzai was elected as President; at his inauguration in
December 2004, the ATA was transformed into the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, despite the
postponement of National Assembly elections until September 2005.
In 2011, AWN worked with UN Women and the Canada Fund to support ten women delegates
to participate in side events at the Bonn Conference (p. 27) and develop a response to the
Conference communiqué. AWN also organised roundtable discussions to facilitate a process
of information sharing that will enable Afghan civil society and women’s groups in particular to
formulate educated positions and advocacy issues on the ongoing peace and Transition processes
(p. 73). These discussions were an opportunity for men and women from civil society to have the
chance to discuss the substance of the policies that were shaping the agenda of the Bonn 2011
conference and the future of the Afghan state beyond 2014.
AWN continues to publish the monthly Ertiqa magazine. It maintains a library and internet cafe for
use by women’s NGOs, and AWN’s website allows member organisations to submit activity reports
and access training and other resources online.
The Network’s General Assembly, comprised of AWN members, meets each year in order to elect
an Executive Committee to serve as their principal decision-making body. An Advisory Committee
assists with strategic planning, coordinates with international NGOs, supports fundraising
efforts, and advises the Executive Committee. Based in Kabul, the Secretariat (or Head Office) is
answerable to the Board of Directors and is responsible for the implementation of the programmes
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and campaigns endorsed by the Board of Directors. AWN’s regional offices operate in Jalalabad
and Herat and manage projects in neighbouring provinces. In addition to the Jalalabad and Herat
offices, a liaison office operates in Peshawar, Pakistan, providing logistic and general support to
Afghan refugees.
The collections—in Dari, Pashto, English and other languages—are largely generated by the
Afghan government, UN agencies, NGOs, and international scholars and observers. They contain
practical works on health and agriculture, political analyses, women’s rights and recent laws, rare
mujahiddin and Taliban publications, issues of cultural heritage, and many works of Afghan art and
literature. ACKU also obtains national statistics and holds bodies of research conducted before
the conflict era including agricultural surveys, folk music, oral folklore and histories. Many of these
documents are being digitised to ensure distribution beyond Kabul to provincial universities and
public libraries (to date 640,000 pages have been digitised).
The ACKU reading room provides students, faculty and visitors with computers connected to the
internet and the ACKU database. The audiovisual section contains current news reports and
various films on NGO programmes, events in Afghanistan’s recent history, and ethnographic
and cultural films. The ACKU stacks and reading room are located in the central library of Kabul
University. A new, $2 million facility is under construction on the university campus, funded by the
Afghan government. Completion is projected for 2012.
ACKU also operates the ACKU Box Library Extension (ABLE), designed to provide libraries for
provincial communities, high schools and councils. Managed by local community custodians
(including teachers, NGO staff, shopkeepers and mullahs), the box libraries (small, shelved
containers on wheels) hold a wide variety of titles on a range of topics including history, the
environment, home management, good health practices, the use of computers, and dictionaries.
ABLE, which supplies libraries in 31 of the 34 provinces, also publishes its own easy-to-read
books for new literates, on subjects including mother-child care, agriculture, animal welfare and
Islam. To date, ABLE has published more than 235 titles in both Dari and Pashto and provided
200,000 books to 196 schools, community centres and Provincial Council libraries.
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From 2002-06, ACSFo supported the implementation of the Bonn Agreement; conducted
educational, media and advocacy activities on the constitution-making process; and carried out
civic education and registration campaigns for the 2004 presidential and 2005 parliamentary
elections. Post-2005, ACSFo modified its approach, moving away from public outreach toward the
support of institution-building. The organisation’s strategy focuses on: coordination and networking,
capacity building, advocacy, civic education, and research. In 2010, good governance, rule of law,
transparency and accountability, participation, and development became additional areas of focus.
ACSFo maintains a Civil Society Resource Centre and in 2012 plans to establish similar centres in
its regional offices (Jalalabad, Mazar-i-Sharif, Kunduz, Bamiyan and Gardez). ACSFo also publishes
the Jamea-i-Madani magazine (in Dari and Pashto) and a monthly newsletter (in English, Dari and
Pashto). ACSFo receives funding from a wide range of international NGOS, agencies and donor
governments.
Afghanistan Compact
The Afghanistan Compact was launched together with the Interim Afghanistan National
Development Strategy (I-ANDS, see p. 15) at the January 2006 London Conference (p. 53). It was
a five-year framework for cooperation among the Afghan government, the UN and donors, and was
developed through consultation among these actors. The Compact officially expired in February
2011.
The Afghan Government hereby commits itself to realising this shared vision of the
future; the international community, in turn, commits itself to provide resources and
support to realise that vision.
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The Compact established a mechanism for coordinating Afghan and international development
and reconstruction efforts and followed the Bonn Agreement (p. 27), which formally ended with
the holding of legislative and Provincial Council elections in September 2005. Consistent with the
I-ANDS and the goals articulated by the Afghan government in its Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs, p. 55) Country Report 2005 (“Vision 2020”), the Compact identified three critical and
interdependent areas of activity, or “pillars”: 1) Security; 2) Governance, Rule of Law and Human
Rights; and 3) Economic and Social Development. A further vital and cross-cutting area of work
highlighted in the Compact was eliminating the narcotics industry.
Annex I of the Compact set out detailed outcomes, benchmarks and timelines for delivery,
consistent with the high-level goals set by the I-ANDS. Annex II set forth the commitment of
the Afghan government and the international community to improve the effectiveness and
accountability of international assistance. These actors also established the Joint Coordination
and Monitoring Board (JCMB, p. 47) to oversee and provide regular public reports on the execution
of the Compact and the ANDS.
The State, for the purpose of monitoring the observation of human rights in Afghanistan,
and their promotion and protection, shall establish the Independent Human Rights
Commission of Afghanistan. Everyone in case of violation of his/her human rights can
report or complain to this Commission. The Commission can refer the cases of violation
of the human rights of the persons to the legal authorities, and assist them in defending
their rights. Structure and mode of function of this Commission will be regulated by law.
The Law on the Structure, Duties and Mandate of the AIHRC was adopted by the Cabinet and
endorsed by the President in May 2005. Under the Law (Article 4), the AIHRC is mandated to
protect and promote rights and freedoms enshrined in the Afghan Constitution and international
human rights instruments to which Afghanistan is a party. Article 6 of the Law requires the Afghan
government, civil society organisations (CSOs), nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) and all
Afghan citizens to “cooperate with the Commission in achieving the objectives set up by this Law.”
The AIHRC is led by nine Commissioners who are appointed by the President with service terms
of five years. As of December 2011, the AIHRC is chaired is Dr Sima Samar, with Mr Ahmad
Fahim Hakim the deputy chair. The President is required to appoint Commissioners who reflect
the gender, ethnic, religious and linguistic diversity of Afghanistan, and who represent academic
institutions and CSOs. In December 2011, President Karzai removed three commissioners whose
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terms had expired. Some argued that this was in line with normal process and a way to bring fresh
faces into the commission; however, the decision to remove individuals who had been particularly
vocal government critics was seen by others as a politicised attempt to make AIHRC more docile.
AIHRC adopted its current Four-Year Strategic and Action Plans 1389-1392 (2010-2013) after an
extensive consultation exercise with stakeholders across the country. The plans are implemented
by the AIHRC’s Secretariat, led by Mr Mohammad Musa Mahmodi, the Executive Director. As part
of these plans, the AIHRC’s five strategic objectives are leadership, education, empowerment,
advocacy, and monitoring and investigation. To ensure nationwide coverage of services, the AIHRC
has eight regional offices (Herat, Kandahar, Paktia, Bamiyan, Nangarhar, Kabul, Kunduz, and
Balkh) and six provincial offices (Ghor, Day Kundi, Helmand, Uruzgan, Faryab, and Badakhshan),
with more than 600 employees.
AISA describes itself as a proactive institution that promotes and attracts investment to Afghanistan,
and has a number of departments dedicated to investor support. Services include individual client
investment support, organising domestic and foreign conferences and exhibitions, and providing
opportunities for “matchmaking” between companies and investors.
AISA publishes an Investor Directory; the latest edition was published in 2010 and provides a
listing of approximately 7,500 foreign and local companies active in Afghanistan. AISA plans to
publish the next edition in the first quarter of 2012. AISA has also created a new online Investor
Directory (accessed from the web address above), allowing potential investors to search for
businesses by name or license number in both Dari and English. Access to this information helps
registered companies to market their businesses and eases communication between companies,
customers and other interested parties.
AISA also has a Research and Policy Department which analyses private sector development issues,
develops private sector strategies, completes sector-specific studies on business and investment
opportunities, and engages in hands-on sector policy advocacy before the National Assembly
and Afghan government agencies. Also within AISA’s remit is the Industrial Parks Development
Department, which is currently responsible for managing USAID-funded industrial parks in Kabul,
Mazar-i-Sharif and Kandahar. A further three business parks are under construction in Kabul,
Nangarhar and Helmand.
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The ANDS articulates both a policy framework and a road map for implementation. Together with
the Afghanistan Compact (p. 12), the ANDS is meant to provide a path to achieving Afghanistan’s
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs, p. 55) by 2020.
The precursor to the final ANDS was the Interim ANDS (I-ANDS), which was approved by the Afghan
government in December 2005 and presented with the Afghanistan Compact (p. 12) at the
January 2006 London Conference (p. 53). In 2006, the Government and its international partners
began to implement the I-ANDS and to develop it into a full strategy to meet the requirements of a
PRSP. The I-ANDS covered the period 2006-10 and was linked intrinsically to the implementation
of the Afghanistan Compact; every Compact benchmark was reflected as a five-year strategic
objective in the interim strategy.
The preparation of the full ANDS was coordinated by the ANDS Secretariat and supervised by the
ANDS Oversight Committee (OSC), comprising seven cabinet ministers. The Joint Coordination
and Monitoring Board (JCMB, p. 47), the high-level governing body overseeing the implementation
of the Afghanistan Compact, also provided guidance for preparation of the ANDS.
The sector strategies, completed by the end of 2007, were drafted by Sector Strategy Development
Groups (SSDGs) comprising representatives from sector ministries, the ANDS Secretariat, the
Ministry of Finance, and the cross-cutting themes.
In accordance with the Afghanistan Compact, the priorities and challenges of the final ANDS are
organised under three pillars: 1) Security; 2) Governance, Rule of Law and Human Rights; and 3)
Economic and Social Development. The final ANDS comprises strategies for 17 sectors, which fall
under eight sub-pillars:
I) Security; II) Good Governance; III) Infrastructure and Natural Resources; IV) Education and
Culture; V) Health and Nutrition; VI) Agriculture and Rural Development; VII) Social Protection; and
VIII) Economic Governance and Private Sector Development.
It also includes strategies for six cross-cutting issues: Institutional Reform and Capacity Building,
Gender Equity, Counter Narcotics, Regional Cooperation, Anti-Corruption and Environment.
15
Structure of the Afghanistan National Development Strategy (Source: Government of Afghanistan)
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The first step in the ANDS development process was the preparation of 43 individual strategies by
all government ministries and agencies, following a template provided by the ANDS Secretariat.
After their completion in mid-2007, these were then vetted and strengthened and their
strategic priorities and funding allocations aligned by means of extensive consultation. Through
Consultative Groups (CGs), donor dialogue meetings, and poverty analysis based on National
Risk and Vulnerability Assessments (Central Statistics Organization, p. 28), these ministry and
agency strategies were reviewed and improved before being merged into draft sector strategies.
A subnational consultation process was organised in all 34 provinces in 2007; aimed at ensuring
the final ANDS reflected a broad consensus on development priorities within Afghan society, it
resulted in individual Provincial Development Plans (PDP, p. 67).
After the sector strategies were finalised, the ANDS Oversight Committee prioritised them using
approved criteria, including implementation resources available for the five years that followed (as
identified by the ANDS Macroeconomic Framework). In cooperation with the line ministries, the
ANDS Secretariat then combined the sector strategies into the draft ANDS. The final ANDS was
reviewed by the CGs and sent for approval to the ANDS OSC, ensuring that the strategy as a whole
was in line with government priorities and the benchmarks of the Afghanistan Compact.
With the finalisation of the ANDS document in 2008, the Afghan government focused on implementing
and monitoring the sector strategies. The ANDS OSC was restructured into the Government
Coordinating Committee (GCC), responsible for the high-level coordination of the ANDS process.
While line ministries have the primary responsibility for implementation of the ANDS, the Ministries
of Finance and Economy take the lead role in management and monitoring. To do so, the ANDS
Directorate, responsible for coordination of implementation and development, was established in
the Ministry of Finance, as well as the Monitoring and Evaluation Unit in the Ministry of Economy.
The first ANDS annual report was developed in 2009 and endorsed by the Government Coordination
Committee. The ANDS First Progress Report was submitted to the boards of the World Bank and
IMF as part of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) approval process. Both the IMF and the
World Bank announced over $1billion debt relief in January 2009. Soon after, a new political and
governance initiative began, aimed at turning focus more toward the implementation of the ANDS.
For more on this, see Kabul Conference and Kabul Process (p. 50) and Clusters and National
Priority Programmes (p. 30).
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The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance
The government first announced its intention to pursue a national voluntary DDR process at the
Tokyo Meeting (p. 73) in February 2003, as part of its Security Sector Reform (SSR, p. 71) strategy.
Through DDR, the Afghan Military Forces (AMF)—comprising the Northern Alliance, warlord
militias, and other Taliban-era armed groups—were supposed to surrender their weapons and
be reintegrated into civilian life. Soldiers who handed in their weapons through the DDR process
received a medal and a certificate, and were offered a range of reintegration packages, such as
vocational training, agricultural training and small business opportunities.
ANBP completed the disarmament and demobilisation segments of the DDR process by June
2005, and reintegration activities continued until June 2006. The ANBP’s original mandate was
to demobilise and reintegrate 100,000 soldiers over three years, though this number was later
revised downward. When the DDR process formally came to an end in June 2006, around 60,000
former AMF officers and soldiers had been disarmed, the vast majority opting for one of the
reintegration options.
With the completion of DDR in 2005, ANBP shifted its focus to support the government’s APMASD
and DIAG initiatives. Implemented by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), APMASD assisted the
government in meeting its obligations as a State Party to the Convention on the Prohibition of
Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction (more
commonly known as the Ottawa Convention). By the time the project was completed in January
2009, it had destroyed approximately 20,000 metric tons of ammunition and over 500,000 anti-
personnel mines.
DIAG, which ended in March 2011, was designed to disband the estimated 100,000 armed
militia fighters operating outside the former AMF. While DDR was a voluntary process, DIAG was
mandatory and supported by both presidential decree and national legislation. DIAG focused on
securing a safe environment and projects that would benefit communities, including livelihood
assistance as well as skills training in areas such as livestock and poultry production.
By the time of its conclusion, DIAG had collected a reported 54,873 weapons; Of the 140 districts
targeted by the project, 103 were declared “DIAG compliant.” The 37 “non-compliant” districts
had a higher proportion of Anti Government Elements (AGEs), hindering the ability of DIAG to
implement its mandate. UNDP states that the APRP will now take up the challenge of disarmament
and reconciliation in these districts. Following March 2011, a number of former ANBP staff began
working with the APRP, ensuring institutional memory of former reconciliation programmes.
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ANSO is headquartered in Kabul and has regional offices in Mazar-i-Sharif, Herat, Jalalabad and
Kandahar. NGOs registered with ANSO have access to regularly scheduled services, which include:
• Daily threat warnings and security alerts, weekly incident listings, and biweekly and quarterly
reports analysing and projecting security trends;
• Weekly regional security meetings;
• Monthly orientations for staff of NGOs;
• Representation of NGOs in relations with national and international security agencies; and
• Training for guards and radio operators.
ANSO may also provide other services upon request, depending on its available capacity. These include:
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The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance
The APRP is led by the High Peace Council, whose members were appointed by President Karzai in
September 2010. In September 2011 the chairman of the High Peace Council, former President
Burhanuddin Rabbani, was assassinated. Despite this, the government has expressed its
continued commitment to the programme.
The programme is being implemented by the Joint Secretariat under the direction of the Chief Executive
Officer (CEO), with Provincial and District Governors coordinating the support of line ministries for local-
level processes. APRP implementation is supported by international partners, including the United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF, p. 45),
the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA, see the UN in Afghanistan, p. 75) and
donor countries. Security for villages/districts participating in the APRP is provided mainly by Afghan
National Security Forces (ANSF) with the support of ISAF/Coalition Forces (CF, p. 32).
The government strategy has three pillars. The first is the strengthening of security and civilian
institutions of governance to promote peace and reintegration. The second is the facilitation
of the political conditions and support to the Afghan people to establish an enduring and just
peace. The third is enhancement of national, regional and international support and consensus
to foster peace and stability. These efforts are split between two broad categories that will operate
simultaneously:
Strategic reconciliation
The strategic and political level focuses on the leadership of the insurgency and includes
addressing the problem of sanctuaries, constructing measures for removal of names from the UN
sanction list, ensuring the severance of links with al-Qaeda and securing political accommodation
and potential exile to a third country.
This level focuses on the reintegration of foot soldiers, small groups, and local leaders who form
the bulk of the insurgency. This includes: promoting confidence-building measures; seeking
afwan (forgiveness) among the government, ex-combatants and communities; providing support
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for demobilisation; removing names from target/black lists; granting political amnesty; arranging
local security guarantees and longer-term processes of vocational training; providing Islamic and
literacy education; creating job opportunities and resettlement options on a case-by-case basis;
and offering independent mediation and facilitation services when requested. The peace and
reintegration component of the APRP has been divided into three stages:
1. Activities for social outreach, confidence-building, negotiations involving government and NGOs,
and the mobilisation of local shuras (councils) to reach out to communities that demonstrate
intent to join the peace process. In addition, the programme commits to funding technical and
operational assistance for developing peace-building capacity at the national, provincial and
district levels, assessments and surveys in priority areas, strategic communications, oversight,
monitoring and evaluation, grievance resolution, human rights monitoring, an early warning
mechanism to mitigate impending conflict, and free and responsible debate. This stage
involves civil society groups and existing traditional mechanisms (including Afghan conflict
resolution NGOs), religious and community leaders, members of the Ulema Council, and the
Ministry of Border and Tribal Affairs, for the process of grievance resolution.
2. A 90-day demobilisation process whereby a disarming combatant is registered in the
Reintegration Tracking and Monitoring Database managed by the Joint Secretariat, provided
with an identification card guaranteeing freedom of movement, and given amnesty. While it is
expected that many combatants will return home, the APRP commits to addressing relocation
and resettlement requests. Communities will vouch for individuals who will reintegrate, using
a system modelled on Community Development Councils (CDCs, see NSP p. 61) elections.
3. Designed to “consolidate peace and support community recovery,” this stage comprises of
offering a “menu of options” to the former armed opposition, based on the capacity, security
and diversity of needs of their communities. This includes such measures as: improving access
to basic services, civic education, literacy, technical and vocational education/training, and
employment. Other avenues include: an agricultural conservation corps, public works corps,
and integration into the ANSF. The ministries participating in this community recovery are the
Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL), the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and
Development (MRRD), and the Ministry of Public Works (MoPW).
The APRP documents state that the immediate priority provinces for introduction of the programme
are Helmand, Kandahar, Nangarhar, Khost, Baghlan, Badghis, Kunduz, and Herat. However, it is
also stated that “the programme is flexible and will respond to emerging opportunities in any
province depending on the availability of resources and capacity.”
The APRP is complicated by a number of risk factors. Given the centralised nature of the
programme there is a risk that capacity deficits at the local level will derail progress on the
ground. In the worst-case scenario, this could lead participants to become disenchanted with the
programme and return to the insurgency. It has been reported that government failure to deliver
job opportunities to reintegrees has led to many being admitted to the Afghan Local Police (ALP, p.
5), despite the formal separation of the two programmes. This has worrying implications for long-
term community stability. The APRP is also particularly vulnerable to disruption due to security
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The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance
issues. The programme is being implemented in highly insecure provinces and districts, and those
working on APRP can become targets for armed opposition groups. Despite the presence of a
built-in vetting process, the APRP also faces an inherent difficulty in successfully distinguishing
between committed insurgents and “guns for hire.”
The APRP is the most comprehensive of any reintegration and reconciliation programme yet
implemented in Afghanistan. Previous efforts include the Afghanistan New Beginnings Programme’s
Disarmament (ANBP, see p. 17), Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR); Disbandment of Illegal
Armed Groups (DIAG); and the Afghan-led Strengthening the Peace Programme (PTS).
As of November 2011, $5.21 billion has been pledged to the ARTF by 32 international donors.
The ARTF Management Committee consists of: the World Bank (the administrator), the Asian
Development Bank (ADB), UNDP and the Afghan Ministry of Finance. During SY1389 (2010-
11), ARTF handled $610.44 million in donor contributions. For SY1390 (2011-12), pledges
have reached $972.91 million. Since the ARTF’s inception (until November 2011), $2.29 billion
has been disbursed to the government to finance recurrent costs, and $1.44 billion has been
disbursed for investment projects.
The Afghan government encourages donors to channel funding through the ARTF rather than
through NGOs or other actors, because it sees the ARTF as a way of increasing Afghan ownership
of the reconstruction process, facilitating the tracking and coordination of aid, and increasing
transparency. When donating funds to the ARTF, donors are able to specify a preference for
supporting a particular government project or programme; such preferences are limited to 50
percent of an agency’s annual contribution.
ARTF has financed several core national development programmes, including the National
Solidarity Programme (NSP, p. 61), the National Emergency Employment Programme (NEEP), the
Educational Quality Improvement Project (EQUIP), Strengthening Health Activities for Rural Poor,
the Microfinance Investment Support Facility for Afghanistan (MISFA, p. 54), and the Rural Water
Supply, Sanitation and Irrigation Programme (RU-WatSIP). More recently, ARTF has launched
a new Capacity Building for Results Facility, which aims to assist the government in improving
the capacity and performance of select line ministries in carrying out their mandates, delivering
essential services to the Afghan people and implementing National Priority Programs (NPPs, p.
30). Following its second external evaluation, completed in August 2008, the ARTF is evolving
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In December 2008, ARTF donors agreed with the Government of Afghanistan to establish the ARTF
Incentive Program within the Recurrent Cost Window of the ARTF. The objective of the Incentive
Program is to support the Government’s reform agenda and progress towards fiscal sustainability.
Funds are made available to the government’s budget on the basis of actual performance.
The largest contributors to the Fund are the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada. Other
donors include 15 European countries, the EC, Australia, India, Iran, Turkey and the Gulf States.
AREDP seeks to cluster smaller existing micro-enterprises as well as community groups and
associations, transforming them into larger, more efficient enterprise associations to tap the
benefits of aggregation and economy of scale. The project is comprised of three key components:
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The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance
ASOP’s approach involves electing a 30-50 person District Community Council (DCC) as a way
to involve traditional tribal shuras and religious leaders in government structures. Until district
elections are held, the councils created under the programme are intended to be the key governing
bodies at the district level, with a remit to:
• Foster community solidarity to prevent support for anti-government elements and activities in
the district;
• Monitor services and development projects entering the district, and communicate concerns
to line ministries and donors;
• Serve as a vetting mechanism for Afghan Local Police (ALP, p. 5) recruits and encourage
reconciliation with insurgent groups;
• Ensure liaison and communication with government officials and security services to improve
security and enforce the rule of law;
• Provide a district-level forum for the resolution of conflicts that cannot be solved locally;
• Provide a conduit for public grievances by informing the government of shortcomings,
malpractices and problems in the provision of public services, and working jointly with
government officials to identify and implement appropriate solutions;
• Provide quality assurance for sustainable development by ensuring the security of development
projects, monitoring project outputs and reporting on these to government; and
• Facilitate communications, coordination and cooperation between the government and
communities to increase the level of trust and confidence between the government and the
people, and establish a stronger base for democratic governance.
ASOP provides orientation and service monitoring training for council members on themes such
as management, good governance, conflict resolution, peace-building and disaster risk reduction.
As of December 2011, more than 139 councils had been set up in insecure districts and 8,052
community council members—3.5 percent of which were women—had been trained. In 2011,
ASOP’s budget was approximately $35 million.
IDLG is currently discussing clarification of the institutional structures created by ASOP with
MRRD, whose own District Development Assemblies (DDAs, see NABDP, p. 58) operate under
similar mandates with similar responsibilities. For more on this, see p. 91-93.
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ACBAR has a membership of 112 national and international NGOs. All applicants must meet
certain criteria and are required to sign the Afghanistan NGO Code of Conduct (p. 141). The General
Assembly of the ACBAR membership meets twice a year, and the 16 members (12 full and four
alternate) of the steering committee meet monthly in Kabul. The chairperson of the committee is
always Afghan, while other members are representatives of both Afghan and international NGOs.
ACBAR organises its work along four basic lines: the Information/Coordination team is responsible
for disseminating information, organising meetings, keeping records of NGO activities across
the country, maintaining an NGO Directory, and other communication initiatives; the Advocacy
and Policy team facilitates the exchange of views and information among NGOs to help them
“develop and sustain a joint, field-led voice on key issues as they develop”; the Code of Conduct
team is responsible for promoting and monitoring good governance practices among NGOs and
capacity-building among NGOs and line ministries/departments on laws relevant to NGOs, the
Code of Conduct and Sphere standards; the Civil Society and State Institutions Interaction team is
responsible for working jointly with other NGO/Civil Society networks to structure and strengthen
civil society organisations’ relationships with the government and the parliament.
ACBAR also assists in nomination of NGO representatives to government-led, inter-agency
coordination mechanisms, and regularly advises NGOs on the NGOs Law, Income Tax Law and
the Labor Law. ACBAR represented the NGO community at the Afghanistan Development Forum
in 2004, 2005 and 2007; represented NGOs and civil society at the 2008 Paris Conference (p.
65) and the 2009 Hague Conference (p. 40); and represented NGOs and Civil Society at the
2010 London Conference (p. 53), National Consultative Peace Jirga (p. 60) and Kabul Conference
(p. 50). ACBAR facilitates the Civil Society Consultation Board, which interacts with the Afghan
government and UNAMA.
In addition to its main office in Kabul, ACBAR has sub-offices in Herat, Jalalabad and Mazar-i-
Sharif. The ACBAR website includes a well-known job announcement board.
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The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance
The BPHS entails basic services at low cost and addresses the main causes of morbidity
and mortality. It has a strong focus on conditions that affect women and children. In line with
Afghanistan’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs, p. 55), the BPHS aims to provide health
services to all Afghans, especially those who are poor and live in remote and rural areas.
In agreement with its major donors—primarily the World Bank, USAID, and the European
Commission—the MoPH has contracted NGOs to deliver the BPHS in 31 out of 34 provinces and
has contracted its own Provincial Health Offices to deliver the BPHS in three provinces.
The defined package is offered by six levels of facility: 1) health posts, 2) health sub-centres, 3)
mobile health teams, 4) basic health centres, 5) comprehensive health centres, and 6) district
hospitals. The BPHS also provides standards for staffing and infrastructure reconstruction and
rehabilitation for these facilities. The BPHS was revised in 2010; major changes included the
introduction of primary eye care, private psychosocial counseling and physiotherapy at BPHS
health facilities.
According to the 2007/8 National Risk and Vulnerability Assessment, approximately 57 percent of
the Afghan population lives within one-hour walking distance of the nearest public health facility.
In addition to discussing the SAF document, the Berlin Meeting gave the Afghan government
an opportunity to give a progress report on the implementation of the Bonn Agreement (p. 27)
and to present its current plan. “The Way Ahead: The Work Plan of the Afghan Government” set
out an ambitious agenda for Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (see ANBP, p. 17);
election-related activities; and initiatives for public administration, fiscal management, economic
and social development, gender, counter-narcotics, rule of law, and human rights.
The participants at the meeting signed the Berlin Declaration, in which the international community
committed to continue supporting the Afghan government in its mission to implement the Bonn
Agreement, improve the security situation, and move forward with its development agenda. A
further agreement, the Berlin Declaration on Counter Narcotics, was signed by Afghanistan,
China, Iran, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. In this declaration, Afghanistan
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and its neighbours agreed to improve coordination in their efforts to eliminate the cultivation,
production and trafficking of illegal drugs.
Bonn Agreement
The Bonn Agreement set out a timetable for the re-establishment of permanent government
institutions in Afghanistan, and served as a roadmap for the creation of provisional arrangements
until permanent ones could be put in place. It was signed on 5 December 2001 by representatives
of various Afghan factions (excluding the Taliban) at the conclusion of the UN-sponsored Bonn
Conference on Afghanistan.
The Bonn Agreement laid out several processes, including the Emergency Loya Jirga (ELJ,
p. 38) and the Constitutional Loya Jirga (CLJ, p. 35), through which power would be exercised and
then transferred over time to a fully representative government selected through free and fair
elections. It provided for the sovereignty of Afghanistan to reside first in the Afghan Interim Authority
(AIA), then in the Afghan Transitional Authority (ATA, p. 10), and ultimately in an elected government.
The Bonn Agreement was largely adhered to, although security conditions affected timelines. The
Afghan government and the UN successfully established most of the provisional arrangements
called for, except for the withdrawal of “military units from Kabul and other urban centres or other
areas in which the UN mandated force is deployed.” The last milestones of the Agreement were
the presidential and parliamentary elections that took place in October 2004 and September
2005, respectively. In January 2006, the Bonn Agreement was replaced by the Afghanistan
Compact (p. 12).
• The civil aspects of the process of transferring responsibility to the Government of Afghanistan
by 2014;
• The long-term engagement of the international community in Afghanistan after 2014; and
• The political process that is intended to lead to the long-term stabilisation of the country.
The conference closed with the international community pledging its long-term commitment to
Afghanistan, particularly with regard to security, agreeing to produce a clear plan for the future
funding of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF, p. 9) at NATO’s May 2012 Chicago summit
and reiterating its support for an inclusive peace process. It was agreed that the international
community’s role in Afghan governance would move from service delivery to capacity-building and
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The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance
support. The Conference also called for a regional solution to terrorism in Afghanistan and for an
Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process, saying that a political solution would be an essential
element of stability. The international community endorsed the development of Afghanistan’s
mineral resources but called for a strong regulatory framework to ensure benefits accrued to the
Afghan people (see Mineral Resources, p. 57).
In turn, the Afghan government promised to re-invigorate key development priorities such as
anti-corruption and rule of law, honour its obligations to international human and gender rights
mechanisms, and to continue the fight against drug cultivation.
Calendars in Afghanistan
Three calendar systems are used in Afghanistan:
• The Hijrah-i Shamsi (solar Islamic) calendar is Afghanistan’s official calendar, in use officially
since 1922 and re-established in the current Constitution (month names differ from the
Iranian or Persian forms). In 2012, the Afghan year begins on 1 Hamal 1391 (20 March 2012).
• The Hijrah-i Qamari (lunar Islamic) calendar, used for religious events and holidays.
• The Gregorian calendar, or Miladi (solar Christian), used in international relations.
The website www.nongnu.org/afghancalendar provides downloadable versions of Afghanistan’s
official calendars. To convert dates between Qamari and Gregorian years (or to Persian dates
using Iranian names) see:
• www.fourmilab.ch/documents/calendar
• www.iranchamber.com/calendar/iranian_calendar_converter.php
Established in 1973, the CSO was declared an independent body by presidential decree in March
2006. It has 800 staff, located at CSO headquarters in Kabul and at sub-offices in every province.
The CSO reports directly to the President and is advised by the National Statistics Committee
and the National Census Committee (temporarily set up to carry out the national census). Both
committees include representatives from ministries and from the private sector.
The work of the CSO is grouped into ten major departments: economic statistics, demographic and
social statistics, national accounts, operations, publication and dissemination, strategic planning and
donor relations, administration, internal evaluation and audit, staff training centre, and a secretariat.
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Each year, the CSO produces the Afghanistan Statistical Yearbook, the Consumer Price Index
Yearbook, the Afghanistan Trade Statistical Yearbook (a publication focused on foreign trade),
and the Estimated Population of Afghanistan (with data on gender and rural-urban residence
at the provincial and local levels). The CSO also publishes a quarterly volume on foreign trade
statistics, the monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) and daily updates on consumer price indexes
in Kabul and Jalalabad. In 2011, the CSO expanded its CPI reporting from six to ten provinces,
while increasing the number of items in the CPI “basket” from 202 to 290. CSO publications are
generally printed in Dari, Pashto and English, with information updates regularly reported on the
CSO website.
In 2004, the CSO created a Statistical Master Plan (SMP) with the assistance of the World Bank, the
Asian Development Bank (ADB), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the UK’s Department
for International Development (DFID). Approved in 2005, the SMP outlined a programme designed
to build capacity within the CSO to collect the national data required by the government for its
programming. In 2008, the CSO conducted a survey of facilities for disabled individuals in Kabul;
and in the year 2009 implemented a survey for economic organisations, and female participation
in national-level decision making.
The CSO plans to carry out the national population census mandated by the Bonn Agreement
(p. 27). The last census of this scope was begun in 1979 but was never completed. The CSO has
been involved in pre-census activities since 2003; in mid-2007, the CSO initiated a pilot census
to identify obstacles and initial household listings for all 34 provinces and this was completed
in 2009. The census proper will take approximately 21 days and require approximately 37,000
staff with a $62 million budget. However, a full national census will not be possible until there is
a significant improvement in the countrywide security situation.
The CSO and the Ministry for Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD), with cooperation from
the European Commission, released the findings from the 2007/08 National Risk and Vulnerability
Assessment (NRVA) in October 2009. This latest NRVA marked a shift away from short-term
data collection to a year-round strategy. Fieldwork was conducted from August 2007 to August
2008, which aimed to capture the seasonality of consumption to improve the quality of collected
data, and to field a smaller group of carefully selected interviewers. The assessment collected
information on: population structure and change, labour force characteristics, agriculture, poverty
and equality, education, health, housing, the position of women, and household shocks and
community preferences. NRVA 2007/8 indicated that the national poverty rate for Afghanistan
is 36 percent, meaning that approximately nine million Afghans are not able to meet their basic
consumption and other needs. In addition, there are many more people near that poverty level
and a single negative shock can move many more into poverty.
In 2011, the CSO began a Socio-Demographic and Economic Survey (SDES) of Bamiyan, collecting
similar data to the NRVA. In 2012, the SDES will take place in Ghor and Day Kundi. The CSO plans
to continue these provincial SDESs on an annual, rolling basis, with the aim of surveying the entire
country. Data results and reports from NRVA and SDES activities are available on the CSO website.
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All organisations planning to conduct statistical research in Afghanistan are required by law to
coordinate their activities with the CSO.
CSHRN member organisations work individually and collectively for human rights, including
women’s and children’s rights, freedom of speech, press freedom and the rule of law. Working
to facilitate and maintain a dialogue with state institutions, CSHRN organises debates between
member organisations, state institutions and traditional leaders.
CSHRN has an experienced pool of trainers who have developed a range of training manuals
specifically tailored to the Afghan context, focusing on human rights, conflict transformation,
transitional justice and women’s rights. CSHRN uses the media to educate and promote a human
rights discourse. Working with the radio channel Good Morning Afghanistan, CSHRN produces
the weekly human rights program, “The Voice.” CSHRN also uses local radio in Mazar-i-Sharif and
Herat. In addition to the CSHRN quarterly magazine Angaara, the CSHRN runs a human rights
page in the weekly family magazine Killid. CSHRN also carries out issue-based and policy-based
advocacy projects. In 2011, CSHRN undertook a campaign to reduce domestic violence in Herat,
and developed a draft law on freedom of information.
CSHRN is headquartered in Kabul, with provincial offices in Jalalabad, Mazar-i-Sharif, Bamiyan
and Herat. Member organisations constitute the CSHRN General Assembly, the overall policy and
decision-making body of the network. A Steering Committee of eleven elected members ensures
that CSHRN activities adhere to the agreed statutes and strategy.
The government held ministerial-level meetings and consultations to develop the clusters and their
associated National Priority Programs (NPPs) and presented a workplan for the various cluster groups
at the Kabul Conference in July 2010 (p. 50). The rationale for clusters and the NPPs also includes
enhanced monitoring and evaluation and an integrated approach to budget policy formation.
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As of December 2011, following a number of revisions, the clusters and their relative NPPs were
organised as follows:
Governance Cluster:
The Supreme Court, Ministry of Justice, Office of the Attorney General, Independent Administrative
Reform and Civil Service Commission, Independent Directorate of Local Governance, High Office
of Oversight for Implementation of Anti-Corruption Strategy, Office of Administrative Affairs,
Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, and Ministry of Finance. The Ministry of
Rural Rehabilitation and Development, Ministry of Interior and Controller and Audit Office are also
represented in working groups.
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The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance
CF supported the Northern Alliance in overthrowing the Taliban regime in November 2001.
Under the mission of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), these troops continue to operate
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in Afghanistan and reshape the posture of the Afghan defence forces, who will ultimately be
responsible for providing long-term stability in Afghanistan (see Transition, p. 73). CF are a key
partner in implementing the Afghan government’s Security Sector Reform (SSR, p. 71).
Though non-ISAF US troops in Afghanistan continue to be called Coalition Forces outside of the
military, they were reorganised in February 2004 and renamed Combined Forces Command–
Afghanistan (CFC-A). In 2004-05, CFC-A began transferring regional command to ISAF, beginning
with the West and North; in July 2006, command of the southern provinces was transferred.
Command of the final quarter of the country, the East, was handed over in October 2006, leaving
ISAF in charge of maintaining security in all of Afghanistan (since October 2008, however, United
States Forces Afghanistan—see below—has assumed OEF responsibility, in coordination with ISAF,
for the eastern regional command). After the 2006 handover to ISAF, CFC-A was inactivated as a
coalition headquarters; the remaining non-ISAF US troops were ultimately overseen by US Central
Command (CENTCOM).
Coalition Forces were most recently reorganised in October 2008 as US Forces Afghanistan
(USFOR-A). USFOR-A is overseen by CENTCOM while ISAF is a NATO-led force. Since 6 October
2008, however, both USFOR-A and ISAF have fallen under a single commander. On that day,
General David D. McKiernan, the most senior US military officer in Afghanistan, was named
commander of USFOR-A, after assuming command of ISAF in June 2008. General Stanley A.
McChrystal held the post from April 2009 until his removal in June 2010, when General David
Petraeus took command. In July 2011 General John Allen replaced General Petraeus.
USFOR-A was established to enhance the coordination and effectiveness of US support to the ISAF
mission. It is intended to improve the unity of ISAF and US-led efforts by aligning and streamlining
command and control of all US forces serving in Afghanistan. As of January 2012, approximately
18,000 troops were assigned to USFOR-A.
USFOR-A has two primary subordinate commands:
• Combined Joint Task Force 101 based at Bagram Air Field, which is responsible for counter-
terrorism and reconstruction operations.
• Combined Security Transition Command–Afghanistan (CSTC-A), headquartered at Camp
Eggers in Kabul, oversees CF involvement in the Afghan security sector, including training of
the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). It is under the control of United States Central
Command (CENTCOM).
Under CSTC-A’s operational control is Task Force Phoenix, responsible for training, mentoring and
advising the Afghan National Army (p. 6) and the Afghan National Police (p. 7). CSTC-A is a joint
service, coalition organisation with military personnel from the United States and other troop-
contributing nations, as well as contracted civilian advisors, mentors and trainers.
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In 2011, United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan’s Humanitarian Country Team (HCT)
determined that the Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP), the global humanitarian strategic
planning and fundraising mechanism, would replace the HAP. The CAP sharpens the focus on
preparedness and emergency response with a portfolio of projects supporting conflict and natural
disaster-affected internally displaced persons (IDPs), refugee returnees and host populations as
well as chronically vulnerable communities in need of life-saving assistance. Support is targeted
toward life-saving and livelihood saving needs, strengthened with emergency preparedness and
contingency planning to ensure common strategies. Projects are organised under 11 clusters
and sectors: Coordination; Education; Emergency Shelter and Non-Food Items; Emergency
Telecommunications; Food Security and Agriculture; Health; Logistics; Multi-Sector (for IDPs and
refugee returnees); Nutrition; Protection; and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene. In 2011 the CAP
appealed for $678 million for 134 projects, submitted by 51 humanitarian organisations (23
international NGOs, 16 national NGOs and 12 UN Agencies), in consultation with the Afghan
government. The total was then revised down to $453.6 million, of which 70 percent ($315.5
million) was received.
The 2012 CAP appealed for $437 million for 147 projects, and was submitted by 80 international
NGOs, 38 national NGOs and 29 UN Agencies in consultation with the Afghan government. This
year’s CAP has three strategic objectives:
• Plan for and respond to the humanitarian assistance and protection needs arising from
armed conflict, focusing particularly on: the displaced; those without access to basic
and humanitarian assistance (including that delivered by the Afghan government); and
populations where there is no humanitarian access (with other assistance or support,
including from the government).
• Advocate for and provide protection and support to populations in informal urban settlements,
and to provide protection and initial return assistance to IDP returnees.
• Prepare for and respond to the protection and humanitarian needs arising from annual and
seasonal natural “disasters,” as well as advocate for progress on implementation of Hyogo
Framework Priorities 1-4 (the world’s first international framework for disaster risk reduction).
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The draft Constitution debated by the CLJ was produced by the Constitutional Drafting
Commission (CDC) and the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC). In mid-2003, after a month
of civic education activities, a draft of the Constitution was subject to a public consultation
process around Afghanistan and among refugee communities in Iran and Pakistan. The United
Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA, p. 75) estimates that 178,000 people were
reached through these consultations, 19 percent of whom were women. The CRC published its
final draft of the Constitution on 3 November 2003.
At the CLJ, delegates were divided into working committees to debate the text of the draft
Constitution. A Reconciliation Committee edited the draft text to incorporate the working
committees’ suggestions. Passionate debates, boycotts and heated arguments featured in the
discussions that took place. A vote was supposed to be taken on all contentious articles, which
mostly regarded form of government, the role of Islam, national languages, the national anthem
and the dual nationality of ministers. Although no vote took place, on 4 January 2004 a closing
ceremony was held where the delegates signalled their approval of the final text by standing up.
The Constitution was officially signed on 26 January 2004 by President Karzai. It provides for an
elected President along with two nominated Vice Presidents, a Cabinet of Ministers, and a National
Assembly with two houses—the lower Wolesi Jirga (House of the People) and the upper Meshrano
Jirga (House of Elders). It grants equal citizenship to Afghan men and women, and commits
Afghanistan to uphold its international human rights obligations. It states that Afghanistan is an
Islamic Republic and that no law can be contrary to Islam.
CHA began its operations in two districts in Farah Province, but soon expanded into eight additional
provinces: Kabul, Kandahar, Balkh, Herat, Ghor, Faryab, Parwan and Kapisa. CHA currently
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The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance
employs approximately 2,000 staff, making it one of the largest national NGOs in Afghanistan. The
organisation is currently active in six main strategic fields: 1) health and nutrition, 2) education
and cultural affairs, 3) agriculture and livestock, 4) community development and social protection,
5) disaster risk reduction and emergency response, and 6) gender mainstreaming.
CHA has been able to increase its project’s size, coverage areas and diversity of activities as a
reliable partner of donors and the Afghan government. Donors include Oxfam-Novib, Norwegian
Church Aid (NCA), USAID, EU, UNHCR, IOM, FAO, DKH, Asia Society, the Ministry of Public Health
(MoPH), and the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD).
Counter-Narcotics (CN)
www.mcn.gov.af
At the first National Counter Narcotics Conference in December 2004, newly-elected President
Hamid Karzai declared counter-narcotics (CN) a priority of his government. The cultivation,
production, abuse and trafficking of narcotic drugs is banned in Afghanistan.
CN is one of five pillars in the government’s Security Sector Reform (SSR, p. 71) policy and a cross-
cutting theme in the Afghanistan Compact (p. 12), the Afghanistan National Development Strategy
(ANDS, p. 15) and the Kabul Process (p. 50). The Ministry of Counter Narcotics (MCN) oversees
policy, strategy and coordination of all CN activities, working closely with many ministries, including
the Ministry of Interior (MoI), the Ministry of Agriculture Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL), the Ministry
of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD), the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), and the
UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Currently, CN initiatives are guided by the 2006 version of
the National Drug Control Strategy (NDCS) which is in the process of being updated by MCN. As the
strategic framework for the government’s CN efforts, the NDCS currently identifies four key priorities:
1. Disrupting the drugs trade by targeting traffickers and their backers and eliminating the basis
for the trade;
2. Strengthening and diversifying licit rural livelihoods;
3. Reducing the demand for illicit drugs and providing treatment for problem drug users; and
4. Strengthening state institutions both at the centre and in the provinces.
In addition to these priorities, the NDCS outlines eight “pillars of activities”: public awareness,
international and regional cooperation, alternative livelihoods, demand reduction, law
enforcement, criminal justice, eradication, and institution building.
The NDCS is backed by the Counter Narcotics Drug Law, enacted by presidential decree in
December 2005, and Article 7 of the 2004 Constitution, which stipulates that “the state prevents
all types of terrorist activities, cultivation and smuggling of narcotic drugs and production and
consumption of intoxicants.” As detailed in the Drug Law, the Ministry of Justice has developed an
effective CN legal framework, and in February 2005 created a CN Criminal Justice Task Force to
deal with CN cases and train judges, prosecutors and investigators in CN procedures.
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There are two institutions designed to enforce CN legislation, both of which fall under the Deputy
Minister of Interior for Counter Narcotics. The Counter Narcotics Police of Afghanistan (CNPA,
see p. 7), with a strength of around 2,500, is the primary agency responsible for coordinating CN
law enforcement, detecting and investigating significant drug-trafficking offences. Various central
units of CNPA are mentored by international bodies, such as the National Interdiction Unit (NIU)
and Sensitive Investigative Unit (SIU), which are mentored by the US Drug Enforcement Agency.
The Afghan Special Narcotics Force carries out interdiction operations throughout Afghanistan,
working closely with the CNPA. CN training is also provided to the Afghan National Police (ANP, p.
7), including the Border Police.
Of the aforementioned NCDS pillars, much weight has been given to Alternative Livelihoods (AL).
AL aims to provide opium farmers and labourers with alternative crop options, credit mechanisms,
business support, market access, and labour opportunities. In the short term, AL programmes seek to
support those who have lost their livelihoods through self-restraint from planting or forced eradication
of their crops. This includes cash-for-work projects that build and rehabilitate rural infrastructure,
create greater income generation, and allow skill-building activities for vulnerable households. In the
long term, AL programmes are meant to be comprehensive rural development initiatives.
The Comprehensive Agricultural and Rural Development Facility (CARD-F) programme, launched in
October 2009, was designed to mainstream CN and AL objectives. Two of its stated objectives are
to: “increase legal rural employment and income opportunities through more efficient markets,” and
“reduce risk of a resurgence in poppy cultivation in and around key economic hubs in Afghanistan,
by creating commercially viable and sustainable alternatives for farmers to earn licit income.”
According to the Kabul Process documents, “The targeted outcome for CARD-F’s initial phase
is a tested and proven mechanism for delivery of district-based integrated agriculture and rural
development in selected provinces and districts.” CARD-F is still in its pilot phase, due to run until
March 2013, for which approximately $47.5 million has been committed by the UK’s Department For
International Development. This money has been used to fund institutional development, to design
17 district-level Economic Development Packages (EDP) and to implement five of these EDPs. The
selection of districts that will receive EDPs is managed by CARD-F’s Inter-Ministerial Committee
(IMC), chaired by the MCN and also including representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation
and Livestock (MAIL), the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) and the Ministry
of Finance (MoF). IMC also approve CARD-F’s strategic direction and annual plans.
Eradication has been a component of the CN effort since the 2001-02 growing season. The
eradication that has taken place had been planned by the Central Eradication Planning and
Monitoring Cell within the MCN and carried out by the Central Poppy Eradication Force (PEF) with
assistance from the international community. Some eradication was also conducted by provincial
governors through the Governor-Led Eradication programme (GLE), supplemented by the ANP and
Afghan National Army (ANA, p. 6). In 2009, the PEF was disbanded and the focus has since been
placed on the GLE. A weekly Eradication Working Group meeting is held by MCN, and includes
representatives of the government, the United Kingdom, the United States, ISAF (p. 45) and the
United Nations.
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The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance
Funding for CN initiatives has come from a number of sources. Between 2005 and 2008, the Counter
Narcotics Trust Fund (CNTF), a multi-donor funding source, contributed to fulfilling the objectives of
the NDCS, though is no longer functioning. Currently, the majority of funding comes from the Good
Performance Initiative (GPI), a fund administered by the MCN that is given to provinces that have
either remained poppy free or made significant steps to reduce poppy cultivation.
The DAD was originally designed to track the flow of aid and record the progress of development
and humanitarian projects around the country. It still serves this purpose; however, as the
government of Afghanistan works to develop a more robust budget, the DAD is also used as a
budget formulation database. As of January 2012, MoF is beginning an upgrade of the DAD to a
sixth version, which will simplify some of the modules, and make the system more user-friendly
and work faster on the web.
A special independent commission (the Loya Jirga Commission) determined the rules and
procedures for the ELJ, which was to have seats for 1,501 delegates, including 160 women.
In the end 1,650 delegates participated, including more than 200 women. Concerns about the
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proceedings and results of the ELJ included: the criteria for the selection of delegates, the failure to
hold a proper vote to choose the structure of government and the cabinet members, intimidation
of delegates, and a perceived lack of transparency throughout the process. The conduct of
participants at the Constitutional Loya Jirga (CLJ, p. 35), held in late 2003, was generally thought to
have been an improvement on that at the ELJ, with fewer reports of intimidation and harassment.
EUPOL advises and trains Afghan authorities at the ministerial, regional, provincial and district levels
in six main areas: intelligence-led policing; police chain of command, control and communication;
criminal investigation; anti-corruption strategy; police-prosecutor linkages; and human rights and
gender mainstreaming within the Afghan National Police (ANP, p. 7). Outside of Kabul, EUPOL
personnel are also assigned to various Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs, p. 67).
Originally a German pilot project, the mission was launched in June 2007 by the Council of the
European Union through the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), which enables individual
European nations to collectively act in the field of civilian and military crisis management. The
EUPOL Mission was originally mandated for three years until June 2010. In May 2010, the Council
of the European Union extended the mandate of the mission until 31 May 2013.
The current mission strength is approximately 325 international staff and 200 local staff. As of
December 2011, the budget was €60.5 million (approximately $80 million), contributed by 23 EU
states (with Germany being the largest contributor), Canada, Croatia, Norway and New Zealand. In
July 2010, Brigadier General Jukka Savolainen (Finland) became Head of the Mission, succeeding
Police Commissioner Kai Vittrup of Denmark.
Along with its regular tasks, in 2012 the mission will focus on leadership training for the ANP in a
Police Staff College, a new Criminal Investigation Division faculty and a training centre in Bamiyan
that will also train female police officers. All three institutions will be built in 2012 as part of an
EU project worth €15 million. The leadership training for police District Commanders and other
leading police personnel currently takes place in temporary structures.
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The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance
GMIC’s three programme departments serve the goals of the Centre. The Media Relations
and Coordination Department ensures information coordination and dissemination to the
public through establishing and maintaining relationships between the government and the
independent media. The Capacity Building Department builds capacity in the Afghan government’s
communications offices by creating and conducting educational activities tied to their needs,
also organising seminars and workshops for the professional capacity-building of journalists
from the independent media. The Public Outreach Department, the awareness-raising unit within
GMIC, aims to eliminate the gap between the government and the people through nationwide
information collection and dissemination using modern and traditional means so that the Afghan
public are properly informed about the progress and activities of the government.
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HOOAC’s 2011-2013 strategic plan highlights the dangers of increased corruption as governance
is devolved to the subnational level. In response to this, HOOAC is developing seven regional
offices and a Provincial Task Force which will deploy from its Kabul central office. As of December
2011, five of the regional offices had been opened. In the long term, HOOAC plans to expand into
all 34 provinces.
The Commission’s work is aimed at building a public administration in Afghanistan that is sound,
functional, transparent, effective, accountable, responsible, apolitical and impartial. IARCSC’s
strategic goals are to:
• Create the necessary legal framework and capacity to develop human resources management;
• Improve the Commission’s own capacity;
• Comprehensively reform civil service administration;
• Encourage merit- and competency-based recruitment through free competition throughout the
civil service;
• Implement pay and grading reforms and performance evaluation throughout the civil service;
• Communicate these reforms to the Afghan public;
• Establish an effective procedure for addressing civil service employee complaints;
• Promote the role of women in the civil service; and
• Evaluate the progress of implementing previous and existing reform processes and initiate the
next phase of change and development.
The Commission is composed of: a Civil Services and Management Department (CSMD), a Civil
Service Secretariat (CSS), a Civil Service Institute (CSI), an Independent Appointments Board,
an Independent Appeals Board, a Provincial Affairs Department and a Programme Design and
Coordination Directorate.
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The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance
The CSMD is responsible for drafting and overseeing the implementation of policies related to
human resources, and training and development. The CSS provides executive, communications
and operations assistance to the Commission and is responsible for evaluating the implementation
of programmes. The CSI was founded in 2007 as a training source for civil servants throughout
Afghanistan. Courses are offered in management, information technology and the English
language at both national and provincial levels.
The Appointments Board is responsible for appointing senior-level civil service officials and
supervising the appointment of junior-level officials. The Appeals Board is the forum through which
civil servants can lodge complaints, including those regarding decisions about appointments. Both
boards, though under the auspices of the IARCSC, are independent and function autonomously.
The Provincial Affairs Department is responsible for ensuring the coherent delivery of IARCSC’s
services across all provinces, and works closely with the Independent Directorate of Local
Governance (IDLG, p. 43). The Programme Design and Co-ordination Directorate aids government
ministries in the design of development programmes while ensuring their coordination with
government-wide development objectives. Both bodies were created in 2011, as part of an
expansion that saw IARCSC’s staff grow to around 900 members.
In 2011, IARCSC provided basic training to over 16,000 civil servants as part of its capacity-
building mission. Major projects scheduled for 2012 include a management internship project
designed to train the next generation of civil servants, administrative training for senior- and
executive-level civil servants, and the development of a Masters degree in Public Administration
in collaboration with Kabul and Balkh universities.
The Commission currently has seven regional offices, 34 provincial offices and 27 training centres.
Financial and technical support to the IARCSC and its initiatives have come from the United
Nations Development Programme, the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, the EU, USAID,
the UK, the Republic of Korea, Australia, Norway, Switzerland, Germany and the Afghanistan
Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF, p. 22).
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• Supervising the observance and application of the Constitution by the President, government,
National Assembly and other state and non-state organisations;
• Providing legal advice on Constitutional matters to the President and National Assembly;
• Making suggestions to the President and National Assembly on laws that are constitutionally
required; and
• Reporting any violations of the Constitution to the President.
The Constitution states that the President shall appoint members of the Commission, and that
the Wolesi Jirga shall confirm their appointment.
ICSIC became briefly embroiled in the controversy following the 2010 elections (see Government
section, p. 109), allegedly declaring that the Special Court set up by President Karzai to adjudicate
on the elections was unconstitutional, but failing to make the decision public.
The IDLG’s mission is “to consolidate peace and stability, achieve development and equitable
economic growth and to achieve improvements in service delivery through just, democratic
processes and institutions of good governance at subnational level thus improving the quality of
life of Afghan citizens.” The Directorate is responsible for a large range of functions and activities.
Its priorities, strategy and functions are outlined in its Strategic Framework, its Five Year Strategic
Workplan (covering 2008-2013), and the Subnational Governance Policy (SNGP) that was
approved by the Council of Ministers on 22 March 2010.
The IDLG is made up of seven directorates: the Policy Directorate, the General Directorate of
Municipal Affairs, the General Directorate of Local Councils, the Strategic Co-ordination Unit
(SCU), the Boundary Directorate, the Gender Unit and a Human Resources Directorate. The IDLG
is currently planning to create a new Monitoring and Evaluation Unit in 2012.
The IDLG is responsible for the six programmes which make up the Local Governance National
Priority Program (NPP) under the Governance Cluster, as detailed in the Afghanistan National
Development Strategy (Clusters and National Priority Programs, p. 30, ANDS, p. 15). The SCU was
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The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance
responsible for creating these programmes, which will guide the development of local governance
over the next three years.
• The Performance Based Governance Fund (PBGF) began in 2010. The PBGF provides a
monthly sum of $25,000 for Provincial Governors to use as operational funding in areas such
as social outreach. The provision of the money is contingent on the performance of governors’
offices, as judged by a quarterly evaluation. In 2012 the IDLG plans to create a PBGF for
Provincial Councils.
• The District Delivery Program (DDP) aims to establish or visibly improve government presence
at the local level in recently secured districts by implementing tailored “District Packages”
(DPs) of services. As of December 2011 DPs for 44 districts were being created, 38 had
already been created with 32 of those approved by the Ministry of Finance. DPs were being
implemented in 19 districts. So far, one DP (in Nad Ali, Helmand) has been completed. The
IDLG aims to have implementation underway in all target districts by 2013.
• The Afghanistan Subnational Governance Program II provides technical support and a variety
of capacity-building measures for Provincial Governors’ offices in all 34 provinces.
• The Afghanistan Local Government Facility Development Program is an infrastructure
development programme, building office space and providing adequate facilities for the
institutions of local governance.
• The Afghanistan Social Outreach Program (ASOP) creates local community shuras (councils) to
be integrated in to local government structures. See ASOP (p. 24) for further details.
• The Regional Afghan Municipalities Program for Urban Population (RAMP-UP) works with all 34
provincial municipalities to build capacity and train staff, raising the quality of service delivery.
The IDLG is also making a significant contribution to the Transition process (Transition, p. 73).
The SCU is currently carrying out an institutional assessment of local government to provide IDLG
with the information necessary to address key local issues of subnational governance during the
Transition process. A pilot has been conducted successfully in two provinces, and the project will
now roll out across the entire country, with completion projected for March 2012.
The IDLG is involved in Public Administration Reform (PAR, p. 69), working closely with the
Independent Administrative Reform and Civil Service Commission (IARCSC, p. 41). PAR initiatives
such as the Performance and Grading pay system have been introduced in around 65 percent
of local government institutions. Similarly, 66 district governors have reportedly been recruited
through open, merit-based competition instead of by political appointment.
Key partners to the IDLG include the United Nations Development Programme, currently working
on the Afghanistan Subnational Governance Program II, The Asia Foundation, and the USAID
Capacity Development Program (DGP).
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ISAF was first established by UN Security Council Resolution 1386 on 20 December 2001 as
envisaged in Annex I of the Bonn Agreement and upon the invitation of the Afghan Interim
Authority. It is a UN-authorised multinational force, not a UN peacekeeping force, and the costs of
maintaining ISAF are borne by its contributing nations rather than by the UN.
On 11 August 2003, at the UN’s and Afghan government’s request, the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO) took responsibility for ISAF, the mission of which was then limited to Kabul.
In October 2003, the UN Security Council authorised the expansion of the NATO mission beyond
Kabul. Until February 2007, leadership of ISAF rotated among participating nations; the first
ISAF missions were led by the United Kingdom, Turkey, Germany and the Netherlands. Each
subsequent rotation is referred to by a new roman numeral. With the implementation of ISAF
X in February 2007, ISAF was made a “composite headquarters” rather than being tasked to a
single country. This means that individual nations volunteer to fill their allotted positions in the
way they see fit. In July 2011, US General John Allen became Commander of ISAF, replacing US
General David Petraeus.
ISAF and its operations are distinct from the US-led Coalition Forces (CF, p. 32), who helped
the Northern Alliance overthrow the Taliban and continue to operate in Afghanistan as part
of Operation Enduring Freedom. ISAF was initially responsible for security only in Kabul, while
CF was in command of security in the rest of the country. From October 2003, however, the
process of expanding ISAF and unifying both military forces under one central command began.
Regional command of the Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs, p. 67) was thus transferred to
ISAF during the period of 2003-06. Completing the geographical expansion of the ISAF mission,
command of the final, eastern quarter of the country was handed over on 5 October 2006, leaving
ISAF in charge of all PRTs and effectively responsible for security in all of Afghanistan. ISAF also
implements the Operational Mentor and Liaison Team programme, which embeds mentors in
selected kandaks (battalions) of the ANA.
ISAF’s overall structure consists of: two Kabul-based headquarters (ISAF Command and ISAF Joint
Command); the Air Task Force responsible for air operations; Regional Commands for each of the
six regions (Capital, North, West, South West, South, East); Forward Support Bases; and PRTs.
The North Atlantic Council, NATO’s decision-making body, provides political guidance to ISAF in
consultation with non-NATO nations contributing troops to the force.
In August 2009, NATO allies agreed to adjust the ISAF Upper Command structure to align with the
increase in ISAF’s scope and scale of responsibilities. In November 2009, a new intermediate
headquarters was established to better streamline ISAF efforts by separating the strategic
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The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance
political-military and day-to-day functional operations. The new ISAF Upper Command Structure
consists of a higher strategic headquarters, ISAF HQ, commanded by a 4-star General (General
Allen), and two subordinate 3-star headquarters (or Intermediate Headquarters), called the NATO
Training Mission-Afghanistan (NTM-A) and the ISAF Joint Command (IJC) HQ. Both Headquarters
are located in Kabul.
Under this new command structure, COMISAF (4 star) focuses on the more strategic political-
military aspects of the ISAF mission, synchronising ISAF’s operations with the work of Afghan
and other international organisations in the country. COMISAF is dual-hatted as the Commander
of ISAF and US Forces in Afghanistan (COM USFOR-A) thus coordinating and de-conflicting ISAF
operations and the US-led Operation Enduring Freedom. COMISAF has command responsibility
over the IJC Commander, the Commander of NTM-A and the NATO Special Operations Forces
(SOF).
The ISAF Joint Command, COMIJC, headed by 3-star Lieutenant General Curtis M. Scaparotti, is
responsible for executing the full spectrum of tactical operations throughout Afghanistan on a day-
to-day basis. He takes under command the Regional Commands, the Provincial Reconstruction
Teams (PRTs) and the theatre enablers. In addition, he ensures the coordination of ISAF and
Afghan National Security Forces operations, and is dual-hatted as US and ISAF Commander, as
is COM NTM-A who is NATO/ISAF Commander and Commander of the US-led Combined Security
Transition Command-Afghanistan (CSTC-A).
As part of the Transition process (see p. 73), ISAF forces are gradually handing over security
responsibility in Afghanistan to the ANSF. Whilst ISAF states that Transition is an events-driven
rather than calendar-based, the projected date for the completion of Transition is the end of 2014.
This process is likely to be accompanied by significant withdrawals of troops. Reductions in troop
numbers from the mid-2011 peak of around 140,000 have already begun, and as of January
2012 it was projected that 40,000 ISAF troops would leave by the end of the year.
As of January 2012, ISAF’s total strength was 130,638 troops. The 50 troop-contributing countries
are: Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, El Salvador, Finland, France,
Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, the Republic of Korea, Latvia,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mongolia, Montenegro, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Tonga, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom,
and the United States.
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Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Conference observers included
France, Canada, the EU, Germany, Italy, Japan, Sweden, Spain, Norway, the UK, the US and the
UN. The Conference ended with the publishing of a declaration, adopted by all participants and
observers. This expressed support for the reconciliation process in Afghanistan and pledged
mutual non-interference in neighbouring countries’ affairs. All participants signed up to the
“Istanbul Process,” which aims to enhance regional cooperation in terms of security, economics,
counter narcotics and development. It was agreed at the time to present specific plans to achieve
the goals set by the Istanbul Conference at a meeting in Kabul some time in 2012.
Following the adoption of the Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS, p. 15) at the Paris
Conference of June 2008, the JCMB expanded its focus from monitoring the implementation of the
Afghanistan Compact to include the provision of strategic and policy guidance on the implementation
of the ANDS. With the Afghanistan Compact’s expiration in February 2011, the JCMB’s role has
focused on monitoring the Kabul Process (see p. 50) and acting as the highest formal decision-
making body linking the Afghan government and the international community, ruling on initiatives
such as the expansion of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF, p. 9).
The JCMB is co-chaired by the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan (see
p. 75) and the Chair of the Afghan government’s cabinet-level Coordinating Committee (currently
the Minister of Finance), which is responsible for JCMB oversight and the implementation of the
ANDS. The JCMB is made up of 28 representatives, seven of which are representatives of the
government. The remaining 21 are representatives of the international community who are selected
based on criteria such as the largest contribution of development aid and military troops as well
as regional representation. These include the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan
(UNAMA, see the UN in Afghanistan, p. 75 ), NATO (see International Security Assistance Force,
p. 45), the Combined Security Transition Command—Afghanistan (see Coalition Forces, p. 32),
the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the European Union, donor governments, and
governments of neighbouring countries. The total number of participants is not fixed and is liable
to rise; the Republic of Korea represents the board’s most recent addition. The JCMB typically
meets around twice per year.
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The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance
The work of the JCMB is now facilitated by three standing committees covering security; governance,
human rights and rule of law; and economic and social development. These thematic groupings
correspond to the pillars of the ANDS. In carrying out its assessments, the JCMB considers inputs
from the standing committees, which consist of representatives of the Afghan government and
relevant international partners, as well as ad-hoc, expert task forces that are established by the
standing committees to address specific technical issues. Under its original mandate, the JCMB
produced two semi-annual reports a year; this was later revised to one annual report at the start
of 2008. The JCMB also produces additional reports available to the public.
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Commitment to JSR was refocused with the establishment of the International Coordination Group
on Justice Reform in October 2006, the December 2006 Rule of Law Conference in Dubai, and the
July 2007 Rome Conference on Justice and Rule of Law in Afghanistan.
Participants at the Rome Conference—representatives of the Afghan government, donors, and the
international community—agreed to a series of joint goals, underlying principles, and key actions.
Implementation of key actions began following the conference; this included the establishment of
a National Justice Programme, a National Justice Sector Strategy, and a mechanism for pooled
donor funding of the programme, providing both immediate support for short-term projects and
long-term, coordinated funding. Rome Conference participants also agreed to the establishment
of an Afghan-led monitoring and evaluation system for the justice sector under the Afghanistan
National Development Strategy Secretariat (ANDS, p. 15) and the Joint Coordination and Monitoring
Board (JCMB, p. 47).
As part of the ANDS process, each Afghan justice institution—the Supreme Court, the Ministry of
Justice, and the Attorney General’s Office—prepared a five-year strategy for reform. With guidance
and technical assistance provided by UNAMA’s Rule of Law office, these strategies were combined
by November 2007 into a justice sector strategy widely viewed as the best-developed of the ANDS
sector strategies. Both the National Justice Programme and Sector Strategy were finalised in March
2008. Based on that document, the Project Oversight Committee (POC, composed of high-level
Afghan government officials and advised by an international Board of Donors) and a Programme
Support Unit (PSU) were established in July 2008.
The Afghanistan Justice Sector Reform Project (AJSRP) is currently being implemented under the
guidance of the World Bank and financed by the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF,
p. 22); it is the first justice sector project implemented under the Fund. It focuses on enhancing:
management of human resources and physical infrastructure, information, and communication
technology; legal aid and legal awareness; and support to the POC and PSU. Preparation of AJSRP II,
the second iteration of this project, was due to be completed by January 2012, with implementation
to follow. This phase will continue many of the initiatives begun in phase one as well as; improving the
“human capital” of the Justice Sector, introducing new human resources mechanisms, the fostering
of a sense of “legal fraternity” among the judiciary, the increased provision of legal libraries for legal
professionals, the construction of adequate physical infrastructure, and the increased delivery of
legal aid to defendants.
The National Priority Program Law and Justice for All was introduced at the Kabul Conference in
July 2010 (p. 50). While the programme is intended to further prioritise the justice sector reform
activities contained in the National Justice Program (NJP), it is also designed to focus on the parts
of the legal system that “are most relevant to the way citizens experience the legal system and the
rule of law.” In 2012, Law and Justice for All aims to build on ongoing activities in the area, such as
Pay and Grading Reform and Priority Reform and Restructuring (see Public Administration Reform,
p. 69), in addition to new measures such as the setting up of a National Ministers Court and the
expansion of Anti Corruption Tribunals.
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Co-chaired by President Karzai and the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, the Kabul
Conference was the first of the many international conferences on Afghanistan to actually be
held in the country and was attended by international leaders and foreign ministers. Emphasising
Afghan leadership and ownership, its Communiqué states that the Kabul Process is a reaffirmation
of the Afghan government (GoA)’s commitment to “improve security, governance and economic
opportunity for its citizens.” It also reiterates the international community’s commitment to
“support the transition to Afghan leadership and its intention to provide security and economic
assistance.”
The London Conference in January 2010 (p. 53) and the National Consultative Peace Jirga in
June 2010 (NCPJ, p. 60) were key staging posts for establishing the terms, frameworks and plans
agreed at the Kabul Conference. These include:
• The transfer of security responsibilities from the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF,
p. 45) and Coalition Forces (CF, p. 32) to the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF, p. 9) by
2014 (see Transition, p. 73);
• The development of the Afghanistan Peace and Reintegration Programme (APRP, p. 20); and
• A reprioritised and restructured Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS, p. 15).
International participants endorsed the Inteqal (transition) paper, the GoA’s commitment to a
phased exercise of security responsibility in all provinces by the end of 2014. To support this
transition, the GoA pledged to progressively enhance the quality and quantity of the ANSF, while
international participants reiterated their commitments to support the training, equipping and
financing of the ANSF. Participants also endorsed in principle the APRP and reiterated their
commitment to support the programme through the Peace and Reintegration Trust Fund.
Within the framework of a prioritised ANDS, the GoA pledged to focus on reform of service delivery
institutions, policy decisions and the implementation of the National Priority Programs (NPPs, p.
30). Participants welcomed the GoA’s cluster approach (p. 30), an inter-ministerial coordination
mechanism intended to help prioritise and implement the ANDS. The GoA committed to further
prioritise and strengthen the NPPs, including their implementation matrices for intended results
and budgets. In a bid to ensure effective management and accountability, the plans articulate
measurable six- and 12-month, as well as three- and five-year targets.
In line with the London Conference Communiqué, participants restated their support for
channelling at least 50 percent of development aid through the Afghan Government’s core budget
within two years. However, it was emphasised that this commitment was dependent on the GoA
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implementing reforms to strengthen its public financial management systems, reduce corruption,
improve budget execution, and increase revenue collection (in January 2012, the Ministry of
Finance reported that this target was unlikely to be met). Additionally, international participants
expressed their readiness to progressively align their development assistance behind the NPPs
with the goal of achieving 80 percent alignment within the next two years.
To oversee the implementation of the prioritised ANDS, the GoA and the international community
stated their intent to meet at ministerial level on an annual basis to review mutual progress on
commitments and to consider new Afghan priorities as part of the Kabul Process. Participants
agreed that the Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board (JCMB, p. 47) would meet every four
months (supported by Standing Committees and their sub-committees) to monitor and assess
progress. Additionally, the Kabul Process was set to include annual meetings between the GoA,
the international community, and civil society (including service-providing organisations). As of
January 2012, none had been held, though international conferences such as Bonn 2011 (p. 27)
have provided opportunities for civil society to engage with both the GoA and the international
community.
LOTFA Phase VI began in January 2011 and is slated to run until March 2013 with a total estimated
budget of approximately $1.4 billion. Under Phase VI, LOTFA’s activities are clustered around
three pillars:
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The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance
LOTFA’s key achievements include: ensuring regularity and transparency in police remuneration
through the development of modern payroll technologies, with 99 percent of police employees
covered under the Electronic Payroll System and 82 percent under the Electronic Fund Transfer
System; sustained capacity and institutional reform of the MoI through identified capacity
development programmes; training 300 police trainers in gender and human rights concepts;
helping to recruit over 1,000 female police officers over the past three years and creating a
Gender Mainstreaming Unit in the MoI; and building effective police-community partnerships for
more accountable local police service delivery. As of January 2012, the number of female police
officers in the ANP stood at 1,300, around 1 percent.
LOFTA’s largest donors are the United States, Japan and the European Union. LOTFA is led by a
Steering Committee co-chaired by the MoI and the United Nations Development Programme, and
includes representatives from the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Justice, the United Nations
Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (p. 75), and donor partners. UNDP regularly conducts institutional
monitoring and evaluation to oversee the quality, quantity and timeliness of progress toward results
delivery as identified in the Fund’s Results and Resource Framework and Annual Work Plan.
Laws in Afghanistan
Formal sources of law in Afghanistan are: 1) Islamic law; 2) the 2004 Constitution; 3) codes, decrees
and legislation; 4) international treaties and covenants; and 5) various types of regulations and
orders. No law can be contrary to the beliefs and provisions of Islam (pursuant to Article 3 of the
Constitution), and many of the country’s codes and statutes reflect Islamic legal principles.
There have been a number of constitutions in Afghanistan. The constitutions of 1923, 1931, 1964,
1977, 1987 (amended in 1990), and 2004 were all ratified by either Parliaments or Loya Jirgas,
while interim constitutions were drafted in 1979, 1980, and 1992, but never ratified. As elsewhere,
Afghan legislation must not be in conflict with the Constitution. New legislation and amendments to
existing laws must be adopted by the National Assembly and signed by the President, after which they
are published (in both Dari and Pashto) in the Official Gazette (OG, or Rasmi Jaridah) by the Ministry
of Justice (MoJ). While many regulations must be published in the OG, those that affect only the
internal operations of a particular ministry need not be sent to the National Assembly for adoption
or to the MoJ for publication. Since November 1963, the OG has been published in a continuously
numbered sequence. Before then individual laws were published in individual pamphlet form and
keeping track of them was difficult. OG no. 787 from 1999 specifies the manner and requirements
of publication and adoption of legislative documents.
There is currently no unified official index of laws, nor any properly functioning system of reporting
court cases or decisions (even of the Supreme Court). USAID’s Afghanistan Rule of Law Project
(AROLP) scanned a full set of the OG issues and these PDFs are currently available for download
from the MoJ website (in Dari and Pashto only—www.moj.gov.af). There is also a full-text searchable
database of the OG laws (Dari and Pashto only) on the MoJ website. Regulations, rules, charters
and decrees cover many important legal areas but are not codified or fully assembled anywhere
(although many are published in the OG).
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There is no established citation style for Afghan laws. To fully identify a post-1963 law it is best to
cite the OG number as well as the date (preferably in both local and international date systems),
e.g., Law of Procurement (Official Gazette no. 865, 3 Aqrab SY1384 = 25 October 2005). For pre-
1963 laws the full title and full dates of publication are needed, e.g. Usul Asasi “Constitution” (8
Aqrab SY 1310 = 31 October 1931).
The Conference marked the completion of the Bonn process (p. 27) and the end of the first
stage of Afghanistan’s post-Taliban development, which saw the reestablishment of key political
institutions and a democratically-elected National Assembly. The Conference also allowed
members of the international community to reaffirm their political and financial commitment to
Afghanistan’s reconstruction.
Conference participants committed to providing support to the phased growth of the Afghan
National Army (ANA, p. 6) and Afghan National Police (ANP, p. 7) to reach 171,600 and 134,000
personnel by October 2011, respectively. This boost to Afghan security forces was closely aligned
with plans for a phased transition to Afghan security leadership on a province-by-province basis,
which were then developed preceding the Kabul Conference in July.
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Central to these efforts was the Afghan government’s commitment to reinvigorate Afghan-led
reintegration efforts by developing and implementing an effective, inclusive, transparent and
sustainable national peace and reintegration programme (APRP, p. 20). This included plans to
convene a Peace Jirga (p. 60) before the 2010 Kabul Conference (p. 50) and the international
community’s commitment to establish a Peace and Reintegration Trust Fund to finance the
programme.
The Afghan government presented a vision for “more coherent and better coordinated
development.” This involved aligning key ministries into development and governance clusters
(p. 30), refining the Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS, p. 15) priorities, and
preparing details for presentation at the Kabul Conference. Participants endorsed the Afghan
government’s ambition for 50 percent of development aid to be delivered through the National
Budget (p. 59) within next two years. However, it was also noted that this support was conditional
on the government’s progress in strengthening public financial management systems and
reducing corruption. In January 2012 the Ministry of Finance stated that this target was unlikely
to be achieved in the near future.
Since March 2006, MISFA has been registered as an independent, not-for-profit Afghan institution
with an independent Board of Directors comprised of representatives from the government and
the private sector, as well as international microfinance experts. It is the first microfinance apex
facility in Afghanistan, pooling diverse donor funding mechanisms into streamlined, flexible
support to microfinance providers.
MISFA is working with seven microfinance providers, including a bank, with a collective network
of 244 branches in 22 provinces. They serve more than 230,000 active borrowers, 75 percent
of whom are women. To date, MISFA’s partners have disbursed a cumulative total of 1.9 million
loans worth approximately $1.1 billion. The current gross loan outstanding to borrowers is around
$115 million, while the average loan size is $499. MISFA’s partners together employ more than
3,000 Afghans, around 37 percent of whom are women. According to an Initial Baseline/Impact
Study of Microfinance conducted in 2007 by the UK-based Institute of Development Studies, each
microfinance loan supports or creates 1.5 employment opportunities in Afghanistan.
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In 2010, the Afghan government published a report detailing its progress in meeting Afghanistan’s
nine MDGs. The report noted that while progress was variable in the different goal areas, the
country had made improvements in reducing infant and under-five mortality rates, in bringing
school-age children back to school, and in reducing the gender gap in certain spheres of
life. However, for many of the areas under review, the report cited a lack of data as a serious
impediment for monitoring progress or even understanding the potential extent of the challenge;
for example, the report states that “no reliable estimate of the spread of HIV/AIDS can be made.”
Most critically, the report noted that “there is little evidence that most targets of Global Partnership
for Development are achievable.” Citing a need for “better aid,” the report claimed that a lack of
predictability in donor financing, the gap between donor commitments and actual expenditure, and
donor investments not being aligned to MDG priorities were problems in meeting the MDGs. As nearly
all of Afghanistan’s development budget is aid-financed, the report claims that “aid to Afghanistan has
been far too prescriptive and driven by donor preferences rather than responsive to Afghan needs.”
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Oversight and coordination of MAPA is gradually shifting toward national ownership. The Mine
Action Coordination Centre of Afghanistan (MACCA), which works as a coordination body for
MAPA, is working together with the Afghan government’s Department of Mine Clearance (DMC)
to develop strategy and implement and monitor MAPA activities and targets. MACCA is a United
Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) project contracted through the United Nations Office for
Project Services (UNOPS).
Together, MACCA and the DMC coordinate nationwide MAPA activities through seven Area Mine
Action Centres in Kabul, Herat, Kandahar, Mazar-i-Sharif, Kunduz, Gardez and Jalalabad. These
regional offices, staffed entirely by Afghans, are responsible for regional coordination and oversight
of mine action activities.
MAPA Implementing Partners (IPs) are national and international NGOs that carry out activities
such as mine clearance and survey, mine risk education, victim assistance, capacity-building,
advocacy, monitoring and training. In addition, MAPA works closely with the Ministry of Labor,
Social Affairs, Martyrs and Disabled and the Ministry of Public Health to advocate on behalf of
persons with disabilities, including landmine survivors.
At the end of September 2011, 6,216 identified hazards remained in Afghanistan, affecting 602
square kilometres and impacting 1,980 communities throughout the country. During 2011, MAPA
conducted mine clearance in 70 communities, clearing or cancelling 324 minefields and 76 battle
areas, and destroying more than 7,793 anti-personnel (AP) mines, 265 anti-tank (AT) mines, and
182,663 explosive remnants of war (ERW).
MAPA works to meet the goal of the Ottawa Convention to clear all AP mines in Afghanistan by
2013, to provide mine risk education (MRE) and to assist mine survivors. However, the Ottawa
Convention obliges countries to remove AP mines, and not AT mines or ERWs. Despite this, MACCA
considers it highly important that other hazards are not forgotten while the focus is on meeting
Ottawa Convention obligations. The Afghan state may seek an extension of its deadline of 2013
to complete the clearance of all known AP sites.
Led by the Ministry of Education, MRE programmes continue around the country and
approximately 200,000 Afghans receive MRE trainings every quarter.
Currently, an average of 22 Afghans are killed or injured by landmines and other ERW every
month.
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Mineral Resources
Beneath Afghanistan lie significant mineral reserves. A June 2010 geological survey conducted
by the Pentagon estimated the value of these deposits at $1 trillion, though other estimates have
reached as high as $3 trillion. The Afghan government and the international community hope this
industry has the potential to drive both economic growth and infrastructure development. The
Ministry of Mines has estimated that by 2024 mineral extraction will be supplying between 42-45
percent of Afghanistan’s GDP.
The government has published two documents on the mineral resources industries: The Oil,
Gas and Mining Sector Vision and the National Extractive Industries Excellence Program. These
set out its strategy for a dynamic, transparent mining sector that will help stabilise the Afghan
economy, reduce reliance on international aid and have wide-ranging positive downstream effects
on the Afghan people. The World Bank is assisting the GoA with this process, currently running
the Second Sustainable Development of Natural Resources Project, a five-year project worth $52
million due to run until June 2016.
Thirdly, the exploitation of mineral reserves and the process of tendering for the right to do this
are both vulnerable to fraud and corruption. With Afghanistan ranked 176 out of 178 countries
on the 2010 Global Corruption Perceptions Index, the fear remains that Afghanistan’s mineral
wealth could be co-opted, and the Afghan people denied its benefits. To prevent this, the Afghan
government endorsed the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative in March 2009, although
allegations of corruption surfaced the same year related to the largest mineral resource tender
concluded so far, that of the Aynak copper deposit.
As of December 2011, two tenders have been granted to foreign companies to begin extraction in
Afghanistan. In October 2007 a tender for the Aynak copper deposit was successfully negotiated.
The successful bidder, Metallurgical Corps of China (MCC), has already paid the GoA $80.8
million, the first tranche of a total payment of $808 million to develop the concession. The GoA will
also be paid royalties on a sliding scale based on the world copper price. As part of their bid MCC
have agreed to build a copper smelting plant, producing 250,000 tons of copper per year. The
construction of 900km of rail infrastructure and a 400 Megawatt coal-fired power plant are also
included in the bid. However, difficulties in development of this additional infrastructure mean
that extraction is unlikely to start prior to 2014.
In November 2011, tenders for the Hagijak iron ore deposits were granted to a consortium led by
Steel Authority of India (SAI). SAI have stated that they plan to invest $11 billion in Afghanistan, both
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to develop extraction and to build a steel plant capable of producing 6 million tons of steel per year.
Exploitation of the concession will also involve the construction of rail infrastructure and a power plant.
In December 2011, the GoA continued its drive to grow the mineral exploitation sector, opening
the tender process for four large copper and gold concessions in the provinces of Herat, Sar-i-Pul,
Ghazni and Badakhshan, and signing its first international oil production agreement in several
decades. Agreed with China National Petroleum Corps (CNPC), this deal allows the development
of oil blocks in the Amu Darya basin, in the provinces of Sar-i-Pul and Faryab.
The first NABDP aimed to promote urgent recovery and longer-term development in identified
priority areas of rural development while building government capacity to lead and coordinate
participatory approaches to development across the country. NABDP Phase II was launched in
February 2006 and was intended to serve as a key coordination mechanism for government
and UN-supported rural development programmes. It focused more on institutional development,
capacity-building, and intersectoral coordination at the regional and provincial levels, as well as
the promotion of regional and local economic regeneration activities.
The third and current phase, which began in July 2009, is based on the third pillar of the
Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS, p. 15): social and economic development. It
is currently budgeted for $294 million until June 2014.
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National Budget
www.budgetmof.gov.af
The Afghan government produces a national budget each year. This budget is an estimate of
the cost of providing services for that year, and specifies how these services are to be paid for.
The national budget for the SY1390 (2011-2012) fiscal year is the equivalent of approximately
$4.782 billion. Unlike in previous years, this figure represents the core budget only, excluding
development funds to be spent outside of government channels.
Expenditure is classified according to its purpose. The operating budget is money spent on the
day-to-day running costs of the government, such as the salaries of civil servants, teachers
and policemen; the running costs of offices and other operational premises; and the purchase
of equipment and machinery such as computers and vehicles. Most of this expenditure is
funded from taxation and other domestic sources. The operating budget in SY1390 is $3.207
billion.
Alongside the operating budget is the country’s internal or “core” development budget. Managed
by the Ministry of Finance (MoF) according to the government’s own accounting procedures, this
is money spent by the government on expanding and improving service provision. Most of this
expenditure is in the form of development projects—building new schools, constructing new roads,
installing new water supply and sanitation schemes, enhancing the capacity of human resources,
etc. The core development budget for SY1390 is $1.575 billion.
The “external” development budget is money provided by donors that does not pass through the
government and is distributed directly by donors to their contracting partners. Due to a recent
upgrade of the Development Assistance Database (DAD, p. 38) the MoF was unable to provide
a figure for the SY1390 “external” budget. In SY1389 the figure was $4.112 billion. For SY1390
the MoF expects it to be lower, in line with the country-wide reduction of aid. The final total of the
SY1390 “external” budget will be calculated at the Development Cooperation Dialogue Meeting
planned for March 2012.
The overall development budget is funded by international donors. At the 2010 London
Conference, they pledged to channel at least 50 percent of development aid through the Afghan
government by January 2012. This pledge was reiterated at the Kabul Conference, but was
dependent on government capacity to adequately manage the money. In January 2012, the
MoF stated their belief that this target would not be achieved by the agreed deadline.
Producing the annual budget is a lengthy and complex process. Under the Afghan Constitution (p.
112), responsibility for managing this process is vested in the MoF. The annual budget preparation
cycle takes about one year and MoF sets and monitors the timetable that governs it.
Budgeting activity always starts from the national plan—the Afghanistan National Development
Strategy (ANDS, p. 15). This is a five-year programme setting out what the government, with the
assistance of the donor community, wishes to achieve over that period, and specifying the main
priority areas. The cost of delivering the plan, and the amounts and sources of income required
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to fund it, is projected in the medium-term financial and budget framework (MTBF), which in turn
informs the annual budget-setting process.
The MoF sets the rules for the preparation of the annual budget by issuing a series of budget
circulars to line (service-providing) ministries. These specify the budget rules and provide
expenditure ceilings for both operating and development budgets. The line ministries draw up their
own budget proposals that they submit to the MoF. The budget estimates from all the ministries
are then consolidated into the National Budget Document (NBD), which, once approved by the
Cabinet, is presented to the National Assembly (NA). The NA discusses the budget for up to 45
days, and then “appropriates” (approves) the necessary funds.
In 2009, the MoF introduced a number of initiatives to improve national budgeting, and support
the principles of good governance. Among these was the introduction of policy-based budgeting
linking ministry spending directly to ANDS requirements in the form of programme budgets. The
MoF has also taken a number of steps to assist line ministries by providing technical support,
simplifying budget procedures, and allowing extra time for budget preparation. The ultimate
objective is to enable line ministries to improve the quality and coverage of the services they
provide to the people of Afghanistan.
The NCPJ was “consultative” and thus carried no legal weight. It culminated in the endorsement of
the government’s peace and reintegration initiative (see APRP, p. 20) and also fulfilled an Afghan
government commitment made at the London Conference 2010 (p. 53).
The agenda was directed by President Karzai and attendees included governors, parliamentarians,
district leaders, members of the higher Ulema Council, civil society, business, Kuchis, the
disabled, refugees and women. After concerns were raised, the number of women participants
was increased to around 400, constituting approximately 20 percent of participants. The Taliban
and other insurgent groups were not represented, nor were some opposition politicians.
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The NDF, under the auspices of the Ministry of Finance, remained the primary basis for government
and donor planning until January 2006, when it was replaced by the Interim Afghanistan National
Development Strategy (see ANDS, p. 15).
Afghanistan’s first NHDR was released in February 2005, entitled “Security with a Human
Face,” which focused on the relationship between security and development. Produced by
Kabul University and UNDP on behalf of the Afghan government, the report was based on a
number of sectoral and thematic background papers commissioned from national researchers.
The second NHDR, released in late 2007, “Bridging Modernity and Tradition,” was produced by
the UNDP-sponsored Centre for Policy and Human Development (CPHD) at Kabul University. It
focused on the linkages between rule of law and human development, highlighting key challenges
to the expansion of the rule of law in Afghanistan and proposing approaches to bridge modernity
and tradition in the search for social justice.
The third NHDR, published in late 2010, is entitled “The Neglected Front of Development: Water
Security and the Crisis in Sanitation.” The paper explores how low access to safe water, poor
sanitation, inequitable sharing of water resources, and extreme vulnerability to water-related
climate shocks go largely ignored in the face of internal power struggles and the global security
agenda. The report makes the case that water security is integral to human development in
Afghanistan and to prospects for peace.
• Developing local governance at the village level through the creation of democratically elected
councils; and
• Improving access to basic infrastructure and socio-economic development opportunities in
rural communities across Afghanistan.
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The NSP seeks to attain these objectives through three core programme elements:
By developing the ability of Afghan communities to identify, plan, manage and monitor their own
development projects, the NSP hopes to create sustainable, grass-roots forms of local governance,
rural reconstruction and poverty alleviation. Communities are empowered to make decisions and
manage resources during all stages of the project cycle and it is hoped that these communities
will collectively contribute to increased human security.
The NSP was conceived in 2002-03 by the World Bank in consultation with the then Afghan
Transitional Authority (ATA, p. 10), including the Minister of Finance and Minister of Rural
Rehabilitation and Development. As of late December 2011, the NSP has covered over 75 percent
of the rural population, establishing more than 28,243 CDCs in 357 of Afghanistan’s almost 400
districts and provincial centres. Since its inception, the programme has disbursed more than $914
million in grants to rural communities, which have financed approximately 60,386 community-
prioritised subprojects. More than 47,524 of these subprojects have been completed, focusing
on transportation (25 percent of projects), water supply and sanitation (24 percent), irrigation
(18 percent), power supply (13 percent), education (12 percent), livelihoods (five percent), and
other sectors (three percent). In many remote parts of the country, the NSP is the only functioning
government development programme.
The first phase of the NSP was completed in March 2007 and covered 17,300 communities. A
second phase, NSP II (April 2007-September 2011) covered an additional 6,000 communities,
thus bringing total NSP coverage to 23,200 communities. The Afghan government has designed a
third phase of the program, NSP III (2010-2015), in consultation with the World Bank, NSP donors,
FPs, community members and other stakeholders. While NSP III introduces new components,
it remains a community-driven development programme with the overall objective of building,
strengthening and maintaining CDCs as effective institutions for local governance and socio-
economic development.
NSP III consists of three components: First, NSP III will support the completion of the nation wide
rollout of initial block grants to the approximately 16,000 communities not yet covered, bringing
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the total number of communities to around 39,200. Second, a second round of “repeater” grants
will be provided to 12,000 communities that have successfully used their initial grant and are
maintaining completed subprojects. (To receive repeater grants, these communities must also
hold new elections and update their Community Development Plan). Third, NSP III will focus on
capacity-building and improving the institutional quality, sustainability and governance of CDCs
and enhance their ability to engage with other institutions as gateways for local development
activities. NSP III programme costs for five years are estimated to be $1.5 billion, taking into
account a minimum contribution of ten percent of the block grant provided as cash or in kind
by communities themselves. Block grants represent approximately 70 percent of the total
programme cost.
The responsibility for oversight and supervision of the NSP lies with Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation
and Development (MRRD). The project is administered by the World Bank, whose task team also
provides implementation support to the project.
To date, NSP implementation (NSP I and II) has received $1.1 billion funding support, including
$395 million from international development assistance grants, $619 million from the Afghanistan
Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF, p. 22), $41 million from the Japan Social Development Fund,
and an additional $113 million through bilateral donors.
Contributors include Australia, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, the
European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Since 2002 there have been two major initiatives to clarify what is, and what is not, a nonprofit,
nongovernmental organisation (NGO), and to strengthen the accountability and transparency of
NGO activities in Afghanistan. The first initiative was legislation to determine what an NGO is and
what are permissible NGO activities, set criteria for the establishment and internal governance of
NGOs, clarify reporting requirements for NGOs, enable profit-making bodies currently registered as
NGOs to establish themselves as businesses, and enhance the transparency and accountability
of NGOs. The second initiative was an NGO Code of Conduct, designed by the NGO community
working in Afghanistan as a self-governing mechanism to ensure commitment to transparency,
accountability, and professional standards from all signatories.
In consultation with NGOs and with technical assistance from the International Centre for Not-for-
Profit Law (ICNL), an initial draft for the NGO legislation was presented to the Ministry of Justice
in 2003. NGOs called for the timely finalisation of the legislation at the Afghanistan Development
Fora in both April 2004 and April 2005, and the NGO legislation was eventually passed in June
2005. This legislation provided a means by which nonprofit NGOs can be differentiated from
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the many contractors registered as NGOs (between 2001 and 2004 around 2,400 entities
had registered with the government as NGOs, despite the lack of any official criteria for such a
registration).
Shortly after the first NGO legislation draft was prepared for the government in July 2003,
120 NGOs participated in a workshop to discuss the content of the NGO Code of Conduct. The
text of the Code was jointly drafted by the four major NGO coordination bodies in Afghanistan:
the Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief (ACBAR, p. 25), the Afghan NGOs Coordinating
Bureau (ANCB, p. 9), the Southern and Western Afghanistan and Balochistan Association
for Coordination (SWABAC, p. 72), and the Afghan Women’s Network (AWN, p. 10). A Code of
Conduct Secretariat was established under the auspices of ACBAR to coordinate and finalise
the draft, which was completed in May 2004. The NGO community publicly launched the
Afghanistan NGO Code of Conduct on 30 May 2005. In order to be a signatory to the Code of
Conduct, NGOs are required to submit several documents to prove their NGO status, including
legal registration documentation, coordination body membership, financial records, and proof
of reporting to the relevant ministry. The NGO Code of Conduct has approximately 100 Afghan
and international signatories.
By law, NGOs are obliged to register with the Ministry of Economy and submit details of
their assets and expenditures, biannual reports, and annual financial audit reports of their
implemented projects to the government. The NGO Department at the Ministry of Economy and
their website (listed above) can provide more information on NGO registration and reporting
requirements.
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Government
proposals aiming to be submitted to the COM, preparing agendas and minutes of Cabinet
meetings, and facilitating the Council with required tasks. The OAA facilitates convention of
all the regular and emergency meetings of the Cabinet as well as those of the economic,
sociocultural and legal sub-committees.
Although an executive body, the OAA is designed to be impartial. It does not create policy, but rather
coordinates policy development. The Office and Secretariat review policies drafted by ministries
and ensure that these comply with the Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS, p. 15),
address cross-cutting initiatives, and contain a clear, accurate budget. Once the OAA approves the
draft policy, it is passed on to the President and Cabinet for final review and possible approval. If
a policy is approved, the OAA monitors and evaluates its implementation.
Paris Conference
www.diplomatie.gouv.fr and search “Paris Conference”
The International Conference in Support of Afghanistan, more widely known as the Paris
Conference, was held on 12 June 2008 and was co-chaired by French President Nicolas Sarkozy,
Afghan President Hamid Karzai, and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon. This major international
meeting formally launched the Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS, p. 15). The
conference was intended to be a show of “partnership” from the Afghan government and the
international community “to work more closely together under Afghan leadership” to support the
ANDS, as stated in the resulting declaration. Approximately $20 billion was pledged to finance
the implementation of the ANDS, including support for the preparation of elections in 2009 and
2010.
The declaration from the conference reaffirmed that the Afghanistan Compact (p. 12) would remain
the basis for the development of Afghanistan, and specified the priority areas of strengthening
institutions and economic growth, particularly in agriculture and energy. The conference also
resulted in statements on a renewed commitment to strengthening the effectiveness and quality
of aid as a shared responsibility. The international community agreed to provide increased
resources in a more consistent, coordinated way, while the Afghan government promised to
accelerate economic and political reform.
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• Be country-driven and owned, with the input of civil society and the private sector;
• Have results oriented to benefit the poor;
• Be comprehensive in recognising the multidimensional nature of poverty;
• Be partnership-oriented (developed in cooperation with bilateral, multilateral and
nongovernmental actors); and
• Be based on a long-term perspective for poverty reduction.
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Interim PRSPs (I-PRSPs) are developed by countries that are not yet ready to develop a full PRSP.
At the Berlin Meeting (p. 26) in 2001, Afghanistan agreed to prepare a PRSP, with an I-PRSP
due in June 2005. At the April 2005 Afghanistan Development Forum, it was decided that the
development of the Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS, p. 15) would meet the
benchmarks of a PRSP process. The Interim ANDS, which was launched in January 2006 after a
nine-month preparation period moved the country toward the achievement of a full PRSP. The full
ANDS was finalised in April 2008 and submitted to the World Bank and the International Monetary
Fund as Afghanistan’s PRSP.
The IDLG has also begun a process of Provincial Strategic Planning (PSP) based on an assessment
of the long-term strategic development issues in each province. These plans are created in a
participatory manner, consulting all relevant line ministries and other stakeholders. This is a
lengthy process, taking six to eight months per province. Pilot plans have been completed in
Balkh, Bamiyan, Herat, Nangarhar and Laghman. The IDLG plans to begin rolling out the PSP
process across all remaining provinces during 2012.
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PRTs were originally established by CF. However, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF,
p. 45) began taking over and establishing new PRTs in the North and West of Afghanistan in 2003
after an October 2003 UN Security Council resolution expanded ISAF’s mandate beyond Kabul.
Command of PRTs in the South and East was transferred to ISAF in 2006, leaving ISAF in charge
of all PRTs in Afghanistan.
The objective of PRTs, as set forth by the PRT Executive Steering Committee, is to:
...assist the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to extend its authority, in order to facilitate
the development of a stable and secure environment in the identified areas of operations,
and enable SSR [Security Sector Reform] and reconstruction efforts.
This broad mission statement is not backed by a detailed mandate, and there is no single PRT
model. While PRTs are led by individual lead nations, the military components of PRTs fall under
the authority of ISAF commanders. The structure and operation of PRTs are influenced by the
situation in particular provinces as well as by the philosophies, caveats and instructions of troop-
contributing countries.
Each PRT comprises an average of 80 people. Roughly 60 are civilian experts in areas such as
engineering or agriculture, and about 20 are civilian specialists working with donor agencies and
their Afghan partners. Some PRTs also have agricultural and veterinary advisors, civilian police
trainers, governance advisors, development advisors and counter-narcotic specialists. The military
personnel provide protection for the civilian component, while the coordination of reconstruction
and development activities is the responsibility of civilian PRT staff.
PRT activities are monitored and guided by a PRT Executive Steering Committee chaired by
the Minister of Interior and co-chaired by ISAF and CF commanders. The Committee includes
representatives from the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development,
CF, ISAF, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA, see p. 75), and troop-
contributing countries. A PRT working group supports the work of the Steering Committee.
Some NGO actors are concerned that PRT involvement in humanitarian assistance blurs the
distinction between the military and aid sectors. It has also been suggested that the use of PRTs
to deliver services leads local people to turn to them rather than the Afghan state for assistance,
and they are therefore not a sustainable development solution. Proponents counter that PRTs
can enable assistance projects to be carried out in high-risk areas generally inaccessible to aid
agencies.
PRTs’ roles are changing as Transition (p. 73) takes place. Tasked with identifying gaps in local
governance and development which could threaten the viability of an area’s post-Transition
security, PRTs then address these gaps. PRTs’ activities are therefore evolving from direct
service delivery to technical assistance and capacity-building. As PRT functions in a province are
transferred to the Afghan government along with its security, PRTs in their current form will no
longer exist after 2014.
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As of January 2012, there are 27 PRTs operating in Afghanistan. Thirteen are provided by the
United States (including one joint Australia/US-run PRT in Uruzgan Province), two each by Germany
and Turkey, and one each by New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Korea, Italy,
Spain, Lithuania, Norway, Hungary, Sweden, and the Czech Republic.
PAR aims to address a variety of problems, including: the fragmentation of government structures,
with many overlapping functions and a lack of coordination among agencies; the often tenuous
connection between the centre (Kabul) and the provinces; unclear lines of accountability with
weak reinforcement mechanisms; the lack of experienced professional staff with the necessary
skills; the lack of robust procedures for recruitment and appointment on merit, which has led to
a high level of patronage-based appointments; the need for a pay and grading structure which
attracts, retains and motivates civil servants; poor physical infrastructure; and slow and outdated
administrative systems.
A central element of PAR has been the Priority Reform and Restructuring (PRR) initiative, aimed
at creating administrative capacity in ministries and giving targeted salary increases. PRR was
also designed to ensure consistency across ministries that are reforming with the help of different
donors.
In 2005, the PAR programme was redesigned and the current framework was developed, shifting
the focus away from piecemeal initiatives toward more comprehensive reform involving whole
ministries and other independent agencies that are allocated funds directly from the Ministry of
Finance (also known as primary budget units); it was also intended to move the reforms from the
centre to provinces and districts. This version of the PAR programme is organised into five parts,
along functional and programmatic themes: 1) administrative reform; 2) salaries and incentives;
3) civil service management; 4) ensuring and expanding merit-based appointments; and 5)
capacity enhancement.
As of December 2011, PAR had been implemented across around 65 percent of both provincial
and central government, introducing initiatives such as the Performance and Grading pay system.
Similarly, 66 district governors had been recruited through open, merit-based competition.
The next generation of the PAR programme is being developed by the Strategy and Policy Unit of
the IARCSC’s Civil Service Management Department, and is currently in the consultative phase.
In line with the commitments made at the 2010 Kabul Conference, this initiative will be linked
to the scaling up of the Civil Service Reform Project. It is expected that the new PAR will focus on
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the ongoing efforts to de-politicise civil service recruitment, reform pay and grading, introduce
individual and institutional performance appraisal linked to the budgetary cycle, and use this
performance appraisal to determine the needs of further capacity-building. The new PAR will also
include a gender perspective.
Regional Cooperation
www.mfa.gov.af
Afghanistan is a member of several regional associations and mechanisms, with a variety of
remits and aims:
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC): Member states are Afghanistan
Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, India, Pakistan, the Maldives and Nepal. SAARC has 16 stated
areas of cooperation, including agriculture, economy and trade, poverty alleviation and security
aspects.
Central Asian Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC): Member states are Afghanistan,
Azerbaijan, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and
Uzbekistan. An Asian Development Bank (ADB) initiative, CAREC promotes regional projects in
energy, transport and trade facilitation.
Central and South Asian Transport and Trade Forum (CSATTF): Also an ADB initiative, CSATTF
aims to promote better integration of Central and South Asian trade routes and reduce barriers
to trade in the region.
UN Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA): Member states are
Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. This
programme aims to strengthen sub-regional cooperation in Central Asia and further the region’s
integration into the world economy.
Afghanistan also serves in the Contact Group of the Shanghai Cooperation Association, and the
Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) states its desire to have an increasingly active role in
the organisation.
In November 2011, Afghanistan and 13 regional states signed up to the “Istanbul Process,” which
aims to enhance regional cooperation in terms of security, economics, counter narcotics and
development (see Istanbul Regional Conference, p. 46). At the time it was stated that specific
plans to achieve the goals set by the Istanbul Conference would be presented at a meeting in
Kabul some time in 2012.
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The MoFA states that through regional cooperation, the government seeks to:
Since 2004, the National Security Council (NSC) and the Office of the NSC have been responsible
for overall coordination of SSR activities and established two coordinating committees, both of
which included international representation: the Security Sector Reform Coordination Committee
and the Security Coordination Forum. A new SSR strategy was referred to in the final Afghanistan
National Development Strategy (ANDS, p. 15), which was approved by President Hamid Karzai in
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April 2008. However, unlike ANDS, the national security policy and SSR strategy are not publicly
available.
In 2009, a non-state security force was created as a short-term solution until effective state security
forces are realised. This Afghan Public Protection Program (APPP or AP3) trained local people to
serve as community guard forces in unsecured regions. It has since evolved into the Afghan Local
Police programme, a major initiative which began in July 2010 (ALP, see p. 5). However, concerns
have been raised that community-based self-defence initiatives could undermine state authority
and progress made in disarmament.
SWABAC was founded in September 1988 by 12 NGOs engaged in relief and rehabilitation work
with Afghan refugee villages in Balochistan and communities inside Afghanistan. Membership
is open to government-registered NGOs working in southern Afghanistan who show a dedication
to coordination and have proof of donor funding, an organisational profile, and are certified by
five other NGOs. As of December 2011, SWABAC had 41 members. It holds regular membership
meetings, monthly general assembly meetings, and biweekly panel meetings for the advisory
committee, as well as meetings on an ad-hoc basis.
SWABAC’s activities fall within three major categories: coordination, advocacy, and capacity
-building. SWABAC provides a forum for members to discuss their concerns about policy guidelines
for delivering assistance, resource management, and other operational issues, with the ultimate
goal of improving coordination among the assistance community in southern Afghanistan.
SWABAC was involved in drafting the NGO Code of Conduct (p. 141) in cooperation with the Agency
Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief (ACBAR, p. 25), the Afghan NGO Coordination Bureau (ANCB,
p. 9), and the Afghan Women’s Network (AWN, p. 10). On behalf of its member NGOs and as a
representative of the southern region, SWABAC played a role in developing both the Agriculture
and the Rural Development sectors in the Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS, p.
15).
In 2010, SWABAC participated in the London Conference (p. 53) and contributed to the civil
society statements for the National Consultative Peace Jirga (p. 60) and Kabul Conference (p. 50).
SWABAC also participated in an NGO network meeting in Berlin arranged by VENRO (an umbrella
group of German development NGOs) on 27 June 2011. SWABAC was a member of the Civil Society
Consultation on Afghanistan at the International Afghanistan Conference in Bonn in December 2011
(p. 27) and played a major role in introducing regional representatives there, and in the preparing of
a joint civil society statement to be presented at the conference. SWABAC is currently the lead agency
for the Local Cooperation and Coordination Sector of Kandahar’s Provincial Development Committee.
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Tokyo Meetings
www.mofa.go.jp/region/middle_e/afghanistan/min0201
The Tokyo Ministerial Meeting—formally known as the International Conference on Reconstruction
Assistance to Afghanistan—was a meeting of the Afghanistan Reconstruction Steering Group
(ARSG) that mobilised the first substantial post-Taliban donor commitments for the reconstruction
of Afghanistan. It took place on 21-22 January 2002, and was co-chaired by Japan, the United
States, the European Union, and Saudi Arabia. Ministers and representatives from 61 countries
and 21 international organisations attended. NGOs held a separate parallel meeting, the results
of which were reported to the plenary session of the Ministerial Meeting.
Discussions focused on a comprehensive framework for reconstruction over the longer term and
costed the recovery needs of Afghanistan over the following ten years at $15 billion. This figure
was increased to $27.4 billion in the Securing Afghanistan’s Future report that resulted from the
Berlin Meeting (p. 26) held in March 2004.
In February 2003 another meeting was held in Tokyo: the Tokyo Conference on the Consolidation
of Peace in Afghanistan. It was held to discuss security reform in Afghanistan and resulted in the
five-pillar Security Sector Reform (SSR, p. 71) strategy.
Transition
Transition, or Inteqal in Dari and Pashto, is best known as the process by which responsibility for
Afghanistan’s security will be transferred from NATO and the International Security Assistance
Force (ISAF) to the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF, p. 9). NATO has declared that Transition
will be an events-based, rather than calendar-driven process, but both the Afghan government
and NATO allies aim to complete the security handover by the end of 2014. Several NATO
ally governments have also set this date as the deadline for a significant drawdown in troop
commitments to Afghanistan (for more details on troop numbers, see ISAF, p. 45).
Transition was first discussed at the London Conference of January 2010 (p. 53), where it was
agreed that the ANSF would begin to take security leadership on a province-by-province basis.
More detailed plans were then prepared for the July 2010 Kabul Conference (p. 50), at which
the Afghan government’s Inteqal paper was endorsed by the international community. This paper
called for significant increases in the both the quality and quantity of the ANSF, the achievement
of which has become a key part of the Transition process.
The handover of security responsibility is being undertaken in four stages. The first tranche of
territory to be handed to Afghan forces was announced in March 2011. This tranche comprised
Bamyan Province (all districts), Panjshir Province (all districts), Kabul Province (all districts except
Surobi), as well as the municipalities of Mazar-i-Sharif (Balkh Province), Herat (Herat Province),
Lashkar Gah (Helmand Province) and Mehtarlam (Laghman Province). These first areas account for
between 20 and 25 percent of the population of Afghanistan. The second tranche was announced
in November 2011. It includes all of Balkh, Day Kundi, Nimroz, Takhar and Samangan provinces,
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as well as selected districts in a further 13 provinces. Completion of the second tranche will leave
the ANSF with security responsibility for over 50 percent of the population. As of January 2012, it
seemed likely that the third tranche of areas to be transferred would be announced shortly before
the international conference planned for May 2012 in Chicago.
Given that the handover of responsibility for an area’s security must be an irreversible process,
conditions for Transition are assessed by ISAF’s Joint Afghan-NATO Inteqal Board (JANIB). JANIB
then submits its assessment to the Afghan Cabinet for approval, after which implementation can
begin. Assessment of an area’s suitability is based on four main criteria:
• ANSF are capable of shouldering greater security tasks with less ISAF assistance;
• Security is at a level which allows the population to undertake daily routine activities;
• Local governance is sufficiently developed so that security will not be undermined as ISAF
assistance is reduced; and
• ISAF is ready to reduce its presence as ANSF capabilities develop and threat levels diminish.
The third of these factors reflects the increased emphasis that both the government and the
international community has put on local governance, leading to a number of decentralising initiatives
under the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG, p. 43). The necessity of improving local
security has also led to the creation and expansion of the Afghan Local Police programme (ALP, p. 5).
The handover of security responsibility in an area does not mean that ISAF forces leave or cease
to function. Rather, they continue to play an active though decreasing security role under an
Afghan lead. The process of ANSF taking complete responsibility for an area’s security is lengthy;
as of January 2012, the US Department of Defense expected the first tranche of districts to finish
this process in the next 10-22 months.
As of January 2012 it is unclear how many (if any) foreign troops will remain in Afghanistan
following the complete handover of security to the ANSF. ISAF has stated that Transition does not
signal ISAF’s withdrawal from the country, merely a shift to a supporting role as the ANSF develop
their capabilities. However, domestic political commitments by NATO allies make it likely that troop
numbers will be sharply reduced by the end of 2014.
Transition will also affect the role of the international community in Afghanistan. The part played
by international actors will evolve from direct service delivery to support and capacity-building for
Afghan institutions. This process includes the phasing out of all Provincial Reconstruction Teams
(PRTs, p. 67) and the dissolution of any structures duplicating the functions and authorities of the
Afghan government at the national and subnational levels.
Despite the final declaration of the 2011 Bonn Conference (p. 27) reiterating the international
community’s long term commitment to Afghanistan, there is concern that the withdrawal of
foreign troops will mean a sharp reduction in aid made available for Afghan development. The
World Bank has projected that even if Afghanistan achieves robust economic growth, a finance
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gap of up to 25 percent of GDP could emerge by 2021, and only sustained international funding
is likely to be able to meet these needs. There is therefore a worry that international aid will be
concentrated on the ANSF rather than social and economic development.
Although the UN system has been present in Afghanistan since the 1960s with the presence
of several UN specialised agencies, the integrated mission in its current form was established
in 2002 following the Bonn Agreement (p. 27) and the subsequent passing of Security Council
Resolution 1401 on 28 March 2002. UNAMA’s mandate has been continuously extended since
2002, and is renewed by the Security Council each March.
It provides UNAMA and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Afghanistan
with a mandate to support the government in its efforts to improve critical areas, including security,
governance and economic development, and regional cooperation, as well as to support the full
implementation of mutual commitments made on these issues at the London Conference in
January 2010 (p. 53), the Kabul Conference in July 2010 (p. 50) and most recently at the Istanbul
Regional Conference in November 2011 (p. 46) and the Bonn Conference in December 2011 (p.
27). The mission is further instructed to continue to: provide political and strategic advice for the
peace process, provide good offices, promote human rights, provide technical assistance, and
ensure the coordination of humanitarian relief and UN development activities in coordination with
the Afghan government. The Secretary-General reports on progress made in the implementation
of the mandate, presenting to the Security Council on a quarterly basis.
UNAMA focuses its efforts on supporting elections, peace and reconciliation, regional cooperation,
promoting good governance and rule of law, human rights and development coherence. Overall,
UNAMA’s operations are divided into Pillar 1 (political affairs) and Pillar 2 (development and
humanitarian affairs). In recent years some of the UNAMA’s key activities have included:
• Supporting donor and government coordination through the Joint Coordination and Monitoring
Board (JCMB, p. 47);
• Promoting the implementation of the Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS, p.
15) and the National Priority Programs (NPPs, p. 32);
• Promoting peace and reconciliation through supporting the Afghanistan Peace and
Reintegration Programme and the High Peace Council (APRP, p. 20);
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The integrated mission is headed by the SRSG, Ján Kubiš, who took up the post in January 2012.
The Office of the SRSG is responsible for overall policy guidance and high-level decision-making
for the political component of the mission, in addition to liaising with the Afghan Government,
Coalition Forces (p. 32), and the International Security Assistance Force (p. 45). The SRSG is
supported by two deputies as well as a number of Special Advisers on human rights, gender,
drugs, rule of law, police, military, and legal issues, as well as communication. The two deputies
(DSRSGs) head the two pillars of UNAMA’s operations. The UNAMA Chief of Staff is responsible for
integrating the two pillars of the mission.
The UNCT in Afghanistan brings together all UN agencies, funds and programmes engaged with
Afghanistan as well as many UN secretariat departments, including UNAMA. This includes a
number of non-resident UN agencies that engage with Afghanistan through programmes or other
activities but do not have an established office in country. Such actors include, among others,
UNAIDS, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the UN Conference on
Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
The UN agencies, funds and programmes represent Pillar 2, the development and humanitarian
branch of the UN in Afghanistan. The DSRSG for Pillar 2 fulfils multiple roles, as this position also
comprises being the Resident Coordinator (RC), Humanitarian Coordinator (HC) and the Resident
Representative (RR) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The RC/HC functions
link the development and humanitarian arms of the UN to UNAMA. Supported by the RC’s Office,
the RC is responsible for heading the UNCT and coordinating the UN’s development agencies;
supported by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA),
the HC is responsible for the coordination of the humanitarian community in Afghanistan.
The UN system is present in all 34 provinces of the country through sub-offices or programmes.
The combined efforts of UN staff in the provinces support capacity-building of local government
and promote peace-building and reconciliation, as well as human rights and the empowerment
of civil society, and provide basic social services down to the district level. UNAMA and a
number of UN agencies, such as the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the World Food
Programme (WFP) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), have sub-offices and project
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representatives in various provinces, while other agencies implement programmes at the local
level exclusively through the government, nongovernmental organisations and communities. In
addition to the main offices in Kabul, there are eight UNAMA regional offices, in Kabul, Kandahar,
Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif, Jalalabad, Kunduz, Bamiyan and Gardez, and 15 provincial offices, in Day
Kundi, Jawzjan, Faryab, Sar-i-Pul, Badakhshan, Baghlan, Takhar, Khost, Uruzgan, Zabul, Nimroz,
Farah, Badghis, Ghor and Kunar. Liaison offices in Tehran, Asghabad and Islamabad support
the mission’s work in regional coordination.
A number of strategic and programmatic UN standard frameworks govern the programmes and
interventions of the UN system. In an effort to provide a comprehensive and coherent response
to the development, humanitarian and political challenges in Afghanistan and to support the
government, the UN system aims to deliver in a coherent manner within the Integrated Strategic
Framework (ISF) and the UN Development Assistance Framework 2010-13 (UNDAF).
The ISF defines the overarching strategic direction that the UN system as a whole is taking in
Afghanistan, and ensures the cohesion of all facets of the UN’s political, developmental and
humanitarian work. The ISF is supported by the UNDAF, which is a programme-planning framework
for all UN agencies operating in Afghanistan. It is important to note that although the UNDAF
describes the common response of the UN system at the country level, it does not replace each
agency’s individual country programme, and as such does not always encapsulate all aspects of
an agency’s work. The humanitarian aspects of UN programming are governed by the Consolidated
Appeal Process (CAP, p. 34), which is development and released annually.
The 2010-13 UNDAF in Afghanistan is the country’s second, and was launched in October
2009. The UNDAF is jointly developed by the members of the UNCT and is the result of extensive
consultations with government, civil society, and international partners. It is signed by the
Afghan government and was developed to frame the UN’s support to the Afghanistan National
Development Strategy (p. 15). The UNDAF comprises three mutually reinforcing priorities: 1)
governance, peace and stability, 2) sustainable livelihoods, including: agriculture, food security
and income opportunities, and 3) basic social services, including: health, education, water and
sanitation. Preparations for the next UNDAF spanning 2014-2018 will be launched in 2012.
Environment, gender and women’s empowerment as well as counter-narcotics are considered
cross-cutting areas which should be mainstreamed into all programme areas.
UNAMA and UNDP jointly take the lead of the first priority area, which also involves MACCA (see
Mine Action Programme for Afghanistan, p. 56), IOM, UN-Habitat, UNIDO, UNOPS, UNCTAD,
UNODC, UNFPA, ILO , UN Women and UNICEF (see abbreviations below). FAO takes the lead in
the second area, with ILO, UNDP, UNICEF, UNIDO, WFP, UN-Habitat, UNEP, UNFPA, UNHCR and UN
Women also active in its focus on livelihoods. This priority area will complement the government’s
efforts to support literacy and vocational training, primary and secondary schooling, and higher
education. The third area is jointly lead by UNFPA, UNICEF and UNESCO in accordance with their
global mandate, with strong additional engagement by WHO, WFP, FAO, UN Women and IOM. The
UNCT also supports the improvement of health systems and services, and the provision of safe
drinking water and sanitation.
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Structure of the United Nations System
in Afghanistan (Source: UNAMA)
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Water Resources
The majority of Afghanistan’s population relies on subsistence farming for survival, and as a
result conservation of the country’s water resources is vital. Rural communities rely on sufficient
precipitation to irrigate their crops. Limited rain and snowfall in late 2010 and early 2011 led to
drought in northern and western Afghanistan, affecting between one and three million people.
The drought significantly damaged the year’s wheat harvest, ultimately reducing food security
throughout the country.
Currently, Afghanistan annually receives around 2,775 cubic meters of water per capita,
comfortably above the 1,700 cubic meters per capita threshold considered necessary to
satisfy a population’s water needs. However this significant quantity of water is not uniformly
distributed across the country. For instance, the northern river basin contains only three percent
of the country’s water volume, giving an average of 676 cubic meters per capita for the region—
dangerously close to the water scarcity threshold of 500 cubic meters per capita.
Furthermore, the lack of water storage capacity makes Afghanistan highly vulnerable to inter- and
intra-annual variations in water availability. In general, the country’s water infrastructure remains
highly underdeveloped; the majority of the country’s 12 reservoirs were constructed between
1920 and 1940, and Afghanistan currently has one of the lowest water storage capacities in
the world. Currently, Afghanistan also has the world’s lowest average access to sanitary water; in
2007 this figure was 26.8 percent of the population.
Traditional water distribution methods have been seriously affected by conflict and are open
to abuse by corrupt officials, with water now the second greatest cause of disputes within
communities. There is a need to improve management by building on the mirab (water master)
system—where communities appoint representatives to manage communal water resources—in
order to tackle issues such as equity in water sharing and conflict resolution.
Population and economic growth, along with improving living standards will drive up the requisite
volume of water in the country; it is projected that by 2025 the volume of available water per capita
will have declined by 36 percent relative to the quantity available in 2004. This has particularly
worrying implications for expanding urban areas—it is estimated that by 2050 Kabul will require
six times as much water as it does currently. Without accompanying economic modernisation, this
trend could pose a significant long-term threat to food security throughout the country.
With the water sector seen as a key part of achieving Afghanistan’s Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs, p. 55), a Water Sector Strategy was created under the infrastructure pillar of the
Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS, page 15). Water also features prominently
in other sectoral strategies such as agriculture, energy, the environment, rural development
and urban development. The Strategy’s short-term goals, such as extending access to sanitary
water to 90 percent of villages, were due to be completed in 2010; medium-term goals, such as
the reform and development of legal and governance structures in the water sector, should be
completed by 2013; and long-term goals, such as the rehabilitation of existing water infrastructure
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and the construction of new infrastructure, should be completed by 2023 and beyond. However,
the country’s most recent National Human Development Report (NHDR, p. 61) claims that these
targets are overly ambitious, and unlikely to be achieved in the next few decades.
In 2009 a Water Law was enacted. Based on Article 9 of the Constitution it establishes a
framework for regulation and institutional reorganisation of the water sector, adopting the “good
water governance” principles of international mechanisms such as Integrated Water Resources
Management (IWRM), which devolves water management to basin and sub-basin levels.
Between 2003 and 2009, $1.2 billion was committed in funding to water projects, with the US,
the World Bank, Germany, Canada, the European Commission and Japan the largest funders.
However, only $578 million (48 percent) of that figure has been disbursed. Current government
projects in the water development sector include the Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Irrigation
Program, run by the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development and funded by USAID,
the UK’s Department For International Development (DFID), the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Swiss Agency for
Development and Cooperation (SDC), and the European Commission-funded Panj-Amu River
Basin Programme and Western Basin Project. These programmes represent attempts to pilot the
IWRM approach in Afghanistan, with the ultimate aim of introducing it across the country.
For more information on the current situation of Afghanistan’s water resources, see: NHDR 2011,
“The Forgotten Front: Water Security and the Crisis in Sanitation” (http://www.cphd.af/ahdr2011.
html); and various publications from AREU’s “Water Management, Livestock and the Opium
Economy” research project (http://areu.org.af/ResearchProjectDetails.aspx?contentid=2&Paren
tId=2&ResearchProjectId=647855732).
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Background
Following the collapse of the Taliban regime at the end of 2001, Afghan factional leaders came
together at a UN-sponsored conference in Bonn, Germany, where the Bonn Agreement (p. 27) was
signed. The Agreement appointed the Afghanistan Interim Administration (AIA) and set out a timetable
for re-establishing permanent government institutions and “a broad-based, gender sensitive, multi-
ethnic and fully representative government” in Afghanistan over the course of two and a half years.
The Emergency Loya Jirga (ELJ, p. 38) of June 2002 replaced the AIA with the Afghanistan Transitional
Authority (ATA, p. 10), and elected Hamid Karzai as the Head of State—and temporary Head of
Government in the absence of a legislature—of the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan.
In line with the Bonn timetable, a new Constitution (full text, p. 112) was debated and endorsed
by a Constitutional Loya Jirga (CLJ, p. 35), which ran from 14 December 2003 to 4 January 2004.
The Constitution provides for an elected President, along with two nominated Vice Presidents, and
a National Assembly comprising two houses, the lower Wolesi Jirga (House of the People) and the
upper Meshrano Jirga (House of Elders). On the subnational level, it provides for elected Provincial,
District, Village and Municipal Councils, as well as Governors and Mayors appointed by the President.
In an election held on 9 October 2004, Hamid Karzai became the first popularly elected President
of Afghanistan, with 55 percent of the vote. He was sworn in on 7 December 2004, at which
time the transitional state officially became the new Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Legislative
and Provincial and District Council elections were supposed to be held concurrently with the
Presidential election, but were postponed due to security and technical problems. Elections for
the Wolesi Jirga and Provincial Councils were eventually held on 18 September 2005. A second
set of Presidential and Provincial Council elections took place in 2009, a controversial process
that ended with President Karzai assuming office for his second term. These were followed by a
similarly problematic second set of elections for the Wolesi Jirga in September 2010. District,
Village and Municipal Council elections have not yet occurred.
Government in Afghanistan
The Executive
The executive branch of Afghanistan’s central government is comprised of the Office of the
President, two Vice Presidents, the Attorney General, the Cabinet comprised of 26 ministers, as
well as several independent bodies and other central government agencies (see organogram,
p. 95). The President is directly elected for a five-year period and can serve a maximum of two
terms. Candidates for the presidency name their two vice presidential candidates at the time of
nomination. The President is the Head of State, the Chair of the Cabinet, and the Commander-in-
Chief of the armed forces.
The overall Office of the President consists of the Office of the President itself, the Security
Council, the Press Office, and the Office of Administrative Affairs (OAA, p. 64), which provides
administrative, logistical and financial support to the President, Vice Presidents, and advisors to
the President.
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The President nominates ministers, the Attorney General, the Governor of Da Afghanistan Bank (the
central bank), the members of the Supreme Court, the Head of the National Directorate of Security,
and the President of the Red Crescent Society. Nominees are then subject to parliamentary vote,
and if rejected by the National Assembly, may not assume office. Of 24 ministerial nominees initially
put forward by the President in December 2009, only 7 were accepted by the Wolesi Jirga. Several
more were confirmed after new submissions in January and June 2010, but 10 ministries remained
with Acting Ministers until March 2012, when, following several changes to ministerial nominees,
all were accepted by the National Assembly. According to the Constitution, all other executive posts,
including that of the Vice Presidents, the Mayor of Kabul, and the heads of various commissions, are
appointed by the President and do not require the approval of the National Assembly.
The Legislature
National Assembly
As provided by the 2004 Constitution, the National Assembly—commonly referred to as the
Parliament—consists of two houses, the lower Wolesi Jirga (House of the People) and the upper
Meshrano Jirga (House of Elders). The new National Assembly convened for the first time in
December 2005, following the September 2005 parliamentary elections.
Members of the Wolesi Jirga are directly elected for five years by provincial constituencies. There
are currently 249 seats in the Wolesi Jirga; the Constitution stipulates that the maximum number
of seats is 250. Seats are distributed among the provinces according to population size (see table
on p. 99). The Constitution states that an average of two seats from each province, 68 in total, are
reserved for women. Ten seats are reserved for the Kuchi (traditionally nomadic) population, three
of which must go to women. The provision for Kuchis has, however, been hotly contested among
parliamentarians since the 2005 elections.
The Meshrano Jirga has 102 members, selected by a mixture of presidential appointments (one
-third) and indirect elections following popular elections for the Wolesi Jirga and Provincial and
District Councils (two-thirds). The Constitution stipulates that members of the Meshrano Jirga are
elected and appointed as follows:
• From among the members of each Provincial Council, the respective council elects one person
for a period of four years
• From among the District Councils of each province, the respective councils elect one person
for a period of three years
The President appoints the remaining one-third of the members, including two representatives of
the disabled and two representatives of Kuchis, for a period of five years. Of these presidential
appointees, 50 percent must be women.
While the Constitution has provisions for District Council elections, these have not been held to
date. A temporary solution was devised for the interim: instead of one, each Provincial Council
elects two of its members to the Meshrano Jirga (one for four years and a second for three years
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or until district elections are held), thereby maintaining the 2:1 ratio of elected to appointed seats.
This temporary means of forming the Meshrano Jirga has now been in place for seven years, and
there remain no clear plans to hold District Council elections in the near future.
Members of the National Assembly must be Afghan citizens. Candidates must be at least 25
years of age at the date of candidacy for the Wolesi Jirga, and at least 35 at the date of election or
appointment to the Meshrano Jirga. It is not possible to be a member of both the Meshrano Jirga
and Wolesi Jirga at the same time.
The National Assembly convenes two ordinary sessions per year, and its term is nine months in
the year. Sessions are open to the public unless secrecy is requested by the Chairman of the
National Assembly or at least ten members, and it is granted by the Assembly.
According to Article 90 of the Constitution, the National Assembly has the following authorities:
• Law is what both Houses of the National Assembly approve and the President endorses unless
this Constitution states otherwise
• In case the President does not agree to what the National Assembly approves, he can send
the document back with justifiable reasons to the Wolesi Jirga within 15 days of its submission
• With the passage of this period or in case the Wolesi Jirga approves a particular case again
with a two-third majority vote, the bill is considered endorsed and enforced
Certain legislative documents (rules, directives and guidelines) can be decreed by individual ministers.
A proposed bill or signed decree should be passed by the National Assembly within one month of its
submission. There are 18 commissions in the Wolesi Jirga and 14 in the Meshrano Jirga.
The 2001 Bonn Agreement stated that the Constitution of 1964 and other existing laws (providing
they were not inconsistent with the Bonn Agreement or Afghanistan’s international legal obligations)
would constitute an interim legal framework until a new Constitution was passed. The new
Constitution entered into force in 2004 and many decrees and laws have been enacted according
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to its provisions. The department of the Ministry of Justice responsible for drafting legislation, the
Taqnin, has drafted many laws that have replaced old legislation. Contradictory legislation enacted
by various former regimes remains, however, and harmonisation efforts continue. For more
information about laws in Afghanistan, see p. 52.
Another major initiative is the USAID-funded Afghanistan Parliamentary Assistance Project (APAP,
www.sunyaf.org), which is implemented by the Centre for International Development of the State
University of New York (SUNY/CID). It was launched in 2004 to assist in establishing a parliament
that “is able to operate as a strong, independent and effective deliberative body.” The project is
due to expire in June 2012, but as of January 2012 USAID is working on a follow-on programme that
will run to May 2015. Through the Afghanistan Parliamentary Institute, APAP works to develop the
institutional capacity of the National Assembly secretariat to more effectively support Members of
Parliament (MPs) in their legislative roles. APAP also works to strengthen the capacity of the MPs
themselves in carrying out their legislative, representative and oversight responsibilities. This
includes helping the National Assembly to increase its engagement with constituents and build
its linkages with the executive branch of government, civil society, NGOs, and the media. APAP
makes available several resources to the international community, including a regularly published
legislative newsletter containing updates on parliamentary activities.
Other organisations previously or currently providing support to the National Assembly include
Equality for Peace and Democracy, the National Democratic Institute (NDI), the International
Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Global Rights, Rights and
Democracy, the Open Society Institute and UN Women.
Provincial Councils
The 34 Provincial Councils have between nine and 29 members depending on the size of the
province’s population, and are elected in a single provincial constituency. Candidates must reside
in the province in which they stand for election, and cannot stand simultaneously for both Wolesi
Jirga and Provincial Council elections. The Electoral Law states that one-quarter of the seats on
a Provincial Council should be reserved for women. Two members from each Provincial Council
serve in the Meshrano Jirga (this will decrease to one member per Provincial Council if District
Councils are elected and formed). To date, two rounds of Provincial Council elections have taken
place, in 2005 and 2009, following the constitutional requirement that they occur every four
years. Accordingly, the next elections for these provincial bodies will take place in 2013.
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The 2007 Provincial Council Law is vague on the Councils’ responsibilities, and significant
confusion remains about their exact role—while a mandate exists, it is ambiguous and does
not allocate them decision-making authority; currently, Provincial Councils report directly to the
Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG, p. 43). Thus far, Provincial Council activities
have included: electing provincial representatives from their own membership to the Meshrano
Jirga; participating in the development of the provinces and improvement of administrative affairs;
and advising provincial administrations on issues such as development planning. Their role in a
given province is often dependent on the relationship between the Council and the Provincial
Governor. In July 2010 a new draft law on Provincial Councils was written, which carries more
specific details on their projected role, yet this remains to be ratified.
District Councils
According to the Constitution, District Councils will have between five and 15 members depending
on the size of the district’s population, and be elected every three years. Candidates must reside
in the district in which they stand for election. If formed, they will elect one-third of their members
of the Meshrano Jirga.
To date, however, elections for District Councils have not been held. There are a number of
reasons for this. First, district boundaries in some areas have not been confirmed, and thus it is
not possible to calculate district populations or judge how many District Council seats should be
allocated to these districts. This problem is compounded by the lack of an up-to-date census for
the country as a whole. Second, voter registration processes have not registered voters by district,
given the ambiguity of boundaries, and instead have only been by province. Thus, in order to
conduct District Council elections, another registration process would be required.
A Constitutional provision (Article 110) states that should a Loya Jirga (a grand council, convened
to discuss matters of supreme national interest, or to change the Constitution ) need to be held, it
must be comprised of the National Assembly plus the chairpersons of Provincial and District Councils.
Despite the lack of district elections, several Loya Jirgas have been called since the ratification of the
constitution in 2004.
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Government
The Judiciary
The major permanent justice institutions in Afghanistan are the Supreme Court, the Office of
the Attorney General, and the Ministry of Justice. The 2004 Constitution states: “The judicial
branch is an independent organ of the state of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The judicial
branch consists of the Supreme Court (Stera Mahkama), High Courts, Appeal Courts, and Primary
Courts, the structure and authorities of which are determined by law.” In June 2005, a new law
regulating the judiciary and courts was passed by the Cabinet. Until this point, the system had
been governed by the 1990 Law of the Jurisdiction and Organisation of the Courts of Afghanistan
(Official Gazette no. 63, SY1369). The new law divides the courts into three tiers: the Supreme
Court, the Courts of Appeal, and the Primary Courts. It allows for travelling or mobile courts in the
event that they are needed; these must be approved by the President.
The Supreme Court has wide-ranging powers of interpretation: its duties include the review of
laws, decrees, international treaties, and international covenants to ensure they comply with the
Constitution. The Office of the Attorney General is an independent body, part of the Executive
branch, responsible for investigation and prosecution.
The reach of the formal justice system varies significantly across the country. A large proportion
of disputes in Afghanistan are settled outside the formal court system—particularly, but not
exclusively, in rural areas. Community-based justice mechanisms—shuras, jirgas and jalasas—
often settle civil and sometimes criminal disputes using Islamic and customary/tribal laws. The
justice system is therefore composed of both formal and informal mechanisms that include civil
law, Islamic, and customary/tribal law. Many instances are found in which formal and informal
mechanisms and actors engage with one another. There are common elements among these
systems with respect to issues such as land and property, but they can diverge dramatically on
criminal matters and the role and nature of punishment.
As specified in the Bonn Agreement, the Judicial Reform Commission (JRC) was established in
November 2002 to review and reform the fragmented justice sector. The JRC was tasked with
guiding the physical and structural restoration of the justice system—balancing modern and Islamic
law, addressing the plurality of legal organs, and clarifying the roles and reporting structures of
the various parts of the judicial branch. The JRC was a temporary institution, and by early 2005
its responsibilities had devolved to the permanent justice institutions. As part of the Afghanistan
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National Development Strategy (ANDS, p. 15) process, national-level coordination of justice sector
initiatives came under the responsibility of the Justice Sector Consultative Group. According to the
ANDS, the National Justice Programme’s Project Oversight Committee and Program Support Unit
(see Justice Sector Reform, p. 48) are intended to take over these coordinating functions.
The Constitution allows for judges to be trained in either civil or Islamic law. Sitting judges are not
allowed to hold political party membership.
The Supreme Court convenes regular sessions, at least once every 15 days, and additional
sessions can be convened by request. The presence of at least six members is needed for a
Supreme Court quorum, and decisions are made by majority vote. The Supreme Court is divided
into four sub-courts or departments (dewans)—General Criminal, Public/National Security, Civil
and Public Rights, and Commercial—each headed by a Supreme Court Justice.
The current Supreme Court members were sworn in on 5 August 2006. This Court is characterised
as moderate, technocratic and highly educated in comparison to its ultra-conservative predecessor.
Courts of Appeal
Courts of Appeal are operational in all provinces (although a few in some provinces do not have
the requisite number of judges to hear appeal cases). They comprise the Chief of the Court,
other judicial members, and heads of dewans. Courts of Appeal in more populous provinces have
five dewans—General Criminal (which also deals with traffic violations), Public Security, Civil and
Family, Public Rights, and Commercial. Those in less populous provinces have four dewans—City
Primary Court, General Criminal, Civil, and Public Security. Only the Court of Appeal in Kabul has a
Juvenile Court specially created to hear cases involving juveniles; however, in many provinces there
are judges experienced or trained to deal with juvenile cases. The Courts of Appeal oversee the
rulings and decisions of the Primary Courts in their respective province, and have the authority to
correct, overturn, amend, confirm or repeal these rulings and decisions. They are also responsible
for deciding on conflicts of judicial jurisdiction.
Primary Courts
At the district level, the City Primary Court (which is the primary court in the provincial capital) consists
of five dewans—General Criminal, Civil, Public Rights, Public Security, and Traffic. Primary Courts in
all districts outside the provincial capital have three dewans—General Criminal, Public Security, and
Civil and Public Rights. Many districts do not currently have functional primary courts, mainly due
to security concerns. In many cases, judges hold primary court sessions in the provincial capital.
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Criminal cases are initiated by the Prosecutor’s Office filing them with the Primary Court; civil rights
cases are filed with an office in the Ministry of Justice. Thereafter, a series of judicial sessions may
be held until a decision is reached by the Primary Court. Almost as a matter of customary practice,
most cases decided by the Primary Courts are appealed to the Courts of Appeal. When appeals
reach the Supreme Court, judges often send the case back to the Primary Court for a new hearing.
The Constitution explicitly allows a measure of decentralisation by stating that “the government,
while preserving the principle of centralism—in accordance with the law—shall delegate certain
authorities to local administration units for the purpose of expediting and promoting economic,
social and cultural affairs, and increasing the participation of people in the development of the
nation” (Article 137). It specifies that a Provincial Council with elected members is to be formed in
every province, and that District and Village Councils are to be elected.
The country’s 34 provinces are the basic units of local administration. The executive at the provincial
level is the Governor (Wali), who is appointed by the President. The provinces are not distinct
political entities and formally have a very modest role in decisions concerning their own structure,
recruitment of senior staff, and size and composition of work force. In effect, the administration of
each province is a collection of branches of central government ministries. The majority of decisions
on provincial staffing are made in Kabul by the parent ministry, in negotiation with the Office of
Administrative Affairs (OAA, p. 64) and with oversight by the head of the Independent Administrative
Reform and Civil Service Commission (IARCSC, p. 41). The Independent Appointments Board of the
IARCSC is required to ratify appointments at Grades 1 and 2 (see civil service grading, p. 93) and
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oversee recruitment of grades three and below. As part of its mandate to improve governance and
achieve stability on the subnational level IDLG is responsible for supervising Provincial and District
Governors, Provincial Councils, and municipalities (except Kabul Municipality).
Provinces are divided into districts and municipalities. Administrative arrangements between the
province and its districts are similar to those in the relationship between the centre and the
province. The central ministry in Kabul determines district senior staffing and budget allocations,
however, leaving provincial officials with relatively little discretion in this regard, at least officially.
Municipalities are overseen by the IDLG, in some provinces with significant influence by the
Governor. The IDLG approves staffing numbers and budgets in each municipality, even though
municipalities are entitled to collect and retain their own taxes. In some provinces, such as
Herat and Kandahar, rural municipalities also have a reporting relationship with the provincial
municipality, although this is contrary to the established government structure.
Central government ministries and institutions are primary budget units with specific budgets
determined by law; provincial departments of the central government ministries and some
independent units are secondary budget units—that is, they receive their allotments at the
discretion of their ministries and relevant independent agencies. There are no specific provincial
department budgets. Districts are tertiary budget units; their budget allocations depend on the
decisions made at the request of the relevant provincial-level departments of Kabul ministries and
other independent units. All revenues collected by provinces and districts are national revenues;
provinces are merely the tax collectors. In effect, both provincial and district staffing levels and
budgets are determined based more on precedent than on rational planning. This system gives
Kabul considerable political authority over provincial expenditure policy, although Provincial and
District Governors have a certain amount of de-facto authority.
Development is ostensibly managed at the provincial level through two institutions; the Provincial
Development Committee (PDC) and the Provincial Administrative Assembly (PAA). PDCs are made
up of key development actors such as line ministries, Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRT, p. 67),
the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA, see p. 75), NGOs and occasionally
Provincial Council members, meeting under the chairmanship of the Provincial Governor. They
are charged with creating coordinated, prioritised and budgeted plans for provincial development,
which should then be passed to the Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Finance (MoF) in Kabul
for approval and incorporation into the budgets and plans of the relevant central line ministries.
In reality, these plans rarely influence the central ministries, which will draft budgets based on
information from their respective provincial line directorates and their budgetary allocations
from the MoF. This centralised process presents considerable difficulties for the coordination of
development projects between ministries at the provincial level.
The PAA is chaired by the Provincial Governor, and includes the heads of provincial line ministries
and agencies, the provincial Attorney General and the head of provincial security. PAAs are charged
with administering and monitoring the implementation of the Provincial Development Plan (PDP,
p. 67). Whilst meetings should theoretically be held weekly, in reality they are more irregular, with
the majority of decision-making and discussion taking place in the PDCs.
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State enterprises report to the ministry or department in their respective sector. For example, the
head of a coal mine would report to the provincial Department of Mines as well as the Ministry of
Mines in Kabul. There are no provincially-owned enterprises.
Although they do not hold formal power, informal community shuras or jirgas (i.e. those not
convened under the development programmes discussed above) can also be influential local
actors. Shuras are a longstanding feature of Afghan political society. They are usually convened
on an ad-hoc basis and are rarely permanent bodies with identifiable members. Shuras of ulema
(Islamic scholars) and shuras of elders are usually found at the provincial level, though there are
often competing local and district shuras, some of which are run by unelected strongmen. As
District Councils have not yet been elected, many district administrators make use of shuras in
their activities. Many districts are also effectively divided into villages (qaryas), which correspond
to areas of shared resources.
In addition to the provincial and district administrative structures, historically there has been a
definition of regions or zones (hawzas) in Afghanistan, primarily for military purposes. These hawzas
have no legal standing as administrative units and, unlike provinces, districts and municipalities, are
not mentioned in the 1964 Constitution or the current 2004 Constitution. At times, however, they
have been used for administrative convenience. Formally, this zonal structure no longer exists, but
some inter-provincial coordination and sectoral activities based on zones continue.
The President is Commander-in-Chief of the Afghan National Army (ANA, p. 5). The ANA serves
under the Ministry of Defence while the Afghan National Police (ANP, p. 6) operates under the
authority of the Ministry of Interior.
• Agir employees are meant to occupy lower-skilled and manual labour posts (such as drivers,
cooks, painters, etc.);
• Advancement through the grade (and pay) structure for many agir positions is capped at a
particular level (for instance, drivers cannot be promoted beyond Grade 1); however, higher-
skilled agir employees can advance to the top of the scale (“over” grade); and
• Agir employees are not entitled to receive a professional bonus in addition to their salary.
Pay policy is set centrally for all public employees in Afghanistan. The pay system emphasises
rank-in-person arrangements (employees are promoted even if they remain in the same
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position) rather than the more common rank-in-post arrangements (where promotion generally
comes with a new job). Thus, through years of service and regular promotions (once every three
years), staff in lower positions of authority can occupy a higher grade and earn a higher salary
than their managers. Different occupational groups have ceilings above which they cannot be
promoted.
The underlying pay scale, established by the 1970 Law on the Status and Condition of Government
Employees, and amended by the 1977 Decree No. 143, offers a reasonably well-structured scale
for base pay. The real salary scale for public employees is low—meal allowances (given equally
to all public employees) can account for over 90 percent of the monthly pay. Since 2004, the
IARCSC has been working to update the government’s pay and grading structure, crucial to the
government’s efforts to attract and retain qualified staff and to reduce incentives for corruption
within the civil service. A new Civil Service Law was passed in 2005, and in 2007 an eight-grade
structure was designed, with new pay scales attached to these grades (with a minimum salary of
$100 and maximum of $650). Implementation is sequenced, re-grading senior positions (Grades
1 and 2) first, followed by junior grades on a ministry-by-ministry basis.
Pay and grading reform is a key element of the IARCSC-led Public Administration Reform (PAR,
p. 69) framework, which seeks to restructure the civil service and institute merit-based, non-
partisan recruitment. As of December 2011, pay and grading reform had taken place in around 65
percent of local and central government institutions. Practical reforms have taken place in several
government departments and agencies through a revised Priority Reform and Restructuring (PRR)
process that streamlines the work and structure of key departments, reduces costs, and improves
effectiveness.
The effectiveness of pay and grading reforms may be complicated by the so-called “second civil
service” consisting of officials, advisors and staff of aid contractors and international agencies,
most of whom receive much higher salaries.
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January 2010
Government
Office of the President
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Government
Elections in Afghanistan
Electoral system
In Afghanistan, suffrage is universal for all citizens 18 years of age and older. The Constitution (p.
112) provides for the election of:
The President is elected by absolute majority; if no candidate receives over 50 percent of the votes,
a run-off election is held between the top two candidates (although the run-off was cancelled in
2009 when a candidate withdrew). The next Presidential election is due to be held in 2014.
A revised version of the 2004 Electoral Law was approved by presidential decree on 29 April
2005, ending a long debate over the system for electing representatives to the Wolesi Jirga. The
system chosen was the unusual Single Non-Transferable Vote (SNTV). Under SNTV, each eligible
Afghan voter casts one vote for one individual in his or her multi-member constituency (province).
The principal benefits of the SNTV system are that it is easy to explain to voters and simple to
count. It also ensures representation of independent candidates, which can be important in a
country suspicious of political parties.
On the other hand, SNTV encourages personality-driven politics and undermines the role of political
parties and constituency platforms. Because all votes go to individuals, a party’s candidates may
win the majority of votes in a province, but still receive only a minority of the seats. SNTV can also
have a negative impact on the development of effective parliamentary politics by encouraging
candidates to push local, ethnic or tribal issues rather than promoting a national agenda and
encouraging coalition building and cooperation between ethnic or regional groupings.
Election experts have debated whether other electoral models might be more appropriate for
Afghanistan. Some critics of SNTV have argued that Open List Proportional Representation would
be a better system, due to its transparent translation of votes into seats and its encouragement of
national-based, multi-ethnic parties. Another suggestion put forward by some Afghan Members of
Parliament in 2008 is that of a combined SNTV and party list system, whereby the role of political
parties is acknowledged formally. This suggestion was rejected by the plenary in the first instance,
although it may be refloated.
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According to the Constitution, the Electoral Law cannot be changed within a year of the election
in which it would be implemented. In 2008 and 2009, the SNTV electoral system was debated in
the Wolesi Jirga, and other options considered. It was decided, however, that SNTV would be used
again in the 2009-10 elections.
Schedule of elections
The Constitution prescribes the following elections schedule:
Election Frequency
Presidential every 5 years
Meshrano Jirga (Presidential appointees) every 5 years
Meshrano Jirga (Provincial Council representatives) every 4 years
Meshrano Jirga (District Council representatives) every 3 years
Wolesi Jirga every 5 years
Provincial Councils every 4 years
District Councils every 3 years
Village Councils every 3 years
Municipal Councils Unspecified
Mayoral Unspecified
This schedule thus determined that presidential and Provincial Council elections would take
place in 2009 and Wolesi Jirga elections in 2010. However, the 2009 presidential election was
delayed from May to August, and the 2010 Wolesi Jirga election was postponed from May to
September 2010. In the future, further revisions to the electoral calendar are possible, given
the capacity constraints of the Independent Election Commission, the high cost and difficulty
of holding elections in Afghanistan, the lack of security in some areas, the unclear mandates of
some elected bodies, and the political ramifications of the chaotic 2009-10 elections.
The Presidential Election of 2014 will occur just as Afghanistan assumes full responsibility for its
own security (see Transition, p. 73). The election, which is expected to present serious challenges
to the country’s electoral institutions, will likely serve as a significant indicator of the success of
Afghanistan’s transition from substantial to minimal international assistance.
Allocation of seats
The Constitution states that Wolesi Jirga seats are to be distributed among the provinces according
to population (and reserves an average of two seats per province for female candidates). This
provision has proved difficult because some district and provincial boundaries remain disputed
and no authoritative population data is available. The last census in Afghanistan was conducted
in 1979 and was never completed. After several delays, planning continues for a new national
census (see Central Statistics Organization, p. 28). In preparation for it, a household listing
survey was conducted in 2004–05. Seat allocations for the Wolesi Jirga elections are based on
an average of this recent household listing and the 1979 census figures adjusted for population
growth using an annual population growth rate of 1.92 percent.
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After his election in October 2004, President Hamid Karzai appointed the IEC members for a three-
year period. For its first year the IEC coexisted and collaborated with its predecessor, the Joint
Electoral Management Body (JEMB), which completed its mandate with the holding of legislative
elections in September 2005. The JEMB had been established in July 2003 and had both Afghan
and international members. It had overall responsibility for the preparation, organisation, conduct
and oversight of the 2004 presidential and 2005 parliamentary elections. After these elections,
it was dissolved and all its responsibilities transferred to the IEC.
The August 2009 presidential and Provincial Council elections were the first organised primarily by
the IEC, with technical assistance provided by the international community. Prior to the election,
a voter registration update was conducted from November 2008 to June 2009. During these
processes, the IEC expanded its financial and administrative capacities: offices were extended
into most provinces; a public resource centre was established; and the IEC gained more capacity
to formulate policies and procedures, design and deliver training, and interpret legal complaints.
During the election period, the IEC also designed and implemented a comprehensive national
public outreach campaign, set up a national tally centre, managed an operations centre, and
appointed and hosted the Electoral Media Commission. These systems were again used for
the 2010 parliamentary election, although thousands of staff were replaced along with the IEC
commissioners in the interim following the corruption controversies of 2009.
In 2011 the IEC drafted a Strategic Plan, 2011-2015, with the help of UNDP’s Enhancing Legal and
Electoral Capacity for Tomorrow (ELECT, p. 101) programme. The main goals stated by this plan are:
• Build trust among stakeholders and gain support for the IEC and the electoral process;
• Reduce electoral expenses through the development of professional capacity, building of
infrastructure and better management of resources;
• Establish the IEC as a Centre of Excellence; and
• Conduct elections, according to the law.
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In May 2009, a Gender Unit (GU) was set up within the IEC with financial support from IFES
and UNDP. The GU was mandated to “increase women’s political participation through long-
term change at the IEC.” Much of its work has focused on gender mainstreaming within the
organisation, building the capacity of the IEC’s female staff and ensuring that its programming
is gender-sensitive. However, it has also played an important role in coordinating meetings of
international gender stakeholders in the run-up to the 2009 and 2010 elections, as well as in
policy advocacy and outreach. To date it has not formally integrated into the IEC’s organisational
structure and therefore remains directly reliant on donor funding, with staff contracted directly
with IFES or UNDP.
For the 2009 presidential election, the ECC was composed of two national Commissioners and
three international Commissioners. One Afghan Commissioner was appointed by the Afghanistan
Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC, p. 13) and the other by the Supreme Court, and
the three internationals were appointed by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of
the United Nations. However, the Electoral Law was controversially changed by presidential decree
in early 2010, and all ECC members are now appointed directly by the President.
A person or organisation who claims that there has been a violation of the Electoral Law has the
right to file a complaint with the ECC and its provincial offices. This includes all eligible voters
and candidate agents. As an independent body, the ECC does not disseminate information on
plaintiffs to the public or to other organisations.
In May 2005, the ECC adjudicated almost 7,000 cases through the challenge and complaints
processes with regard to the 2004 Presidential elections. In 2009 and 2010, the ECC played a
major role in investigating fraud allegations after the elections and disqualified approximately one
quarter of votes each time.
While UNAMA has an overarching oversight role, ELECT is managed by UNDP. ELECT’s activities
since it was established in 2006 have primarily concentrated on building the capacity of the
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IEC. In 2007, it achieved a principle aim by completing a civil and voter registry pilot project that
combined nationwide voter registration with a national civil registration programme conducted in
Kabul, Bamiyan and Nangarhar. Subsequently, the ELECT project provided technical assistance
and support to the IEC in conducting a voter registration update, which began in October 2008
and concluded its main activities in June 2009.
In 2009 and 2010, ELECT was largely focused on supporting the presidential, Provincial Council
and parliamentary elections. This was approached through further strengthening the capacity of
the IEC, providing technical assistance and expertise to the main electoral institutions (including
the ECC), and by supporting the activities of a wider group of electoral stakeholders, including civil
society, media, domestic election observers and security actors.
A key part of ELECT’s mandate lies in providing a coordination focal point for main donors and
organisations supporting elections. ELECT’s mandate expired on 31 December 2012; however,
as of January 2012, UNDP were in the process of drafting the ELECT II Project Document, which
will be aligned with the IEC’s 2011-2015 Strategic Plan. ELECT II is expected to run from 2012-
2013, and will continues to focus on voter registry and capacity development of the IEC in a
manner that will be sustainable for the post-2014 Afghanistan.
Prior to the 2009 presidential and Provincial Council elections, FEFA was also able to conduct
comprehensive monitoring of the voter registration process and reported numerous problems
with it. On the election day itself, FEFA conducted countrywide observations. FEFA was active
again in 2010 for the parliamentary election, and reported on various issues, such as election-
related violence and corruption, on its website.
FEFA was one of the few elections-oriented organisations active in the interim period between the
two rounds of elections and has produced numerous publications on subjects such as candidate
vetting and the transparency of political wealth.
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The Electoral Law also specifies that candidates for the Wolesi Jirga, Provincial Councils, and
District Councils shall not:
• Pursue objectives that are opposed to the principles of the holy religion of Islam and the word
and spirit of the Constitution;
• Use force, or threaten with, or propagate the use of force;
• Incite ethnic, linguistic, regional or religious tension and discrimination;
• Create a real danger to the rights or freedoms of individuals or intentionally disrupt public
order and security;
• Have non-official military forces;
• Receive funds from foreign sources; or
• Receive funds from internal illegal sources.
When filling in nomination papers, candidates sign a Code of Conduct. In doing so, candidates
swear an oath that they have not been involved in any crimes or other activities that would
disqualify them from standing. If they are subsequently found guilty of a crime, they will have
broken the Code of Conduct and will be required to give up their seat.
The Electoral Complaints Commission is tasked with adjudicating on complaints about electoral
offences and challenges to candidates’ eligibility. If there is evidence of criminal activity, the ECC
can impose warnings, fines, or referral to the public prosecution office. If they determine that an
electoral offence has been committed, they can order recounts or a repeat of voting.
Political parties
It is widely believed that in a democratic system, political parties are necessary for effective
representation of citizens’ interests and to advance and support policy creation and governance.
Many Afghans, however, have a negative view of political parties, which they associate with the
communist parties and the Soviet invasion, as well as with mujahiddin factions whose in-fighting
caused much of the instability and bloodshed of the 1990s. Thus, Afghans generally do not trust
political parties but rather see them as pursuing policies that are in the interest of their particular
leader, ethnic group, clan or tribe. One rationale for Afghanistan’s unusual choice of electoral
system was its emphasis on individual candidates rather than parties.
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Afghans also often associate political parties with militias, which previously acted with impunity
in Afghanistan. While most of the major parties in Afghanistan once had close ties to military
groups (and some still do), other fledgling parties have civilian roots and democratic intentions.
The Constitution and the Political Party Law clearly prohibit political parties from having military
wings, and a political party registration department was established in 2003 by the Ministry of
Justice to approve those parties that meet the criteria set out in the Constitution.
For the 2005 elections, candidates were technically not allowed to indicate their political party
affiliation on the ballot (although some did so regardless). While this made ballots simpler, it
may have prevented voters from knowing the alliances of candidates. Before the presidential
elections in 2009, the IEC announced a regulation stipulating that officially registered candidates
were now allowed to include their party affiliation on the ballots. This regulation stayed in place
for the 2010 parliamentary election. However, a revised Political Party Law was enacted in late
2009 that required all parties to re-register with the Ministry of Justice—a slow and complex
process. Only five parties were successfully able to re-register in time for the parliamentary
elections, meaning that the vast majority remained excluded from the ballot. As of January
2012, around 41 parties had been registered. A list of these is available in Dari at: http://moj.
gov.af/fa/page/1700.
Elections 2009
Introduction
Presidential and Provincial Council elections were held on 20 August 2009, with turnout officially
recorded as 31.4 percent (after fraudulent ballots were excluded), down from an estimated 70
percent in 2004. Fraud and insecurity combined to mire the elections in controversy, with the
Electoral Compalints Commission (ECC, p. 101) disqualifying enough ballots to reduce Hamid
Karzai’s total to below 50 percent and thus force a run-off with the second-placed candidate,
Dr. Abdullah Abdullah. However, the run-off vote was cancelled when Abdullah withdrew, and the
Independent Election Commission (IEC, p. 100) declared Karzai the winner. He was inaugurated
for his second term on 19 November 2009.
Results for Provincial Council elections were initially announced on 27 September, but were in many
cases disputed and for some provinces not finalised until 9 December (although dissatisfaction
remained in some areas after this time). Despite being much lower-profile internationally than
the presidential election, the Provincial Council elections were hotly contested and followed
closely by the public in many areas, largely due to their addressing of local issues.
Candidate nomination
The candidate nomination process for presidential and Provincial Council candidates ran from 25
April to 8 May 2009. After the IEC’s consideration of presidential nominations, three candidates
were disqualified, leaving a total of 41 candidates, including two women. This was a significant
increase in candidates compared with 2004, when 18 candidates (including one woman)
contested the final race. In total, 3,196 individuals, including 328 women, nominated themselves
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for a total of 420 seats in the Provincial Councils—a slight increase from 2005 numbers both in
total and number of women candidates.
The IEC and ECC had four weeks (9 May–12 June) to review the 3,368 initial presidential and
Provincial Council candidates and respond to complaints. Candidates with links to armed groups,
government officials who failed to resign their previous posts, and nominees who had forged
signatures on their nomination forms were vetted. On 26 May, the IEC made available a provisional
list of candidates including challenges, corrections and appeals. Between 26 May and 8 June,
the ECC held hearings and came to decisions concerning nomination challenges. A final list of
confirmed candidates was made public on 12 June.
In provinces with a large number of candidates for the Provincial Council, as in 2005, the ballot
papers resembled tabloid newspapers, with several pages of candidates. For many, this made the
process of finding chosen candidates difficult. To make identification easier the IEC again included
photos of the candidates and allocated “neutral” symbols. Nevertheless, in Kabul Province, with
524 candidates on the final ballot, locating individuals remained an arduous process.
Civic education
Explaining Afghanistan’s new democratic institutions, the election process, and voting rights is a
complex and challenging exercise, particularly in a country with limited infrastructure and many
remote villages, as well as low levels of literacy and formal education.
While efforts were made in 2004 and 2005 in the run up to the elections to promote civic
education by various agencies, including the International Foundation for Electoral Systems
(IFES) and the Afghanistan Civil Society Forum-organization (ACSFo p. 12), very little activity
took place in this regard in the interim period between elections. Although agencies including
UNAMA (see p. 75) and UNDP ELECT (p. 101) supported civic education programmes run by the
IEC in the run-up to the 2009 polls, very little international funding was available for this kind of
activity prior to October 2008. This is partly a result of the late planning and organising of the
elections themselves, and the late stage by which donor funding for the elections themselves
was confirmed.
Voter registration
An enormous voter registration exercise was carried in the run-up to the 2005 Presidential
elections. Throughout the country, a total of 10,567,834 registration cards were issued between
1 December 2003 and 20 August 2004.
Another round of voter registration was undertaken in preparation for the 2009 elections, as
many Afghans would have turned 18 years old since the last round of registration, some would
have returned from Iran, Pakistan or other countries in the ongoing repatriation efforts, and
others who had already registered could have moved provinces or lost their original cards. This
process began in October 2008 and was carried out in four consecutive phases. The phases were
determined by weather and security concerns in different provinces. The process was completed
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in February 2009, but was far from straightforward. According to a report produced by FEFA,
multiple instances of proxy registration, fraud and underage registration took place. Initial IEC
figures for voter registration were also questionable, with extremely high numbers of registered
women in notably conservative areas of the country.
In total, the IEC reported that 4,365,292 people had been registered to vote in 2008-09, in
addition to those who had registered prior to the 2004-05 elections.
Other logistical problems reported by voters on polling day included intimidation (and in some
cases, attacks) by insurgent groups, shortage of ballot papers, dysfunctional hole-punches (used
to mark used voting cards), and indelible ink proving washable in practice.
In 2009, for the first time, ballots were counted at polling stations (instead of at provincial centres),
and initial results posted outside them.
Along with the problem of limited numbers of international observation staff was the issue of
their limited mobility. Most were largely unable to travel beyond provincial centres, and few even
outside Kabul. By contrast, Afghanistan’s own elections monitoring organisation, FEFA, was able to
conduct a comprehensive mission on election day itself and during the voter registration process
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in previous months. As one of the few elections-oriented organisations active in the interim period
between the 2005 and 2009 elections, it had representatives in all provinces observing the polls.
Security
Insecurity undermined the elections in 2009, despite the considerable measures taken to mitigate
its effects. An extra 26,000 troops were brought in to support the electoral effort, but an October
2009 report from the International Crisis Group said that the weeks “before the August election
saw the worst levels of violence since the US-led intervention in 2001,” and that at least four
Provincial Council candidates were also killed. In total, around 300 incidents were reported and
31 people killed pre-election and on election day itself. Partly as a result, voter turnout dropped to
31 percent from over 70 percent in 2004.
Another effect of the deteriorating security environment since the first round of elections was a
potentially high degree of exclusion of voters living in insecure areas of Afghanistan, which usually
correspond with the presence of insurgent groups. This also affected the 2010 poll. The inability
of polling stations to open or genuinely function in insecure areas also facilitated much election-
day fraud.
Fraud
The 2009 polls became infamous for widespread fraud. In October 2009, after receiving over 2,800
complaints, of which 726 were considered serious enough to affect the outcome of elections, the
ECC ordered a recount of ten percent of randomly selected ballots. Overall, 18.8 percent of the
total number of ballots cast were invalidated by the ECC, reducing valid voter turnout from the
IEC’s initial figure of 5,662,758 (38.7 percent) to 4,597,727 (31.4 percent). These percentages
are, however, based on the most recent voter registration figures, which, according to FEFA, were
also inaccurate and contained significant levels of fraud. Ultimately, the ECC invalidated enough
votes that a presidential run-off election was called. Fraud was also identified in Provincial Council
elections, but this received less attention from the ECC.
It should be noted that there were also significant instances of fraud reported in the 2004 elections,
but these did not receive nearly as much attention from the international community or media.
Election 2010
In January 2010, the IEC rescheduled the Wolesi Jirga election from 22 May to 18 September 2010.
On this date, a vote took place for the 249-seat lower house. The final results were announced by
the IEC on 24 November, with the exception of Ghazni Province, which was confirmed approximately
one week later. Of the 249 winners, 88 were incumbents from the previous parliament.
Although the groupings of Afghanistan’s parliament are often ambiguous and it does not have a
clear pro-government/opposition split, it is generally considered that the election has increased
the number of MPs who could be broadly categorised as or potentially in “opposition” to President
Karzai.
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Voter registration
A major voter registration initiative had been conducted prior to the 2009 presidential election. In
the lead-up to the Wolesi Jirga election, a two-month “top-up” registration process was undertaken,
which closed on August 12.
As with the 2009 presidential election, insecurity meant that international election observation
missions were far fewer and more limited in their scope compared to the previous parliamentary
election in 2005, although some did occur. The largest was conducted by Democracy International.
Widespread fraud occurred on polling day and is strongly suspected of occurring at other phases
of the electoral process. Approximately 4,200 potentially serious complaints were logged by the
ECC for investigation. Eventually, it excluded the results of 587 polling stations and disqualified
nearly 25 percent of the total number of votes. This left approximately 4.3 million votes considered
legitimate.
The IEC initially planned to have 6,835 polling stations on polling day. However, prior to the election
they announced that 1,019 would remain closed in insecure areas of the country. Despite this,
many others opened in areas where people were either unable or unwilling to vote. This potentially
resulted in a skewing of the results and led to concerns about the representativeness of the final
parliament.
Preliminary results were announced by the IEC on 20 October, but 24 winners were disqualified by
the ECC and did not appear on the final list made public on 24 November.
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The move sparked challenges from both newly-elected parliamentarians and the country’s
electoral institutions. The IEC argued that the court was without constitutional basis and asserted
the status of itself and the ECC as the sole legitimate adjudicators of the country’s elections. It
is also alleged that the Independent Commission for the Supervision of Implementation of the
Constitution (ICSIC, p. 42) informed President Karzai that the Special Court was unconstitutional,
but did not make this judgement public. However, on January 21 2011—with new MPs already
gathered at Kabul’s Intercontinental Hotel for an orientation course—Karzai announced that the
inauguration of the new parliament would be delayed by a month to allow the court more time
to complete its work. Following several days of negotiations, Karzai eventually agreed to open
parliament on 26 January, after extracting a concession from MPs to respect the court’s eventual
findings.
On 14 February, the Court ordered a raid on the offices of the IEC and shortly afterward initiated
recounts in Badakhshan, Kunduz and Kunar provinces. After several months of relative calm,
the Court finally announced on 22 June that 62 MPs should be replaced on charges of electoral
fraud. The IEC refused to implement the ruling and responded in July with its own plan for ending
the dispute. In an attempt to broker a compromise, President Karzai issued a highly opaque
presidential ruling on 10 August that appeared to restore responsibility for dealing with electoral
issues to the IEC, ordering it to bring the issue to a resolution as quickly as possible. Two weeks
later, the IEC announced that only nine MPs would be removed. The inclusion of their replacements
when parliament reconvened on 3 September after its Eid recess marked the final winding-down
of the crisis—almost a full year after the elections were held.
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Documents
Documents: Contents
The Constitution of Afghanistan (2004)..........................................................................................112
Contents.......................................................................................................................................112
Preamble......................................................................................................................................112
Chapter One: The State...............................................................................................................113
Chapter Two: The Fundamental Rights and Duties of Citizens................................................116
Chapter Three: The President.....................................................................................................122
Chapter Four: The Government..................................................................................................125
Chapter Five: The National Assembly........................................................................................127
Chapter Six: Loya Jirga................................................................................................................132
Chapter Seven: The Judiciary ....................................................................................................133
Chapter Eight: The Administration.............................................................................................136
Chapter Nine: The State of Emergency......................................................................................137
Chapter Ten: Amendments.........................................................................................................138
Chapter Eleven: The Miscellaneous Provisions ........................................................................139
Chapter Twelve: The Transitional Provisions..............................................................................139
Code of Conduct for NGOs engaged in Humanitarian Action, Reconstruction, and
Development in Afghanistan (2005)...............................................................................................141
Preamble......................................................................................................................................141
Definitions....................................................................................................................................141
NGO Mission Statement.............................................................................................................143
Purpose of the Code....................................................................................................................143
Principles of Conduct..................................................................................................................143
Code Observance........................................................................................................................147
Becoming a Signatory to the Code of Conduct..........................................................................148
Complaints...................................................................................................................................149
Jurisdiction of the Committee.....................................................................................................149
The Unseating of a Committee Member....................................................................................150
Scope of Application...................................................................................................................150
Compliance to the Code..............................................................................................................150
Revision of Code..........................................................................................................................150
Annex: Historical Context............................................................................................................150
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Year 1382
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
Contents
Preamble
Chapter One The State (21 Articles)
Chapter Two The Fundamental Rights and Duties of Citizens (38 Articles)
Chapter Three The President (11 Articles)
Chapter Four The Government (10 Articles)
Chapter Five The National Assembly (29 Articles)
Chapter Six The Loya Jirga (6 Articles)
Chapter Seven The Judiciary (20 Articles)
Chapter Eight The Administrative Division (7 Articles)
Chapter Nine The State of Emergency (6 Articles)
Chapter Ten Amendments (2 Articles)
Chapter Eleven The Miscellaneous Provisions (7 Articles)
Chapter Twelve The Transitional Provisions (5 Articles)
Preamble
We the people of Afghanistan:
1. With firm faith in God Almighty and relying on His lawful mercy, and believing in the sacred
religion of Islam,
2. Realising the injustice and shortcoming of the past, and the numerous troubles imposed on
our country,
3. While acknowledging the sacrifices and the historic struggles, rightful Jihad and just resistance
of all people of Afghanistan and respecting the high position of the martyrs for freedom of the
country,
4. With the understanding that Afghanistan is a single and united country and belongs to all
ethnicities residing in this country,
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5. Observing the United Nations Charter and respecting the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights,
6. For strengthening national unity, safeguarding independence, national sovereignty, and
territorial integrity of the country,
7. For establishing a government based on people’s will and democracy,
8. For creation of a civil society free of oppression, atrocity, discrimination, and violence and
based on the rule of law, social justice, protection of human rights and dignity and ensuring
the fundamental rights and freedoms of the people,
9. For strengthening the political, social, economic, and defensive institutions of the country,
10. For ensuring a prosperous life and sound environment for all those residing in this land,
11. Finally, for regaining Afghanistan’s deserved place in the international community, have
adopted this Constitution in accordance with historical, cultural, and social requirements of
the era, through our elected representatives in the Loya Jirga dated 14 Jaddi 1382 in the city
of Kabul.
Article 2 • The religion of the state of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is the sacred
religion of Islam.
• Followers of other religions are free to exercise their faith and perform their
religious rites within the limits of the provisions of law.
Article 3 • In Afghanistan no law can be contrary to the beliefs and provisions of the sacred
religion of Islam.
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Article 5 • Implementation of the provisions of this constitution and other laws, defending
independence, national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and ensuring the
security and defence capability of the country, are the basic duties of the
state.
Article 6 • The state is obliged to create a prosperous and progressive society based
on social justice, protection of human dignity, protection of human rights,
realisation of democracy, and to ensure national unity and equality among all
ethnic groups and tribes and to provide for balanced development in all areas
of the country.
Article 7 • The state shall observe the Charter of the United Nations, international treaties,
international conventions that Afghanistan is a party to, and the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights.
• The state prevents all types of terrorist activities, cultivation and smuggling of
narcotic drugs, and production and consumption of intoxicants.
Article 8 • The state regulates the foreign policy of the country on the basis of preserving
independence, national interests, territorial integrity, non-interference, good
neighbourliness, mutual respect, and equal rights.
Article 9 • Mines and other underground resources and cultural heritages are the
properties of the state.
• Protection, management and mode of proper utilisation of public properties
shall be regulated by law.
Article 10 • The state encourages and protects private investments and enterprises based
on the market economy and guarantees their protection in accordance with the
provisions of law.
Article 11 • Affairs related to domestic and external trade shall be regulated by law in
accordance with the needs of the national economy and the public interest.
Article 12 • Da Afghanistan Bank is the central and independent bank of the state.
• Issuance of currency and formulation and implementation of monetary policy
of the country are the mandates of the central bank in accordance with the
law.
• The central bank shall consult the economic commission of the Wolesi Jirga in
matters related to printing of currency.
• Structure and operation of this bank shall be regulated by law.
Article 13 • The state shall formulate and implement effective programmes for the
development of industries, growth of production, increase of public living
standards, and support of craftsmanship.
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Article 14 • The state shall design and implement within its financial resources effective
programmes for the development of agriculture and animal husbandry,
improving the economic, social and living conditions of farmers, herders, and
settlements and living conditions of the nomads.
• The state adopts necessary measures for housing and distribution of public
estates to deserving citizens in accordance within its financial resources and
the law.
Article 15 • The state is obliged to adopt necessary measures for safeguarding and
improving forests and the environment.
Article 16 • From among the languages of Pashto, Dari, Uzbeki, Turkmani, Baluchi, Pashai,
Nuristani, Pamiri and other languages spoken in the country, Pashto and Dari
are the official languages of the state.
• In areas where the majority of people speak one of the Uzbeki, Turkmani, Baluchi,
Pashai, Nuristani and Pamiri languages, that language shall be recognised
as third official language in addition to Pashto and Dari, the modality of its
implementation shall be regulated by law.
• The state adopts and implements effective plans for strengthening and
developing all languages of Afghanistan.
• Publications and mass media are allowed in all languages spoken in the
country.
• The existing national academic and administrative terminology of the country
shall be preserved.
Article 17 • The state shall adopt necessary measures for promotion of education in all
levels, development of religious education, and organising and improving the
conditions of mosques, madrasas and religious centres.
Article 18 • The calendar of the country shall be based on the migration of the Prophet
(Peace be upon Him).
• The basis of work for state offices shall be the solar calendar.
• Fridays and the 28th of Asad and the 8th of Sawr are public holidays.
• Other holidays shall be regulated by law.
Article 19 • The Afghan flag is made up of three equal parts, with black, red and green
colours juxtaposed from left to right perpendicularly.
• The width of every coloured piece is equal to half of its length. The national
insignia is located in the centre of the flag. The national insignia of the state
of Afghanistan is composed of a Mehrab and pulpit in white colour. Two flags
are located on its two sides. In the upper-middle part of the insignia the sacred
phrase of “There is no God but Allah and Mohammad is his prophet, and Allah
is Great” is placed, along with a rising sun. The word “Afghanistan” and year
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1298 (solar calendar) is located in the lower part of the insignia. The insignia is
encircled with two branches of wheat.
• The law shall regulate the use of national flag and emblem.
Article 20 • The National Anthem of Afghanistan shall be in Pashto and mention “Allahu
Akbar” and the names of the ethnic groups of Afghanistan.
Article 23 • Life is a gift of God and a natural right of human beings. No one shall be deprived
of this right except by the provision of law.
Article 24 • Liberty is the natural right of human beings. This right has no limits unless
affecting the rights of others and public interest, which are regulated by law.
• The liberty and dignity of human beings are inviolable.
• The state has the duty to respect and protect the liberty and dignity of human
beings.
Article 27 • No act is considered a crime, unless determined by a law adopted prior to the
date the offence is committed.
• No person can be pursued, arrested or detained but in accordance with the
provisions of law.
• No person can be punished but in accordance with the decision of an authorised
court and in conformity with the law adopted before the date of the offence.
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Article 31 • Every person upon arrest can seek an advocate to defend his/her rights or to
defend his/her case for which he/she is accused under the law.
• The accused upon arrest has the right to be informed of the attributed accusation
and to be summoned to the court within the limits determined by law.
• In criminal cases, the state shall appoint an advocate for a destitute.
• The confidentiality of oral, written or telephonic communications between an
advocate and his/her accused client are immune from invasion.
• The duties and authorities of advocates shall be regulated by law.
Article 32 • Being in debt does not limit a person’s freedom or deprive him/her of liberty.
• The mode and means of recovering a debt shall be regulated by law.
Article 33 • The citizens of Afghanistan have the right to elect and be elected.
• Law regulates the conditions and means to exercise this right.
Article 35 • The citizens of Afghanistan have the right to form social organisations for the
purpose of securing material or spiritual aims in accordance with the provisions
of law.
• The citizens of Afghanistan have the right to form political parties in accordance
with the provisions of law, provided that:
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1. The programme and charter of the party are not contrary to the principles
of sacred religion of Islam, and the provisions and values of this
Constitution.
2. The organisational structure and financial sources of the party are made
public.
3. The party does not have military or paramilitary aims and structures.
4. The party should have no affiliation to a foreign political party or sources.
• Formation and functioning of a party based on ethnicity, language, religious
sect and region is not permissible.
• A party set up in accordance with provisions of the law shall not be dissolved
without lawful reasons and the decision of an authorised court.
Article 36 • The citizens of Afghanistan have the right to unarmed demonstrations for
legitimate peaceful purposes in accordance with the law.
Article 39 • Every Afghan has the right to travel or settle in any part of the country except in
the regions forbidden by law.
• Every Afghan has the right to travel abroad and return home in accordance with
the provisions of law.
• The state shall protect the rights of the citizens of Afghanistan abroad.
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Article 41 • Foreign individuals do not have the right to own immovable property in
Afghanistan.
• Lease of immovable property for the purpose of investment is permissible in
accordance with the law.
• The sale of estates to diplomatic missions of foreign countries and to those
international agencies of which Afghanistan is a member is permissible in
accordance with the provisions of law.
Article 42 • Every Afghan is obligated to pay taxes and duties to the government in
accordance with the provisions of law.
• No taxes and duties are enforced without provisions of the law.
• The rate of taxes and duties and the method of payments are determined by
law on the basis of observing social justice.
• This provision is also applied to foreign individuals and agencies.
• Every kind of tax, duty and income collected shall be delivered to the state account.
Article 43 • Education is the right of all citizens of Afghanistan, which shall be provided up
to the level of the Bachelors free of charge by the state.
• The state is obliged to devise and implement effective programs for a balanced
expansion of education all over Afghanistan, and to provide compulsory
intermediate level education. The state is also required to provide the
opportunity to teach native languages in the areas where they are spoken.
Article 44 • The state shall devise and implement effective programs for balancing and
promoting education for women, improving of education of the nomads and
elimination of illiteracy in the country.
Article 45 • The state shall devise and implement a unified educational curriculum based
on the provisions of the sacred religion of Islam, national culture, and in
accordance with academic principles, and develop the curriculum of religious
subjects on the basis of the Islamic sects existing in Afghanistan.
Article 46 • Establishing and operating higher, general and vocational education are duties
of the state.
• The citizens of Afghanistan also can establish higher, general, and vocational
private educational institutions and literacy courses with the permission of the
state.
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• The state can also permit foreign persons to set up higher, general and
vocational educational private institutes in accordance with the law.
• The conditions for admission to state higher education institutions and other
related matters are regulated by law.
Article 47 • The state shall devise effective programs for the promotion of science, culture,
literature and the arts.
• The state guarantees the rights of authors, inventors, and discoverers,
encourages and supports scientific researches in all areas, and publicises the
effective use of their results in accordance with the law.
Article 50 • The state is obliged to adopt necessary measures for creation of a strong and
sound administration and realisation of reforms in the administration system
of the country.
• Government offices are bound to carry out their work with full neutrality and in
compliance with the provisions of law.
• The citizens of Afghanistan have the right of access to information from
government offices in accordance with the provisions of law. This right has no
limits, unless in violation of the rights of the others.
• The citizens of Afghanistan are employed for state services on the basis of
qualification without any kind of discrimination and in accordance with the
law.
Article 52 • The state is obliged to provide free means of preventive health care and
medical treatment, and proper health facilities to all citizens of Afghanistan in
accordance with the law.
• The state encourages and protects the establishment and expansion of private
medical services and health centres in accordance with law.
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Article 53 • The state takes necessary measures for regulating medical services and
financial support to descendants of martyred and lost, re-integration of
disabled and handicapped individuals and their active participation in society
in accordance with the law.
• The state guarantees the rights of pensioners and renders necessary assistance
to needy elders, women without caretakers, disabled and handicapped
individuals and needy orphans in accordance with the law.
Article 55 • The defence of the country is the responsibility of all citizens of Afghanistan.
• The conditions for military service are regulated by law.
Article 56 • Observing the provisions of the Constitution, obeying the laws, and adhering to
public law and order are the duties of all people of Afghanistan.
• Ignorance about the provisions of law is not considered an excuse.
Article 57 • The state guarantees the rights and liberties of foreign citizens residing in
Afghanistan in accordance with the law. These people are obliged to observe
the laws of the state of Afghanistan in accordance with International Law.
Article 58 • The State, for the purpose of monitoring the observation of human rights
in Afghanistan, and their promotion and protection, shall establish the
Independent Human Rights Commission of Afghanistan.
• Any person in case of a violation of his/her rights can report their complaint to
this Commission.
• The Commission can refer cases of violations of the human rights of persons to
legal authorities, and assist them in defending their rights.
• The structure and mode of function of this Commission will be regulated by
law.
Article 59 • No one can misuse the rights and freedoms under this Constitution against
independence, territorial integrity, sovereignty and national unity.
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Article 61 • The President is elected by receiving more than 50 percent of the votes cast
through free, general, secret, and direct voting.
• The presidential term expires on the first of Jawza of the fifth year after the
elections.
• Elections for the new President are held thirty to sixty days before the end of the
presidential term.
• If none of the candidates succeeds in receiving more than 50 percent of the
votes in the first round, a run-off election shall be held within two weeks.
• In this round, only the two candidates with the highest number of votes will
participate.
• In the run-off, the candidate who gets the majority of the votes shall be elected
as the President.
• In case of death of one of the candidates during the first or second round, after
the elections or prior to the announcement of the results of elections, new
elections shall be held in accordance with the provisions of law.
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In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate; In the name of God
Almighty, in the presence of you representatives of the nation of Afghanistan,
I swear to obey and safeguard the provisions of the sacred religion of Islam,
to observe the Constitution and other laws of Afghanistan and supervise their
implementation; to safeguard the independence, national sovereignty, and the
territorial integrity of Afghanistan and the fundamental rights and interests of
the people of Afghanistan, and with the assistance of God and the support of
the nation, to make great and sincere efforts for the happiness and progress
of the people of Afghanistan.
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Article 65 • The President can call for a referendum on important national political, social
or economic issues.
• Calling for a referendum shall not be contrary to the provisions of this Constitution
or for amending it.
Article 66 • The President takes into consideration the supreme interests of the people of
Afghanistan while enforcing the powers stated in this Constitution.
• The President cannot sell or bestow state properties without the provisions of law.
• The President cannot act based on linguistic, ethnic, religious, political, and
regional considerations during his/her term in office.
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Article 68 • In case of resignation or death of one of the Vice Presidents, another person
shall replace him/her by the proposal of the President and approval of the
Wolesi Jirga.
• In case of the simultaneous death of the President and the First Vice President,
in turn the Second Vice President, the Chair of the Meshrano Jirga and in the
absence of the chair of the Meshrano Jirga, the Chair of the Wolesi Jirga, and in
the absence of the Chair of the Wolesi Jirga, the Foreign Minister shall perform
the duties of the President in accordance with Article 67 of this Constitution.
Article 69 • The President is responsible to the nation and the Wolesi Jirga according to this
Article.
• Accusations of crimes against humanity, national treason or crime can be
levelled against the President by one-third of the members of the Wolesi Jirga.
• If two thirds of the Wolesi Jirga votes for charges to be brought forth, the Wolesi
Jirga shall convene a Loya Jirga within one month. If the Loya Jirga approves the
accusation by a two-thirds majority of votes the President is then dismissed, and
the case is referred to a special court. The special court shall be composed of
three members of the Wolesi Jirga, and three members of the Supreme Court
appointed by the Loya Jirga and the Chair of the Meshrano Jirga.
• The lawsuit is conducted by a person appointed by the Loya Jirga.
• In this situation, the provisions of Article 67 of this Constitution are applied.
Article 70 • The salary and expenditures of the President are regulated by law.
• After the expiration of their term, the President is entitled to the financial
benefits of the presidency for the rest of his/her life in accordance with the law
except in the case of dismissal.
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Article 73 • The Ministers can be appointed from within and without the National Assembly.
• If a member of the National Assembly is appointed as a minister, he/she loses
his/her membership in the National Assembly, and is replaced by another
person in accordance with the provisions of law.
Article 74 • Prior to taking office, the Minister shall perform the following oath in the
presence of the President:
In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate: I swear in the name
of God Almighty to support the provisions of the sacred religion of Islam,
follow the Constitution and other laws of Afghanistan, protect the rights of
citizens, and safeguard the independence, territorial integrity and national
unity of Afghanistan, and consider God Almighty present in performing all my
responsibilities, and honestly perform the duties assigned to me.
Article 77 • As heads of administrative units and members of the government, the Ministers
perform their duties within the limits determined by this Constitution and other
laws.
• The Ministers are responsible to the President and the Wolesi Jirga for their
particular duties.
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Article 79 • In cases of recess of the Wolesi Jirga, the government can adopt legislation
in an emergency situation on matters other than those related to budget and
financial affairs.
• The legislative decrees become laws after they are signed by the President. The
legislative decrees should be submitted to the National Assembly in the course
of thirty days beginning from the first session of the National Assembly.
• In case of rejection by the National Assembly, the legislations become void.
Article 80 • Ministers during the course of their work cannot use their posts for linguistic,
regional, ethnic, religious and partisan purposes.
Article 82 • The National Assembly consists of two houses: Wolesi Jirga (the House of
People) and Meshrano Jirga (House of Elders).
• No one can become a member of both houses simultaneously.
Article 83 • Members of the Wolesi Jirga are elected by the people through free, general,
secret and direct elections.
• Their mandate ends on the 1st of Saratan of the fifth year after the elections
and the new assembly starts its work.
• The election of the members of the Wolesi Jirga shall be held 30 to 60 days
before the expiry of the term of the Wolesi Jirga.
• The number of members of the Wolesi Jirga, proportionate to the population of
each region, shall be not more than two hundred and fifty.
• Electoral constituency and other related issues shall be determined by election
laws.
• In the Election Law, measures should be adopted so the election system shall
provide general and just representation for all the people of the country and
based on the population, from each province on average at least two female
delegates shall have membership to the Wolesi Jirga.
Article 84 • Members of the Meshrano Jirga are elected and appointed as follows:
1. From among the members of each Provincial Council, the respective council
elects one person for a period of four years.
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2. From among the District Councils of each province, the respective councils
elect one person for a period of three years.
3. The President appoints the remaining one-third of the members for a period
of five years from among experts and experienced personalities, including
two representatives of the disabled and impaired and two representatives
from the Nomads.
• The president appoints 50 percent of these people from among women.
• A person who is appointed as a member of the Meshrano Jirga shall relinquish
their membership in the respective council, and another person replaces him/
her in accordance with the law.
Article 87 • In the beginning of the legislative period, each one of the two houses elects one
of its members as the Chairperson for one legislative period, and two people
as the first and second Vice Chairperson, and two people as the Secretary and
Assistant Secretary for a period of one year.
• These individuals constitute the Bureau in their respective houses.
• The duties of the Bureau are determined in the regulations pertaining to the
internal duties of each house.
Article 88 • Each house of the National Assembly sets up commissions to study the topics
under discussion in accordance with its internal regulations.
Article 89 • The Wolesi Jirga has the authority to set up a special commission if one-third
of its members put forward a proposal to inquire about and study government
actions.
• The composition and procedure of this commission is specified in the internal
regulations of Wolesi Jirga.
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Article 92 • The Wolesi Jirga, based on a proposal by 20 percent of its members, can
interrogate a Minister.
• If the responses given are not satisfactory, Wolesi Jirga shall consider a vote of
no confidence.
• The vote of no confidence in a Minister shall be explicit, direct, and on the
basis of well-founded reasons. This vote should be approved by a majority of all
members of the Wolesi Jirga.
Article 93 • Any commission of both Houses of the National Assembly can question each of
the Ministers about specific topics.
• The person questioned can provide verbal or written response.
Article 94 • Law is what both Houses of the National Assembly approve and the President
endorses unless this Constitution states otherwise.
• In case the President does not agree to what the National Assembly approves,
he can send the document back with justifiable reasons to the Wolesi Jirga
within 15 days of its submission. With the passage of this period or in case
the Wolesi Jirga approves a particular case again with a majority of two-thirds
votes, the bill is considered endorsed and enforced.
Article 95 • Proposal for the promulgation of a law can be initiated by the government, or
members of the National Assembly, and in the domain of regulating judicial
affairs through the Supreme Court by the government. Proposals for drafting
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the budget and financial affairs laws shall be made only by the government.
Article 96 • If a proposal for the promulgation of law includes imposition of new taxes or
reduction in State incomes, it is included in the working agenda on condition
that an alternative source is also envisioned.
Article 97 • Proposals for promulgation of law initiated by the government are submitted
first to the Wolesi Jirga.
• The Wolesi Jirga approves or rejects as a whole the proposal for promulgation
of law including budget and financial affairs and the proposal of taking or giving
a loan after discussion.
• The Wolesi Jirga cannot delay the proposal more than one month.
• The proposed draft of law is submitted to the Meshrano Jirga, after its approval
by the Wolesi Jirga.
• The Meshrano Jirga decides on the draft within a period of 15 days.
• The National Assembly shall give priority to the promulgation of laws, treaties,
and development plans of the government that require urgent consideration
and decision as per the request of the government.
• If a proposal for promulgation of law is initiated by ten members of one of the
two Houses and then approved by one-fifth members of the respective houses,
it can be admitted to the agenda of the respective houses.
Article 98 • The state budget and development plan of the government is submitted through
the Meshrano Jirga along with advisory comments to the Wolesi Jirga.
• The decision of the Wolesi Jirga, irrespective of the consent of the Meshrano
Jirga, is enforceable after it is signed by the President.
• If for some reason the budget is not approved before the beginning of the new
fiscal year, the budget of the year before is applied until the approval of the new
budget.
• The government is obligated to give to the Wolesi Jirga the budget of the new
fiscal year and a brief account of the current year’s budget within the fourth
quarter of the fiscal year.
• The definite account of the previous fiscal year shall be submitted by the
government to the Wolesi Jirga within six months of the new year, in accordance
with the provisions of law.
• The Wolesi Jirga cannot delay the approval of the budget for more than one
month or permission to give or take a loan for more than 15 days.
• If during this period the Wolesi Jirga does not take any decision with regards to
taking or giving a loan, the proposal will be considered as approved.
Article 99 • If, during a session of the National Assembly, the annual budget or a
developmental plan or an issue related to public security, territorial integrity, and
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Article 100• In case the decision of one house is rejected by another house, a combined
committee composed of equal members of each house is formed to resolve the
disagreement.
• The decision of the committee is enforced after its approval by the President.
• In case the combined committee cannot solve the disagreement, the defeated
resolution is considered void.
• In this case the Wolesi Jirga can approve it at the next session of the Wolesi
Jirga by a two-thirds majority vote of its all members.
• This approval is assumed as enforceable, after it is signed by the President,
without submission to the Meshrano Jirga.
Article 101• No member of the National Assembly is legally prosecutable for expressing his
/her views while performing their duty.
Article 102• When a member of the National Assembly is accused of a crime, the law
enforcement authority informs the house of which the accused is member
about the case, and the accused member can be prosecuted.
• In case of an evident crime, the law enforcement authority can legally pursue
and arrest the accused without the permission of the house of which the
accused is a member.
• In both cases, when legal prosecution requires detention of the accused, law
enforcement authorities are obligated to inform the respective house about the
case immediately.
• If the accusation takes place when the National Assembly is in recess, the
permission of arrest is obtained from the administrative board of the respective
house and the decision of this board is presented to the first session of the
aforementioned house for a decision.
Article 103• The Ministers can participate in the sessions of each one of the two houses of
the National Assembly.
• Each house of the National Assembly can demand that Ministers take part in
its session.
Article 104• Both houses of the National Assembly hold their sessions separately at the
same time.
• Under the following circumstances, both houses can hold joint sessions:
1. When the legislative session or the annual session is inaugurated by the
President
2. When it is deemed necessary by the President
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• In this case, the head of the Wolesi Jirga chairs the joint session of the National
Assembly.
Article 105• The sessions of the National Assembly are open unless the Chairman of the
assembly, or at least ten members of the National Assembly, request secrecy
and the assembly accepts this request.
• No one shall enter the building of the National Assembly by force.
Article 106• The quorum of the sessions of each house of the National Assembly for voting
is complete with the presence of the majority of the members, and its decisions
are taken with the majority of the members present, unless this Constitution
states otherwise.
Article 107• The National Assembly convenes two ordinary sessions each year.
• The term of the National Assembly in each year is nine months. When necessary,
the Assembly can extend this period.
• Extraordinary sessions of the Assembly during recess can take place by the
order of the President.
Article 108• In cases of death, resignation and dismissal of a member of the National
Assembly, and/or disability or handicap, which prevents performance of
duties permanently, an election in the related constituency is held for a new
representative for the rest of the legislative period, in accordance with the law.
• Matters involving the presence or absence of members of the National Assembly
are regulated according to internal rules.
Article 109• Proposals for amendments of the Electoral Law cannot be included in the
working agenda of the Assembly during the last year of the legislative period.
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Article 113• The quorum of the Loya Jirga for voting is completed by the majority of
members.
• The decisions of the Loya Jirga are taken by a majority of the present members
except in cases explicitly stated in this Constitution.
Article 114• Discussions of the Loya Jirga are open except when one-fourth of its members
demand their secrecy, and the Loya Jirga accepts this demand.
Article 115• During the session of a Loya Jirga, the provision of Articles 101 and 102 of this
Constitution are applied on its members.
Article 117• The Supreme Court is composed of nine members who are appointed by the
President for a period of ten years with the confirmation of the Wolesi Jirga with
observance of the provisions of the final clause of Article 50 and Article 118 of
this Constitution. In the beginning the appointment will be as such:
• Three members are appointed for a period of four years, three members for
seven years and three members for ten years.
• Later appointments will be for a period of ten years.
• The appointment of members for a second term is not permissible.
• The President appoints one of its members as the Head of the Supreme
Court.
• Members in no way can be dismissed from their service until the end of their
term, except circumstances stated in Article 127 of this Constitution.
Article 118• A member of the Supreme Court should have the following qualifications:
1. The age of the Head of the Supreme Court and its members should not be
lower than 40 at the time of appointment
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Article 119 • Members of the Supreme Court take the following oath in the presence of the
President before occupying the post:
In the name Allah, the Merciful and the Compassionate: I swear in the name
of God Almighty to support justice and righteousness in accordance with the
provisions of the sacred religion of Islam and the provisions of this Constitution
and other laws of Afghanistan, and to execute the duty of being a judge with
utmost honesty, righteousness and nonpartisanship.
Article 120 • The authority of the judicial organ is to attend to all lawsuits in which real
individuals or incorporated bodies including the state stand before it as plaintiff
or defendant in accordance with provisions of the law.
Article 121 • The Supreme Court on the request of the government or the courts shall review
laws, legislative decrees, international treaties and international covenants
for their compliance with the Constitution and provide their interpretation in
accordance with the law.
Article 122 • No law, under any circumstance, can transfer a case from the jurisdiction of the
judicial branch to another organ as has been determined in this Constitution.
• This provision does not apply to establishing special courts stated in Articles 69,
78 and 127 of this Constitution and military courts in matters relating to them.
• The structure and authority of these courts are regulated by law.
Article 123 • With observance of the provisions of this Constitution, the rules related to the
structure, authority, and performance of the courts and the duties of judges are
regulated by law.
Article 124 • Other officials and administrative personnel of the judicial branch are subject
to the provisions of the laws related to the officials and other administrative
personnel of the state, but their appointment, dismissal, promotion, pension,
rewards and punishments are regulated by the Supreme Court in accordance
with the law.
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Article 125 • The budget of the judicial branch is prepared by the Supreme Court in
consultation with the government and presented by the government to the
National Assembly as part of the state budget.
• Implementation of the budget of the judicial branch is the authority of the
Supreme Court.
Article 126 • Members of the Supreme Court enjoy official financial benefits for the rest of
their lives provided they do not occupy state or political positions.
Article 127 • When more than one-third of the members of the Wolesi Jirga demand the
trial of the Chief Justice, or a member of the Supreme Court due to a crime
committed during the performance of duty, and the Wolesi Jirga approves of
this demand by a majority of two-thirds, the accused is dismissed from their
post and the case is referred to a special court.
• The setting up of the court and the procedures of trial are regulated by law.
Article 128 • In the courts of Afghanistan, trials are open and everyone is entitled to attend
in accordance with the law.
• The court, in situations which are stated in the law or in situations in which
the secrecy of the trial is deemed necessary, can conduct the trial behind
closed doors, but the announcement of the court decision should be open in
all instances.
Article 129 • The court is obliged to state the reasons for the decisions it issues.
• All final decisions of the courts are enforceable, except for capital punishment,
which is conditional upon approval of the President.
Article 130 • While processing cases, the courts apply the provisions of this Constitution and
other laws.
• When there is no provision in the Constitution or other laws regarding ruling on
an issue, the courts’ decisions shall be within the limits of this Constitution in
accord with the Hanafi jurisprudence and in a way to serve justice in the best
possible manner.
Article 131 • The Courts shall apply the Shia school of law in cases dealing with personal matters
involving the followers of the Shia Sect in accordance with the provisions of law.
• In other cases, if no clarification by this Constitution or other laws exists, courts
will resolve the matter according to laws of this Sect.
Article 132 • Judges are appointed with the recommendation of the Supreme Court and
approval of the President.
• The appointment, transfer, promotion, punishment, and proposal to retire judges
are within the authority of the Supreme Court in accordance with the law.
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• The Supreme Court shall establish the General Administration Office of Judicial
Power for the purpose of better arrangement of the administration and judicial
affairs and ensuring the required improvements.
Article 133• When a judge is accused of having committed a crime, the Supreme Court shall
inquire about the case involving the judge in accordance with the law.
• After listening to the defence, when the Supreme Court regards the accusation
to be valid, it shall present a proposal about the judge’s dismissal to the
President.
• After Presidential approval, the accused judge shall be dismissed from duty,
and punished in accordance with the provisions of the law.
Article 134• Discovery of crimes is the duty of the police and investigation and prosecution
are conducted by the Office of the Attorney General in accordance with the
provisions of the law.
• The Office of the Attorney General is part of the Executive branch, and is
independent in its performance.
• The structure, authority and activities of the Office of the Attorney General are
regulated by law.
• Discovery and investigation of crimes related to the armed forces, police, and
national security officials are regulated by a special law.
Article 135• If parties involved in a case do not know the language in which the trial is
conducted, they have the right to understand the material and documents
related to the case through an interpreter and the right to speak in their native
language in the court.
Article 137• The government, while preserving the principle of centralism, shall delegate
certain authorities to local administration units for the purpose of expediting
and promoting economic, social, and cultural affairs, and increasing the
participation of people in the development of the nation.
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Article 139• The Provincial Council takes part in securing the developmental targets of the
state and improving its affairs in a way stated in the law, and gives advice on
important issues falling within the domain of the province.
• Provincial Councils perform their duties in cooperation with the provincial
administration.
Article 140• In order to organise activities involving the people and provide them with the
opportunity to actively participate in the local administration, Councils are
established in districts and villages in accordance with the provisions of the law.
• Members of these Councils are elected by the local people through, free,
general, secret and direct elections for a period of three years.
• The participation of nomads in these councils is regulated by law.
Article 142• For the purpose of the implementation of the provisions, and ensuring the values
of this Constitution, the State shall establish the required departments.
Article 144• During the state of emergency, the President, with the consultations of heads of
the National Assembly and the Supreme Court, can transfer some authorities
of the National Assembly to the government.
Article 145• During the state of emergency, the President, with the consent of the heads of
the National Assembly and the Supreme Court, can suspend the validity of the
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Article 147• If the presidential term of office and or the legislative period expire during a
state of emergency, the new elections shall be postponed, and the presidency
and the legislative period shall be extended for up to four months.
• If the state of emergency continues for more than four months, a Loya Jirga
shall be called by the President for further decisions.
• Following the termination of state of emergency, elections should be held within
two months.
Article 148• After the end of the state of emergency, the measures adopted on the basis
of Articles 144 and 145 of this Constitution shall be considered invalid
immediately.
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Article 152• The President, Vice Presidents, Ministers, Heads and members of the National
Assembly, Head and members of the Supreme Court, Attorney General and
judges, cannot undertake other jobs during their terms of office.
Article 153• Judges, Attorneys, and officers of the armed forces and police, and national
security officials, cannot be members of political parties during their terms of
office.
Article 154• The wealth of the President, Vice Presidents, Ministers, members of the
Supreme Court and the Attorney General before and after their term of office
should be registered and monitored by an organ to be set by law.
Article 155• Appropriate salaries shall be paid to the Vice Presidents, Ministers, Chairs and
members of the National Assembly, the Supreme Court, Attorney General and
judges in accordance with the provisions of law.
Article 156• The Independent Electoral Commission shall be set up for the organisation and
supervision of any election and for holding a referendum within the country
based on the provisions of the law.
Article 157• The Independent Commission for the Supervision of the Implementation of the
Constitution will be established by the provisions of the law.
• Members of this Commission shall be appointed by the President with the
confirmation of the Wolesi Jirga.
Article 159• The period following the adoption of this Constitution until the date of
inauguration of the National Assembly is deemed as a transitional period.
• During the transitional period, the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan
shall carry out the following tasks:
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Article 161• The National Assembly will exercise its powers immediately after its
establishment in accordance with this Constitution.
• The government and the Supreme Court shall be established within 30 days of
the first session of the Wolesi Jirga taking place.
• The President of the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan shall continue his
duties until the elected President has taken office.
• The executive and judicial organs of the state in accordance with provisions of
Clause 4 of Article 159 of this constitution shall continue their duties, until the
formation of the government and the Supreme Court.
• The decrees enforced from the beginning of the interim period shall be
submitted to the first session of the National Assembly.
• These decrees are enforceable until they are annulled by the National
Assembly.
Article 162• This Constitution is enforced upon its approval by the Loya Jirga, and will be
signed and announced by the President of the Transitional Islamic State of
Afghanistan.
• Upon the enforcement of this Constitution, laws and decrees contrary to the
provisions of it are invalid.
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Preamble
Because Afghanistan is at a unique point in its history and has the opportunity to move towards
long-term stability, economic prosperity and respect for human rights;
Because NGOs are civil society actors and a strong civil society is essential to the development
and functioning of a stable Afghan nation and state;
Because NGOs are committed to the development of Afghanistan and Afghan capacity;
Because the development of a new Constitution and a legislative structure for Afghanistan provide
a context in which accountable and responsible behaviour can flourish and be recognised;
Because NGOs, as civil society organisations and emergency and development programme
implementers, continue to make important contributions with and for the Afghan people;
Because the nature and roles of NGOs are not well understood, leading to accusations that NGOs
misuse funds and are wasteful and self-serving;
Because various “for-profit” and political actors misuse the NGO umbrella to promote their
commercial or political interests;
Because NGOs continue to face demands that pull them in many different directions and may
threaten their capacity and their independence as civil society actors; and
Because Codes of Conduct are a mechanism by which NGOs can ensure higher standards –
including greater transparency and accountability,
We, the accredited representatives of NGOs in Afghanistan, hereby voluntarily affix our signatures
to this Code of Conduct and commit our organisations to upholding the Principles of Conduct in
this Code.
Definitions
The Code of Conduct is a set of shared norms, principles and values that aims to enhance the
conduct and reputation of NGOs.
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Voluntary denotes free will on the part of the NGO as well as community partners.
Not-for-profit means that an NGO cannot distribute its assets, earnings or profits as such to any
person. However, there may be paid employees or activities generating revenue which will be used
solely for the stated purposes of the organisation.
Non-partisan and independent indicates that the NGO is controlled and directed by its governing
body, in keeping with its mandate and not by any other power or group.
Signatories are NGOs whose duly accredited representative has signed and accepted this Code
of Conduct.
Gender equality means that the different behaviour, aspirations, needs and rights of women
and men are considered, valued and favoured equally. It does not mean that women and men
have to become the same, but that their rights, responsibilities and opportunities will not depend
on whether they are born male or female.
Gender equity means fairness of treatment for women and men, according to their respective
needs. This may include equal treatment or treatment that is different but which is considered
equivalent in terms of rights, benefits, obligations and opportunities.
Capacity building is the process by which individuals, groups, organisations, institutions and
societies increase their abilities to:
1 perform core functions, solve problems, define and achieve objectives; and
2 understand and deal with their development needs in a broad context and in a sustainable
manner.
Humanitarian action includes those activities taken to prevent and alleviate human suffering
arising out of conflict, crisis and calamity, including any situation involving:
2 patterns of (gross) human rights or humanitarian law violations against civilians in conflict
and/or ongoing political crisis.
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• improved understanding of NGOs, their purposes and their accomplishments among the
general public, government, donors and the media;
• transparency, accountability and good management practices in the operation of NGOs by
voluntary self-regulation; and
• improved quality of services provided by NGOs by raising standards of conduct.
Principles of Conduct
1 Our organisations are people-centered
1.1 Focus on the people we serve: Our primary loyalty, accountability and responsibility is to
the people we serve. Our programmes are designed and developed in response to the
needs of the people.
1.2 Self-reliance and ownership: We seek to help people and communities to solve their own
problems. We encourage and enable the development of self-reliance and advance the
right of people to fully participate in decisions that affect their lives.
1.3 Human rights: We endeavour to respect, protect and promote the fulfilment of the human
rights and obligations of all Afghans in accordance with international law.
1.4 Trust: We work to build the trust of the communities with which we work.
1.5 Participation and non-discrimination: We involve men, women, youth and children of our
target communities to the greatest possible extent, engaging them in the conception,
implementation and evaluation of projects and programmes. We strive to ensure the
participation of marginalised groups in communities where we work.
1.6 Respect for local values: We respect the dignity and identity of the individual, and
acknowledge indigenous knowledge, culture, religious faith and values. This does not
mean that we support practices that undermine the human rights of any individual or
group.
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2.2 Sustainability: Whenever possible, our programmes seek durable solutions that are cost
effective, that build Afghan ownership and capacity, and that are driven by the long-term
development goals of communities.
2.3 Environmental impact: We exercise a responsible and responsive approach to the care
of the physical, natural environment and to the proper management of Afghanistan’s
ecosystems in all our activities.
2.4 Monitoring and evaluation: We monitor and evaluate the impact of our programmes and
share findings with relevant stakeholders, including the communities we serve, donors,
government and the general public.
3.2 Accountability: We develop and maintain sound financial policies, audits, and systems in
order to manage our accounts. We conform to the constitution, laws, rules and regulations
of the government of Afghanistan and where necessary, lobby for policy change. We are
truthful and honest in all matters related to raising, using and accounting for funds.
We maintain sound financial, accounting, procurement, transport and administrative
systems that ensure the use of resources in accordance with intended purposes.
4.2 Equal opportunity: We develop and apply written policies, rules and procedures that
affirm our commitment to equal opportunities in our employment practices and in the
promotion of staff.
4.3 Employment practices: We apply hiring and termination practices that respect the
freedom of choice of individuals and the human resource needs of other stakeholders.
We offer positions based on merit, pay appropriate salaries, allocate job responsibilities
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according to individual capacities, and demand adequate notice from employees and
provide adequate notice for terminations without cause.
4.4 No conflicts of interest: All our organisational transactions are free of conflicts of personal
and professional interest. The services of board members shall be given freely and
voluntarily, other than reimbursements for essential costs incurred during service.
5.2 Integrity: We refrain from internal and external practices that undermine the ethical
integrity of our organisations. We do not engage in theft, corrupt practices, nepotism,
bribery or trade in illicit substances. We accept funds and donations only from sources
whose aims are consistent with our mission, objectives and capacity, and which do not
undermine our independence and identity.
5.3 Cost effectiveness: We utilise the resources available to our organisations in order to
pursue our missions and strategic objectives in cost-effective ways. We strive to minimise
waste and unnecessary expense, and to direct all possible resources to the people we
serve.
6.3 Gender equity: We consider and value equally the different behaviour, aspirations, needs
and rights of women and men. This may include equal treatment or treatment that is
different but which is considered equivalent in terms of rights, benefits, obligations and
opportunities. Their rights, responsibilities and opportunities do not depend on whether
they are born male or female.
6.4 Non-discrimination against marginalised groups: Our human resource policies and
practices promote non-discriminatory recruitment, hiring, training and working practices,
and relationships.
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groups. We seek to include the underserved, the vulnerable, the marginalised and the
disabled in all our initiatives. We endeavour to strengthen the position of Afghan women
both within and outside our organisations.
7.2 Consultation: We design and implement projects in consultation with local communities
and the government because we are committed to the long-term sustainable development
of Afghanistan.
7.3 Sustainability: We design and facilitate projects so that services may be taken over by
target communities or by government bodies to enhance sustainability.
7.4 Human resources: In line with our policy of commitment to capacity building, we give
priority to Afghan nationals in our recruitment, hiring and training practices.
7.5 Physical and technical resources: We maximise the utilisation of locally available physical
and technical resources, where appropriate.
7.6 Appropriate technologies: We promote the use of appropriate technologies that can be
owned and maintained by communities.
8.2 Autonomy: We strive to maintain our autonomy according to Afghan and international
law, and to resist the imposition of conditionalities that may compromise our missions
and principles.
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9.3 Application of SPHERE: We are knowledgeable about the SPHERE Humanitarian Charter
and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response, and seek to apply these standards
and the SPHERE indicators in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of our
humanitarian projects and programs.
Code Observance
The Code Observance Committee
• The Code Observance Committee (hereafter called “the Committee”) shall be the
body ultimately responsible for promoting observance of the code.
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• The Committee shall nominate a Secretary who will manage the administrative
responsibilities of the Committee. Among other things, the Committee Secretary
shall:
• Receive all requests from NGOs to become Code signatories.
• Maintain files of public documents of signatories, and make those files available to
key stakeholders upon request.
• Request a signatory to provide a written report when implicated in alleged breach of
Principles of Conduct.
• Ensure that a signatory receives a copy of the complaint registered against it by the
person or group of persons who lodged the compliant.
• The Committee shall be engaged in awareness raising about the Code of Conduct
enshrined herein involving Signatories.
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Complaints
Any one person or group of persons may file a complaint or petition (supported by evidence) with
the Secretary of the Committee. A written compliant shall include the following:
• The name and address of the complainant;
• The name and address of the NGO or official against whom the petition is lodged;
• The circumstances in which the breach or violation of the Code is alleged to have
been committed; and
• Where possible, a reference to the Standard of Conduct that was allegedly
breached.
The Secretary shall open a file after receiving a fully documented complaint and shall immediately
share a copy of the complaint with all members of the Observance Committee.
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Scope of Application
The Principles of Conduct shall apply to all NGO signatories to this Code of Conduct working in
Afghanistan.
The Principles of Conduct shall apply to all officials and employees who act for and/or on behalf
of NGOs which have agreed to abide by this Code.
Revision of Code
Revision of the Code will require the approval of two-thirds of the representatives of the signatory
organisations.
The Committee may from time to time review and recommend changes to the Code to the
Coordination bodies.
1979-88: Immediately following the Soviet invasion, NGOs began programs to address the food,
shelter and health care needs of Afghan refugees in Pakistan. In the early 1980s NGOs initiated
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cross-border programs into Afghanistan to address the basic health and livelihood needs of those
Afghans in areas not under Soviet control. Cross-border programs working inside Afghanistan
included education by 1984 and agricultural and infrastructure projects commenced in 1986.
Throughout this period, “cash-for-food” projects sought to give Afghans in resistance-held areas
the resources they needed to remain inside Afghanistan. During the 1980s many NGOs were also
engaged in advocacy efforts to raise awareness in Western capitals about the plight of Afghans as
both victims of military aggression and refugees.
1988-95: By the late 1980s, NGOs had begun to implement development activities—using
development principles in a context of “chronic emergency” and political and security instability—
in addition to providing emergency assistance. The changed political context and increase in
resources for Afghanistan in the late 1980s led to a number of developments in the NGO sector.
The number of Afghan NGOs grew rapidly, support for Afghan capacity building increased, and
several NGO coordination bodies were formed, which focused on strengthening the accountability,
standards, and professionalism of the NGO community and on coordinating to increase impact and
reduce duplication of activities. During this period, many Afghan NGOs, and thousands of Afghans,
built their professional skills in NGO-led training institutions with support from international NGOs.
1996-2001: In the Taliban period, from 1996 to 2001, despite political restrictions, improved
security in many parts of the country enabled agencies to work directly with local communities
in remote rural areas. NGOs continued to coordinate closely with UN and donor agencies in
establishing programming priorities and setting out agreed principles for the promotion of coherent
and well-focused assistance to Afghans. The efforts of around twenty, mostly NGO organisations,
to develop an improved set of learning standards for Afghan children, typified the cooperative
approach during this period.
The severe drought from 1997-2001 exacerbated humanitarian need for many rural communities
and forced new waves of displacement into urban areas, internal camps and refugee camps in
Pakistan and Iran. While NGOs expanded their emergency activities to help these populations,
they also continued their development programs.
Late 2001-present: Following the events of September 11 2001, the working environment for
NGOs in Afghanistan changed dramatically. In 2002, the return to Afghanistan of large numbers
of refugees from neighboring countries required new emergency shelter and feeding programs.
Following the fall of the Taliban, NGOs have, in coordination with the transitional Afghan authorities,
increasingly sought to balance their emergency response work with longer-term reconstruction
and development initiatives. The advent of an internationally recognised Transitional Islamic State
of Afghanistan has provided NGOs the opportunity to rearticulate the role of humanitarian actors,
not as service contractors, but rather as mission-driven civil society organisations.
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Maps
Maps
The maps for the A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance are provided by the Afghan Geodesy and
Cartography Head Office (AGCHO, p. 3). These maps are only available in the hardcopy version of the
guide. They remain the property of AGCHO, which holds all copyright to these images.
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Provincial Profiles
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These profiles are a joint effort of the Ministry of Economy and the World Bank and build on the
earlier collaboration in producing “Poverty Status in Afghanistan: A Profile based on National Risk
and Vulnerability Assessment (NRVA 2007/8).” The selection of the indicators has been based
on: the analytical work from the Poverty Status report, the monitoring needs of the Ministry of
Economy, and on continuing analysis to better understand the sources of subnational differences
in wellbeing. This data has been used as it represents the most recent country-wide survey of
development indicators. The World Bank expects these indicators to provide provincial baselines
to be updated by future rounds of the NRVA.
The statistics presented highlight that development scenarios in Afghanistan vary significantly
from province to province. This is most starkly illustrated by the range in the prevalence of poverty,
which varies from nine percent in Helmand to 76 percent in Paktika. Large provincial disparities
are also found in other socio-economic domains presented, including health, gender, food security
and employment.
Another key theme which emerges from the provincial statistics is that the performance on different
indicators varies significantly within each province. Provinces that perform well in one dimension
are not necessarily equally successful in others. For instance, Helmand features favorably on the
indicators of poverty yet is among the worst in terms of the percentage of children enrolled in
school. Logar, which is the second poorest province in the country, has one of the highest child
immunisation rates.
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Provincial Profiles
AREU has presented only 30 of the 39 statistics compiled in the original World Bank Report, due
to limitations of space. Those excluded are:
Poverty and Inequality: Average consumption of the poor as percentage of the poverty line (%);
Gini coefficient of per capita total consumption.
Gender: Female share of active population (%); ratio of fully immunised girls to boys, aged 12–23
months.
Health: Access to skilled antenatal care during pregnancy (%); children aged 12-23 months with
no vaccinations (%).
For the full Provincial Briefs as prepared by the Ministry of Economy and the World Bank please
visit: http://www.worldbank.org.af/
Acknowledgements: These provincial briefs are the results of a joint effort by the Afghan
government, Ministry of Economy and the World Bank. AREU is very grateful for the copyright
permission that allows them to be presented here. The introductory text has been adapted from
the original.
Food Security
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Labour Market
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Education
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%)
Percentage of employed labour force that is engaged in agriculture and livestock-related activities.
Manufacturing, construction, mining and quarrying (%)
Percentage of employed labour force that is engaged in construction (including road construction),
manufacturing, and mining and quarrying.
Services (%)
Percentage of employed labour force that is engaged in transport and communication, retail and
wholesale trade, health, education, and other services.
Public administration/government (%)
Percentage of employed labour force that is engaged in jobs falling under the category of public
administration/government.
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Badakhshan
Area (sq km, ‘000) 44
Population (million) 0.9
Rural Population (%) 96
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 61
Badakhshan National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 24.1 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 1069 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) 6.9
6 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 57.1 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 133 133
Participation rate (%) 64.5 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 12 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 56.2 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 26.7 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 9.2 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 38.6 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) 21 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) 0 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 36.7 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 19.2 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 39.3 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 2.4 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 26.5 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 67.7 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 1.95 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 11.9 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.94 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 68.2 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 4.7 12.5
Services (%) 23.3 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 3.8 3.9
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Badghis
Area (sq km, ‘000) 20
Population (million) 0.5
Rural Population (%) 97
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 41.7
Badghis National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 8 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 1157 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) 2.2
4 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 16.8 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 96 133
Participation rate (%) 72.9 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 1.1 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 71.4 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 9.2 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 38.1 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 31.1 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) 17.1 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) 3.2 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 3.5 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 2.5 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 3.7 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 1.3 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 8.2 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 30.4 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 0.43 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 2.4 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.71 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 76.6 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 14.8 12.5
Services (%) 6.9 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 1.7 3.9
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Baghlan
Area (sq km, ‘000) 18
Population (million) 0.8
Rural Population (%) 80
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 18
Baghlan National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 3.4 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 1827 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) 10.7 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 6.9 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 133 133
Participation rate (%) 70.7 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 5.9 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 48 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 23.6 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 19.2 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 30 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) 25 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) .7
0 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 34.6 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 2 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 38.5 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 30 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 24.2 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 62.3 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 1.93 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 9.9 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.8 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 69.4 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 9.1 12.5
Services (%) 15.7 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 5.8 3.9
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Balkh
Area (sq km, ‘000) 16
Population (million) 1.2
Rural Population (%) 64
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 60.3
Balkh National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 17.4 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 1298 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) 3.8
5 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 44.5 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 129 133
Participation rate (%) 68 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 8.2 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 29.1 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 26.6 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 20.8 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 29.9 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) 28 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) 7.2 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 55.3 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 2.8 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 25.9 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 28.2 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 26.8 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 53.5 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 2 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 16.8 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.86 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 38.5 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 16.2 12.5
Services (%) 43.2 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 2.1 3.9
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Bamiyan
Area (sq km, ‘000) 18
Population (million) 0.4
Rural Population (%) 97
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 55.7
Bamiyan National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 14 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 1189 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) 9.2
2 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 13.8 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 135 133
Participation rate (%) 6.8
7 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 7.8 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 48.1 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 19.8 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 11.3 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 40.3 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) 14 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) .4
0 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 38.1 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 6 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 23.9 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 9.8 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 20.2 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 57.9 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 1.08 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 6.1 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.85 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 79.4 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 1.3 12.5
Services (%) 18.1 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 1.2 3.9
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Day Kundi
Area (sq km, ‘000) 17
Population (million) 0.4
Rural Population (%) 99
Poverty Rate (%) (nat.avg. 35.8%) 43.4
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Farah
Area (sq km, ‘000) 45
Population (million) 0.5
Rural Population (%) 93
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 12.2
Farah National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 2 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 1866 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) 25.2 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 4.6 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 151 133
Participation rate (%) 89.4 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 3.5 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 63.2 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 15.4 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 35.1 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 13.5 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) 15.8 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) 0.9 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 15.5 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 6.7 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 46.3 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 20.9 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 15.3 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 34 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 0.99 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 5.1 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.44 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 74.5 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 8.6 12.5
Services (%) 14.7 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 2.2 3.9
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Faryab
Area (sq km, ‘000) 21
Population (million) 0.9
Rural Population (%) 88
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 29.1
Faryab National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 5.6 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 1695 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) 4
2 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 6.6
1 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 132 133
Participation rate (%) 3.4
5 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 10.6 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 51 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 21.1 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 14.4 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 17.2 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) 23.9 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) 0.2 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 32.4 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 5.6 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 23.9 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 15.8 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 18.2 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 54.9 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 1.15 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 8.8 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.82 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 36.9 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 35.4 12.5
Services (%) 25.6 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 2.2 3.9
167
The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance
Ghazni
Area (sq km, ‘000) 22
Population (million) 1.1
Rural Population (%) 95
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 19
Ghazni National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 2.7 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 1656 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) 2.8
5 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 34.8 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 122 133
Participation rate (%) 69.6 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 6.2 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 82.7 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 32.6 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 20.1 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 62 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) 17.8 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) 0.2 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 72.4 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 3.2 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 28.8 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 10.6 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 30.8 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 54.5 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 1.91 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 8.8 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.53 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 77.8 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 3.4 12.5
Services (%) 17.9 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 0.9 3.9
168
Provincial Profiles
Ghor
Area (sq km, ‘000) 36
Population (million) 0.6
Rural Population (%) 99
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 44.2
Ghor National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 7.9 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 1228 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) 9.9
1 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 13.3 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 140 133
Participation rate (%) 94 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 0.5 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 14.8 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 26 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 37.4 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 30.2 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) 8.8 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) 0 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 30.7 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 2.4 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 8.2 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 3.3 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 25.2 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 46.8 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 0.5 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 6 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.75 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 87 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 7.1 12.5
Services (%) 5.6 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 0.4 3.9
169
The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance
Helmand
Area (sq km, ‘000) 57
Population (million) 0.9
Rural Population (%) 94
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 8.9
Helmand National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 0.9 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 1989 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) 19.5 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 3.1 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 148 133
Participation rate (%) 75.9 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 3.8 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 82.4 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 13.5 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 14.2 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 28.7 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) .3
3 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) 7.4 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 11.8 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 0.7 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 0.6 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 3.5 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 12 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 4 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 0.49 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 1.4 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.58 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 92.5 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 0.5 12.5
Services (%) 6.5 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 0.5 3.9
170
Provincial Profiles
Herat
Area (sq km, ‘000) 55
Population (million) 1.7
Rural Population (%) 72
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 38.7
Herat National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 8.2 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 1547 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) 4.7
2 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 23.6 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 137 133
Participation rate (%) 61.6 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 9.9 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 51.6 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 26.8 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 21.2 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 33.9 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) 28.2 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) 9.5 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 42 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 1.1 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 42.1 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 25.1 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 25.1 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 52.1 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 1.65 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 16.4 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.92 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 50.2 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 21.9 12.5
Services (%) 26.7 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 1.2 3.9
171
The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance
Jawzjan
Area (sq km, ‘000) 11
Population (million) 0.5
Rural Population (%) 79
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 14.5
Jawzjan National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 1.9 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 1746 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) .2
5 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 3.8 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 122 133
Participation rate (%) 65.7 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 17 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 11.4 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 14.2 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 9.4 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 20.6 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) 43.9 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) 1.5 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 43 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 24.9 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 59.5 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 20.5 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 15.9 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 45.5 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 1.15 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 8.5 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.69 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 36 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 37.1 12.5
Services (%) 23.3 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 3.6 3.9
172
Provincial Profiles
Kabul
Area (sq km, ‘000) 4
Population (million) 3.7
Rural Population (%) 17
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 23.1
Kabul National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 4.2 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 2743 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) 7.9
1 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 12.6 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 112 133
Participation rate (%) 6.6
4 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 10.7 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 18.9 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 55.4 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 7.2 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 32.4 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) 5.9
5 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) 17.2 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 85.7 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 0.1 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 70.3 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 73.4 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 46.8 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 65.2 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 4.98 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 30.2 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.79 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 16.5 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 16.9 12.5
Services (%) 50.1 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 16.4 3.9
173
The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance
Kandahar
Area (sq km, ‘000) 54
Population (million) 1.1
Rural Population (%) 66
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 22.8
Kandahar National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 3.6 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 2066 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) 29.5 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 6.8 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 149 133
Participation rate (%) 4.1
5 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 4.4 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 22.4 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 10.3 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 0.7 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 4.7 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) 32.3 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) 9.4 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 25.4 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 2.9 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 3.8 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 14 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 7.3 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 10.8 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 0.22 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 1.3 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.41 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 45.3 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 10.6 12.5
Services (%) 42.5 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 1.6 3.9
174
Provincial Profiles
Kapisa
Area (sq km, ‘000) 2
Population (million) 0.4
Rural Population (%) 100
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 21.5
Kapisa National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 3.1 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 1662 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) 2.9
3 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 13.1 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 137 133
Participation rate (%) 6.3
8 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 13.4 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 53 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 32.5 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 36.4 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 15.5 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) 15 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) 0 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 38.4 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 1.4 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 2.2 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 7.3 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 30.8 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 54.7 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 2.49 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 11.1 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.57 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 77.7 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 6.1 12.5
Services (%) 8.5 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 7.7 3.9
175
The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance
Khost
Area (sq km, ‘000) 4
Population (million) 0.5
Rural Population (%) 98
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 47.9
Khost National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 9.4 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 1255 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) 4.6
5 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 31.9 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 160 133
Participation rate (%) 85.3 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 8.6 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 47.7 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 13.8 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 5.6 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 11 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) 34.6 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) 1 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 26.1 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 0.3 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 61.4 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 31.9 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 15.3 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 36.7 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 1.24 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 1.1 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.24 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 65 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 7.9 12.5
Services (%) 25.9 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 1.3 3.9
176
Provincial Profiles
Kunar
Area (sq km, ‘000) 5
Population (million) 0.4
Rural Population (%) 97
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 62
Kunar National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 16.4 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 1085 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) 9.7
3 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 20.7 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 152 133
Participation rate (%) 1.3
6 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 4.9 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 49.4 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 20.5 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 4 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 30.2 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) 55.5 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) 4.1 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 40.5 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 2 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 52 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 12.9 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 19.8 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 44.3 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 1.71 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 2.7 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.65 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 64.9 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 18.3 12.5
Services (%) 11.8 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 5 3.9
177
The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance
Kunduz
Area (sq km, ‘000) 8
Population (million) 0.9
Rural Population (%) 76
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 29.7
Kunduz National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 5.3 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 1511 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) 1.4
2 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 10.6 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 136 133
Participation rate (%) 73.7 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 8.3 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 63.3 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 19.7 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 21.6 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 43.1 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) 16.1 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) 0.1 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 32 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 1.2 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 33.1 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 22.1 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 19.7 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 49.7 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 1.49 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 9.2 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.77 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 58.2 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 21.9 12.5
Services (%) 18.1 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 1.8 3.9
178
Provincial Profiles
Laghman
Area (sq km, ‘000) 4
Population (million) 0.4
Rural Population (%) 99
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 66.8
Laghman National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 18.5 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 987 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) 8.2
6 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 46.2 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 144 133
Participation rate (%) 69.5 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 2.2 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 78.7 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 28.3 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 32.2 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 22.3 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) 34.2 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) 0.4 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 41.3 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 0.9 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 10.9 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 36.4 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 25.6 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 52.4 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 2.25 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 7.3 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.66 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 64.7 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 20.3 12.5
Services (%) 14 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 1 3.9
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The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance
Logar
Area (sq km, ‘000) 5
Population (million) 0.4
Rural Population (%) 98
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 75
Logar National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 14.7 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 1082 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) 1.9
5 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 16.1 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 135 133
Participation rate (%) 66.7 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 8.5 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 64.3 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 36.3 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 9.2 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 7.7 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) 14 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) 0 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 32.3 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 0.4 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 82.5 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 73 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 30.3 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 45.3 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 2.65 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 3.1 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.27 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 65.1 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 8.1 12.5
Services (%) 20.8 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 6.1 3.9
180
Provincial Profiles
Nangarhar
Area (sq km, ‘000) 8
Population (million) 1.4
Rural Population (%) 86
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 33
Nangarhar National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 7 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 1550 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) 13.5 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 5.8 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 144 133
Participation rate (%) 59.8 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 1.6 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 54.9 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 25.8 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 19.6 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 27.2 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) 23.5 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) 6.2 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 33.3 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 0.6 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 57.2 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 28.5 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 22.8 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 49 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 2.04 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 6.9 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.67 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 53.7 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 19.6 12.5
Services (%) 23.3 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 3.4 3.9
181
The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance
Nimroz
Area (sq km, ‘000) 42
Population (million) 0.2
Rural Population (%) 84
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 24.5
Nimroz National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 4.1 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 1929 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) 33.8 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 3.5 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 159 133
Participation rate (%) 8.4
8 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 10.5 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 54.4 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 16.5 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 28.3 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 6.6 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) 12.2 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) 8.1 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 28 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 8.9 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 32.6 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 22.1 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 16.7 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 45 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 1.27 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 9.6 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.62 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 55.9 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 11 12.5
Services (%) 31 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 2.2 3.9
182
Provincial Profiles
Nuristan
Area (sq km, ‘000) 9
Population (million) 0.1
Rural Population (%) 100
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 49.8
Nuristan National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 11.7 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 1201 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) 6.7
2 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 13.8 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 8
9 133
Participation rate (%) 79 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 5.1 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 55.3 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 15.7 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 27.9 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 14.9 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) .3
9 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) 0.3 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 53.2 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 10.9 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 1.3 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 1.9 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 14.1 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 31.6 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 0.84 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 2.8 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.9 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 92.2 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 2.9 12.5
Services (%) 2.6 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 2.2 3.9
183
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Paktia
Area (sq km, ‘000) 6
Population (million) 0.5
Rural Population (%) 96
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 60.6
Paktia National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 13.2 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 1142 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) 7.4
5 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 32.9 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 140 133
Participation rate (%) 85.3 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 8 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 49.6 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 10.5 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 2.1 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 9.9 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) 17 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) 1 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 14 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 0.4 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 50.8 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 22.5 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 11.5 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 29.7 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 0.77 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 1.2 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.22 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 59.9 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 6.8 12.5
Services (%) 32.1 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 1.3 3.9
184
Provincial Profiles
Paktika
Area (sq km, ‘000) 19
Population (million) 0.4
Rural Population (%) 99
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 76.1
Paktika National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 21.5 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 950 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) 29.2 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 11.2 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 137 133
Participation rate (%) 80.8 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 4 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 60.7 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 30.6 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 27.4 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 22 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) 35.9 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) 1.3 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 5.1 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 0.9 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 15.8 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 3 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 27 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 23.5 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 0.85 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 4.3 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.29 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 70.6 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 11.9 12.5
Services (%) 16.9 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 0.6 3.9
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Panjshir
Area (sq km, ‘000) 4
Population (million) 0.1
Rural Population (%) 100
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 22.6
Panjshir National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 3.5 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 1751 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) 28.5 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 13 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 141 133
Participation rate (%) 3.7
8 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 14.3 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 50.4 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 29 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 37.8 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 18 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) 11.2 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) 0.6 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 48.1 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 2.8 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 3.9 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 7.4 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 27.5 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 54.1 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 2.24 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 8.5 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.56 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 76.1 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 6.5 12.5
Services (%) 9.5 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 7.9 3.9
186
Provincial Profiles
Parwan
Area (sq km, ‘000) 6
Population (million) 0.6
Rural Population (%) 91
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 18.9
Parwan National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 2.6 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 1779 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) 14.5 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 9.5 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 134 133
Participation rate (%) 59.6 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 7.1 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 37.3 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 33.3 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 15.4 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 30.5 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) 18.4 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) 1.3 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 38.1 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 0.9 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 50.1 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 19.8 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 27 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 46.5 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 1.92 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 10.1 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.38 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 68.3 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 7.8 12.5
Services (%) 19.6 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 4.3 3.9
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Samangan
Area (sq km, ‘000) 13
Population (million) 0.4
Rural Population (%) 93
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 55.1
Samangan National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 13 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 1188 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) 9.7
2 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 16.2 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 131 133
Participation rate (%) 7.2
5 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 18.5 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 60.8 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 27.9 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 10.1 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 45.3 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) 15.1 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) 0.5 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 28.3 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 4.6 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 37.3 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 20.2 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 23 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 45.7 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 1.35 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 8.8 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.7 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 50.2 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 8.8 12.5
Services (%) 38.7 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 2.3 3.9
188
Provincial Profiles
Sar-i-Pul
Area (sq km, ‘000) 16
Population (million) 0.5
Rural Population (%) 92
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 24.7
Sar-i-Pul National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 3.3 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 1532 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) .7
5 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 3.9 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 135 133
Participation rate (%) 60 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 18.1 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 11.6 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 10 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 3.9 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 19.4 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) 10.4 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) 0 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 55.7 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 2.5 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 70.8 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 6.7 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 8.9 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 33.4 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 0.44 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 2.9 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.66 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 59.1 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 17 12.5
Services (%) 21.3 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 2.6 3.9
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Takhar
Area (sq km, ‘000) 12
Population (million) 0.9
Rural Population (%) 87
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 36.6
Takhar National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 7.8 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 1533 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) 5.5
2 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 15.1 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 145 133
Participation rate (%) 5.6
7 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 13.4 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 63.5 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 15.9 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 11.1 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 25.3 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) 27.4 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) 1.9 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 17.4 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 3.5 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 16.4 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 13.6 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 16.7 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 48.7 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 1.22 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 6.8 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.8 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 73 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 7 12.5
Services (%) 18.3 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 1.6 3.9
190
Provincial Profiles
Uruzgan
Area (sq km, ‘000) 11
Population (million) 0.3
Rural Population (%) 97
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 40.8
Uruzgan National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 5.8 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 1464 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) 20.8 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 7.8 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 137 133
Participation rate (%) 7.5
9 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 0.7 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 23.9 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 9 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 96 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 77.4 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) 17.4 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) 0 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 0.3 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 4.3 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 0 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 0 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 9 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 2 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 0.06 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 1.2 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.41 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 52.7 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 0.8 12.5
Services (%) 46.4 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 0.1 3.9
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Wardak
Area (sq km, ‘000) 10
Population (million) 0.5
Rural Population (%) 99
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 59.9
Wardak National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 11.4 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 1185 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) 2.6
4 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 12.9 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 143 133
Participation rate (%) 4.3
7 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 8.5 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 70.9 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 35.2 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 11.3 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 6.4 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) 8.4 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) 0 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 49.4 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 0.6 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 76 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 60.3 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 31.5 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 51.4 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 2.47 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 1.2 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.38 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 75.7 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 5.3 12.5
Services (%) 12.7 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 6.3 3.9
192
Provincial Profiles
Zabul
Area (sq km, ‘000) 17
Population (million) 0.3
Rural Population (%) 96
Poverty Rate (%) (nat. avg. 35.8%) 37.4
Zabul National
Poverty
Depth of poverty (%) 6.5 7.9
Per capita monthly consumption (Afs) 1745 1672
Food Security
Calorie deficiency (% consuming less than 2100 calories per day) 16.9 29.2
Protein deficiency (% consuming less than 50g of protein per day) 7.4 17.4
Labour Market
Age dependency ratio 122 133
Participation rate (%) 86.4 66.5
Unemployment rate (%) 3 7.9
Underemployment rate (%) 58.5 48.2
Literate labour force (%) 19.2 25.8
Child labour rate (% of children aged 6-15 engaged in work) 51.2 17.9
Households containing a person with a mild disability (%) 25.9 28.4
Access to Health Services and Infrastructure
Safe drinking water (% of households) 31.9 26.8
Sanitary toilet (% of households) 0 4.9
Electricity (% of households) 4.4 41.1
Average distance to nearest drivable road (km) 1.7 3.1
Full immunisation rate among children, aged 12-23 months (%) 0 36.7
Births attended by skilled attendants (%) 4.9 25.0
Education
Literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 18.6 25.0
Enrollment rate (% aged 6-12) 5.2 46.3
Average years of schooling, aged 18 and over 0.43 1.95
Female literacy rate (% aged 16 and over) 1.2 11.4
Girls to boys enrollment ratio, aged 6-12 0.09 0.69
Sectors of Employment
Agriculture (%) 94.3 59.1
Manufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction (%) 0.5 12.5
Services (%) 4.3 24.6
Public administration/government (%) 0.9 3.9
193
Contacts
Contacts: Contents
Provincial Contacts: Contents..........................................................................................................196
About this section........................................................................................................................197
Kabul Province.............................................................................................................................198
Other Provinces...........................................................................................................................245
Pakistan.......................................................................................................................................306
Provincial Media Guide: Contents....................................................................................................307
About this section........................................................................................................................308
Kabul Media Guide......................................................................................................................309
Other Provinces ..........................................................................................................................318
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Contacts
The information in this directory was updated between November 2011 and January 2012, with
occasional updates and additions made throughout the year. However, addresses, phone numbers
and email contacts constantly change as organisations relocate and staff turn over. The accuracy
of this list relies on the voluntary contributions of the organisations listed, which are encouraged
to send any additions or changes to areu@areu.org.af. Organisations can also request that their
addresses be omitted.
All organisations’ contact details are listed by province. Kabul Province is listed first, with the
remaining provinces following in alphabetical order. Afghanistan-related contacts in Pakistan are
listed at the end. Within each section, contacts are listed alphabetically by the full title of the
organisation.
No distinction is made between mobile, satellite and digital phone lines. Afghan numbers
beginning with 070 or 079 indicate mobile lines, 0088 indicate satellite lines, and all others
indicate digital or ground lines. Numbers in Pakistan (beginning with 0092) are listed as dialled
from Afghanistan. When calling Afghanistan from other countries, the country code is +93 and the
beginning zero should be dropped.
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Contacts: Kabul Province
shafi_w62@yahoo.com Kabul
Web: www.ariseproject.org/ Phone: 0700229975
www.afghanceneter.org 0700280140
Program Manager: Atta Mohammad 0700291120
Email: aecc@afghanmmcc.org
Afghan Center for Socio-economic & Opinion Web: www.afghanmmcc.org
Research (ACSOR) Director: David Mason
Hs. 217, St. 2, District 10, Qala-i-
Fatullah, Kabul Afghan Friend & Cooperation Organisation
Phone: 0799328714 (AFCO)
0799620639 First St. Karte Char, next to Power
Email: matthew.warshaw@acsor-surveys. Station, Kabul
com Phone: 0799003387
Ihsan.atai@acsor-surveys.com 0700661923
Web: www.acsor-surveys.com Email: liala_masm@yahoo.com
Managing Director: Matt Warshaw afco1388@gmail.com
Director: Laila Masjidi
Afghan Civil Society Forum-organization
(ACSFO) Afghan General Help Coordination Office
Hs. 48, Shahr-Ara-Watt (opp. (AGHCO)
Malalai Maternity Hospital), Hs. 21242, St. 33, Charahi
Shahr-i-Naw, Kabul Panjsad Family, Part 3, Khair
Phone: 0793559424 Khana, Kabul
Email: pr@acsf.af PO Box 994
info@acsf.af Phone: 0700601534
Web: www.acsf.af/www.acsf-rc.com 0799800270
Executive Director: Aziz Rafiee 0700208534
Email: aghco_kbl@yahoo.com
Afghan Community Development Organization aghco_kbl@hotmail.com
(ACDO) Director: Mohammad Mahboob
Opp. Panshir Watt, next to Khair
Khana Oil Station, Kabul Afghan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office
Children’s Academy School, (AGCHO)
Projayee Jaded, District 11, Khair Pashtunistan Watt, Kabul
Khana, Kabul Phone: 0700264955
Phone: 0700281991 Email: karimi_agcho@yahoo.com
0778821063 faizm_2006@yahoo.com
0787873188 eng-faiz@hotmail.com
Email: acdo1232003@yahoo.com Web: www.agcho.org
acdo_ngo@yahoo.com Head of Meta Data: Mohammad Karim Karimi
Executive Director: Gul Waiz Kaka
Afghan Health and Development Services
Afghan Educational Children Circus (AECC) (AHDS)
Darulaman Rd., St. 2 on the right Hs. 4, 2nd St. South of Qasimi
after Habibia High School (behind Group, District 4, Kabul
Khoja Mulla mosque), Karte See, PO Box 53
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Contacts: Kabul Province
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0700281415 0783636707
0700276440 Email: info@ahrdo.org
Email: waheed@acku.edu.af Director: Hadi Marefat
shaakib@acku.edu.af
Web: www.acku.edu.af Afghanistan Human Rights Organization (AHRO)
Executive Director: Abdul Waheed Wafa Hs. 41, St. 10, Paikob-i-Naswar,
Qala-i-Fatullah, Kabul
Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Phone: 0700203866
Industries (ACCI) 0799672404
Chamane Hozori (next to Kabul Email: ahro98@yahoo.com
Nandary), Kabul ahro.lal@gmail.com
PO Box 233 Web: www.ahro.af
Phone: 0799462388 Chairman: Lal Gul Lal
0799810184
0752025854 Afghanistan Independent Bar Association (AIBA)
Fax: 0776100166 St 3, opp. entrance gate of
Email: info@acci.org.af Fathmia Mosque beside Madina
ceo@acci.org.af Bazaar, Qala-i-Fatullah, Kabul
Web: www.acci.org.af Phone: 0700223595
Chief Executive Officer: Mohammad Qurban Haqjo 0799721469
0700203250
Afghanistan Civil Service Institute (ACSI) Email: president@aiba.af
Afshar (near Silo), Afshar, Kabul rqarizada@yahoo.com
Phone: 0752040632 Web: www.aiba.af
Email: moe_farhad@yahoo.com President: Rohullah Qarizada
Director: Farhad Osmani
Afghanistan Independent Human Rights
Afghanistan Development Association Commission (AIHRC)
(ADA) Pul-i-Surkh, Karte See, Kabul
Hs. 264 & 265, Kabul River Bank PO Box 829
Rd., Pul-i-Surkh, Karte Char, Kabul Phone: 0202500676
PO Box 199 0794631816
Phone: 0799202173 Fax: 0093202500677
0799566902 Email: mahmodi@aihrc.org.af
0700319291 aihrc@aihrc.org.af
Fax: 0776100170 Web: www.aihrc.org.af
Email: ada.headoffice@ada.org.af Regional Programme Manager: Shamsullah
rahatullah.naeem@ada.org.af Ahmadzai
Web: www.ada.org.af
Managing/Country Director: Rahatullah Naeem Afghanistan Information Management Services
(AIMS)
Afghanistan Human Rights and Democracy Behind Ghazi High School Jamal
Organization (AHRDO) Mena, District 3, Kabul
Opp. Finest Supermarket, Surayi PO Box 5906
Ghazni, Pul-i-Surkh, Kabul Phone: 0700221043
Phone: 0785117217 0786011556
202
Contacts: Kabul Province
0700248827 wood2samt@yahoo.com
Email: info@aims.org.af Web: www.anso.af
abdul.majeed@aims.org.af Administrator: Ali Jafari
Web: www.aims.org.af
Acting Executive Director: Abdul Walid Rahimi Afghanistan Parliamentary Assistance Project
(APAP)
Afghanistan Insurance Authority (AIA) Hs. 537 B, St. 8, Shura St., (next to
Ministry of Finance, Pashtunistan Parliament) Darulaman Rd.,
Watt, Kabul District 6, Karte See, Kabul
Phone: 0752005431 Phone: 0799105665
0783181400 0797076027
0700184173 0796700660
Email: baryalai_barekzai@yahoo.com Email: dbowen@sunyaf.org
baryalai.barkzai@mof.gov.af info@sunyaf.org
Web: www.mof.gov.af Web: www.sunyaf.org
Adminstrator: Baryalai Barekzai Chief of Party: Diana L. Bowen
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Contacts: Kabul Province
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Contacts: Kabul Province
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Contacts: Kabul Province
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Contacts: Kabul Province
0776393202 Kabul
Email: ertebatteam@yahoo.com Phone: 0799329275
yonos_akhtar@yahoo.com 0777329275
Director: Yunus Akhtar 0774399841
Email: salimee_coarntw2009@yahoo.
Concern Worldwide (CWW) com
Hs. 471, St. 4, Qala-i-Fatullah, coar_kbl@yahoo.com
Kabul Web: www.coar.org.af
Phone: 0799489507 Director General: Mohammad Naeem Salimee
Email: fiona.mclysaght@concern.net
Web: www.concern.net Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (CHA)
Country Director: Fiona Mclysaght In front of National Security
Training Facility, Charahi Qambar
Cooperation Center for Afghanistan (CCA) Rd., Jem Part, District 5, Khushal
Hs. 150, St. 1, Dehboori Square, in Khan Mina, Kabul
front of Car Exhibition, Dehboori, Phone: 0700291722
Kabul 0799446055
PO Box 26 Email: abbasy@cha-net.org
Phone: 0700294693 info@cha-net.org
Email: ccakabul@hotmail.com Web: www.cha-net.org
ahmadi.cca@gmail.com Managing Director: Ghulam Yahya Abbasy
Web: www.cca.org.af
Programme Director: Sayed Abdullah Ahmadi Counterpart International (CPI)
3rd st. on the right, 2nd hs. on the
Cooperation for Peace and Development left, Kolola Pushta, Charahi Ansari,
(CPD) Shahr-i-Naw, Kabul
Phone: 0778585890 Phone: 0700154933
0700177740 Email: info@counterpart-afg.org
Email: cpd.afg@gmail.com counterpart.ipacs@gmail.com
Web: www.cpdo.blog.af Web: www.counterpart-afg.org
General Director: Abdul Sami Zhman
Country Development Unit (CDU)
Cooperation for Peace and Unity (CPAU) Hs. 20, (behind Mohib Zadah
Hs. 997, St. 2, Behind German DK Market, opp. Cinema Barikot), Deh
Clinic, Kolola Pushta Rd., Charahi Mazang, Kabul
Ansari, Kabul PO Box 5510
PO Box 13032 Phone: 0700276411
Phone: 0798102521 0700244314
Email: idrees.zaman@cpau.org.af 0700244299
Web: www.cpau.org.af Email: cduafghan@yahoo.com
Managing Director: idrees.zaman@cpau.org.af cdcafghan@gmail.com
Web: www.cduafghan.org
Coordination of Afghan Relief (CoAR)
Director: Abdul Qader
Hs. 373, St. 5, Ariana TV Lane,
opposite Abdul Ali Mustaghni
School, Darulaman Rd., Karte See,
211
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Contacts: Kabul Province
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Contacts: Kabul Province
Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
St. 15, Wazir Akbar Khan, Kabul MoI Rd., Malalai Watt, Shahr-i-
Phone: 0202304296 Naw, Kabul
0794500515 Phone: 0700286641
0788702359 0798002178
Email: egypt_kabul@mfa.gov.eg Email: kab@minbuza.nl
Ambassador: Majed Abdel-Rahman mary.sarwary@minbuza.nl
Web: www.minbuza.nl
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany Ambassador: Radinck Van Vollenhoven
Mena 6, Wazir Akbar Khan, Kabul
PO Box 83 Embassy of the People’s Republic of China
Phone: 0202101512/3 Shah Mahmood Ghazi Watt, Kabul
0202101514/5 Phone: 0202102545
Fax: 00870793188396 0202102728
Email: info@kabul.diplo.de Fax: 0202102728
Web: www.kabul.diplo.de Email: chinaemb_af@mfa.gov.cn
Ambassador: Konig Rudiger Ambassador: Xu Feinong
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Contacts: Kabul Province
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Contacts: Kabul Province
emadudien.wejdan@giz.de eshaqf@globalrights.org
Web: www.bepafg.com Web: www.globalrights.org
Head of Programme: Ruediger Blumoer Country Director: Justine M Babazi
Global Partnership for Afghanistan (GPFA) Government Media and Information Centre
Hs. 128, St. 15, Lane 2 (on the (GMIC)
left), Wazir Akbar Khan, Kabul Council of Ministers Building,
Phone: 0799055497 across from the Ministry of Foreign
0798288621 Affairs, Shah Mahmood Khan St.,
Email: rhardister@gpfa.org Malek Asghar Area, Kabul
jahmad@gpfa.org Phone: 0202302817
Web: www.gpfa.org 0700239625
Executive Director: Roger Hardister Email: info@gmic.gov.af
ali.faizi@gmic.gov.af
Global Point Afghanistan (GPA) Web: www.gmic.gov.af
St. 2, Pul Khoshk, District 13, Director: Abdul Hakim Ashir
Kabul
Phone: 0794854030 Green Organization of Afghanistan (GOA)
Email: gpa_org@yahoo.com Shaheed Mazari St., Pul Khushk
Web: www.globalpointafghanistan.org Square, next to Masjid Jafariee
President: Fariba Furmuly Batoorian, Dasht-i-Barchi, Kabul
Phone: 0799174419
Global Rights - Partners for Justice (GR) 0786177221
Hs. 200, St. 3, Charah-i-Ansari, Email: mz_mehboob@yahoo.com
(Across from German Clinic), Director: Zahir Maboob
Shahr-i-Naw, Kabul
Phone: 0700218399 Green Step (GS)
0797753955 Hs. 5 left, Shirkat St., Darulaman
0782900290 Main Rd., opp. Habibia High
Email: justinm@glboalrights.org School, Kabul
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Contacts: Kabul Province
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IbnSina Public Health Programme for Information Management and Mine Action
Afghanistan (PHPA) Programs (IMMAP)
Ahmad Shah Baba Mina, District Phone: 0794937621
12, Kabul Email: afghanistan@immap.org
Phone: 0799144259 Web: www.immap.org
Email: drsahak@yahoo.co.uk Regional Representative: Craig von Hagen
Country Director: Habibullah Sahak
Institute for War & Peace Reporting (IWPR)
Independent Administrative Reform and Civil Opp. Salim Karwan Plaza, west of
Services Commission (IARCSC) Salim Karwan Square, 2nd lane on
Prime Minister’s Compound (in the left, Kabul
front of Ministry of Foreign Phone: 0700 025 635
Affairs), Shah Mahmood Ghazi Email: noorrahman@iwpr.net
Watt, Kabul Web: www.iwpr.net
PO Box 5241 Country Director: Noorrahman Rahmani
Phone: 0700618888
0799435956 Integrity Watch Afghanistan (IWA)
Email: ahmad.moshahed@csc.gov.af Hs. 61, Commendan Gada St.
mamoon_af@yahoo.com (Opp. Municipality Blocks), Kolola
Web: www.iarcsc.gov.af Pushta, Kabul
Chairman: Ahmad Mushahid Phone: 0799271624
0785430765
Independent Directorate of Local Governance Email: yama.torabi@iwaweb.org
(IDLG) karolina.olofsson@iwaweb.org
Ariana Square (beside the Italian Web: www.iwaweb.org
Embassy), District 9, Kabul Director: Yama Torabi
Phone: 0799300019
202104703 International Assistance Mission (IAM)
Email: obaid.ekhlas@idlg.gov.af Hs. 472, St. 7, Karte See, Kabul
obaidekhlas@yahoo.com PO Box 625
Web: www.idlg.gov.af Phone: 0202501185
Executive Officer to Deputy Minister for Policy: 0700394390
Obaidullah Ekhlas Email: ea@iam-afghanistan.org
Web: www.iam-afghanistan.org
Independent Humanitarian Services Association Executive Director: Dirk Frans
(IHSAN)
Hs. 44/45, St. 2, Project Taimani, International Center for Agricultural Research in
Taimani, Kabul the Dry Areas (ICARDA)
Phone: 0799328597 Hs. 165, near Baharistan Cinema,
0700283813 in front of Power Distribution
0777603010 Station, First Section, Karte
Email: ihsan_org@yahoo.com Parwan, Kabul
Web: www.ihsan.org PO Box 1355
Director: Raz Mohammad Phone: 0700195523
0799216322
0799216324
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Contacts: Kabul Province
ISAF Joint Command Public Affairs Office Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
Phone: 0799513999 PO Box 461, Kabul
0701132000 Phone: 0700095505
Email: ijc.media.operations@afghan.swa. 0700502884
army.mil Email: an_oso_rep@jica.go.jp
Web: www.jica.go.jp
ISAF Public Affairs Office Resident Representative: Yoshikazu Yamada
Military Sports Club, Great
Massoud Rd., Kabul Japanese International Friendship and Welfare
Phone: 0700132266 Foundation (JIFF)
0799511713 Near Russian Embassy,
Email: pressoffice@hq.isaf.nato.int Darulaman Rd., Ayub Khan Mina,
Web: www.isaf-jq/nato.int Kabul
Phone: 0700276765
Islah Daily Government (IDG) 0700293512
Azady Printing Press Building, 3rd Email: jiff02_kbl@yahoo.com
Microyan, District 9, Kabul Director: Dr. Asghar Ahmadyar
Phone: 0799430214
0700232558 Jhpiego, an affiliate of Johns Hopkins University
Email: islah.daily@gmail.com Hs. 113, St. 3, beside the German
Chief in Editor: Ahmad Zaman Kulmani Clinic, District 4, Ansari Watt,
Shahr-i-Naw, Kabul
Islamic Relief – Afghanistan (IRA) Phone: 0799779448
Hs. 1082, St. J Area, Qalai-i- Email: dbyrd@jhpiego.net
Fatullah, Kabul nansari@jhpiego.net
Phone: 0798098122 Web: www.jhpiego.net
0700278097 Jhpiego Country Director and HSSP Chief of
0202202000 Party: Denise Byrd
Fax: 0202202000
Email: cd@ir-afg.org Johanniter International Assistance (JIA)
info@ir-afg.org Hs. 115, St. 2 (opp. Uzbekistan
Web: www.islamic-relief.com Embassy), Karte See, Kabul
www.irafghanistan.org Phone: 0797138908
Country Director: Fadlullah Wilmot 0707421218
Email: sarder.jahangir@thejohanniter.org
Italian Development Cooperation Office (IC) Web: www.thejohanniter.org
Great Massoud Rd., Kabul Country Director: Sarder Jahangir
Phone: 0202104751
0797474745 Johns Hopkins University Afghanistan Office
0797474746 (JHSPH)
Fax: 00930202104752 Hs. 111, St. 3, beside German
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Contacts: Kabul Province
Email: n.ayubi@tkg.af Legal & Cultural Services for Afghan Women &
n.ayubi@dhsa.af Children (LCSAWC)
Web: www.tkg.af International Airport St., Qala-i-Wakil
Managing Director:Najiba Ayubi Clinic Rd., Bibi Mahro, Kabul
Phone: 0700222042
Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) Email: parwanma@yahoo.com
Hs. 291, St. 10, Wazir Akbar Khan, Director: Parwanma Yousof
Kabul
Phone: 0700224800 Management Sciences for Health (MSH)
Email: banwal.abdulbaqi@kas.de Hs. 124, Darulaman Rd., Ayub
babak.khalatbari@kas.de Khan Mina, Kabul
Web: www.kas.de Phone: 0700269559
Director: Babak Khalatbari 0798848944
Email: hburhani@msh.org
Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Web: www.msh.org
Hs. 525, St. 11, Wazir Akbar Khan, Executive Assistant to the Chief of Party:
Kabul Muhammad Haroon Burhani
Phone: 0202302936
0700276772 Marie Stopes International (MSI)
0700157989 Hs. 220, St. 4, Haji Mula Avenue,
Fax: 0202302937 District 6, Karte See, Kabul
Email: bhlee@koica.go.kr PO Box 5858
ezat@koica.go.kr Phone: 0799329092
Web: www.koica.go.kr 0787889500
Resident Representative: Lee Byunj Hwa 0784299861
Fax: 0775101020
Kunduz Rehabilitation Agency (KRA) Email: pd@msi-afg.org
Behind Shadab Zafar blocks, admin@msi-afg.org
District 5, Kushal Khan Mina, Web: www.mariestopes.org
Kabul Country Director: Farhad Javeed
Phone: 0777876015
Email: aqtash08@gmail.com MEDAIR
kra_afg@yahoo.com Hs. 5, St. 1, Taimani Old Square,
Contact Person: Aqtash behind Qasemi Win Hs. (west),
District 4, Taimani, Kabul
Law and Order Trust Fund for Afghanistan PO Box 5951
(LOTFA) Phone: 0799017057
Inside Ministry of Interior (MOI), 008821652030334
Shahr-i-Naw, Kabul Email: cd-afg@medair.org
Phone: 0799143499 hrm-afg@medair.org
0700277084 Web: www.medair.org
0202203245 Human Resources Manager: Amanda Scannell
Email: info@lotfa.org.af
Web: www.lotfa.org.af Medecins du Monde – France (MdM-F)
Project Manager: Sandeep Kumar Hs. 520, Shura St., in front of
Kateb Institute of Higher
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Contacts: Kabul Province
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Contacts: Kabul Province
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Contacts: Kabul Province
National Centre for Policy Research/Partner of National Rural Access Program (NRAP)
Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (NCPR) Block 1, 4th Floor, Ministry of
Kabul University, Jamal Mina, Public Works, Macroyan 1, Kabul
Kabul Phone: 0202301871
Phone: 0202500390 0799306173
0202500391 Email: info@nrap.org
Email: ncpr@ceretechs.com salim@nrap.org
admin@ncpr.af Web: www.nrap.gov.af
Web: www.ncpr.af Coordinator: Abdul Sattar Salim
Director: Hamidullah Noor Ebad
National Solidarity Programme (NSP)
National Democratic Institute for International Tashkilat St., Darulaman Rd.,
Affairs (NDI) Kabul
Hs. 159, Khuja Mullah St., Sector Phone: 0700306314
3, District 6, Karte See, Kabul 0799234170
Phone: 0796073459 0799572144
0796355987 Email: tariq.ismati@nspafghanistan.org
Email: hbamehriz@ndi.org a.rahman@nspafghanistan.org
jdonahue@ndi.org Web: www.nspafghanistan.org
Web: www.ndi.org Executive Director: Mohammad Tariq Ismati
Senior Country Director: Hatem Mubarak
Bamehriz National Solidarity Programme (Provincial
Management Unit) (NSP/PMU)
National Environmental Protection Agency Charahi Karte Char, St. 3, between
(NEPA) Soria and Rabia Balkhi High
Parwan-i-Do Square, Kabul School, Kabul
Phone: 0777164946 Phone: 0799178294
0752017623 0700201309
0700144949 Email: kabul@nspafghanistan.org
Email: dr.naseemi@nepa.org.af Web: www.nspafghanistan.org
khalidnaseemi@hotmail.com Provincial Manager: Nazar Mohammad Omari
Web: www.nepa.gov.af
Head of Office: Mohammad Khalid Naseemi NATO Senior Civilian Representative’s Office
ISAF Headquarters, Great
National Radio Television of Afghanistan (RTA) Massoud Rd, Kabul
Massoud Square, Kabul Email: medley.michael@hq.nato.int
PO Box 544 Kabul main post office Contact Person: Michael Medley
Phone: 02023107287
0799321823 Network for Afghan Women List (NAW)
Email: fr_rta@yahoo.com Email: info@funders-afghan-women.org
panjshiriar@yahoo.com Web: www.funders-afghan-women.org
Director of International Relations: Eng. List Administrator: Lauryn Oates
Abdurahman Panjshiri
New York Times (NYT)
Phone: 0795563679
0706825758
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Contacts: Kabul Province
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Contacts: Kabul Province
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Contacts: Kabul Province
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TB/Leprosy Control Organization (LEPCO) Tolo Service & Cultural Organization/ Social
Hs. 151, St. 4, Karte Parwan, Kabul Foundation for Remote Rustic
PO Box 6057 Development (TSCO/SFRRD)
Phone: 0778989510 Behind Agriculture Ministry, opp.
0799334401 German Psychotherapy Clinic,
0777283956 Karte Sakhi, Kabul
Email: lepcokabul@yahoo.com PO Box 1590
Acting Director: Mohammad Jawad Ahmadi Phone: 0799301247
0778823705
Tearfund (TF) 0707593727
Hs. 508, St. 9, Taimani, Kabul Email: tsco_org@yahoo.com
PO Box 383 ahmadshahir.zia@gmail.com
Phone: 0789026011 Programme Manager: Mohammad Mohsin Zia
0787841813 Ayoubi
Email: dmt-afghan-pd@tearfund.org
dmt-afghan-dpd@tearfund.org Training Human Rights Association for Afghan
Web: www.tearfund.org Women (THRA)
Director: Sudarshan Reddy Apartment 1, Block 103, 2nd
Macroyan, Kabul
Terre des Hommes (TdH) PO Box 125
St. 8, Taimani, Kabul Phone: 0700 286 774
Phone: 0700323288 0202302724
0202201290 Email: roshan_sirran@yahoo.com
00888821552031575 rainbow_malal@yahoo.co.in
Email: fabrice.cregut@tdh.ch Director: Roshan Sirran
Web: www.tdh.ch
Country Representative: Fabrice Cregut Turquoise Mountain Trust (TMT)
District 2, Murad Khane, behind
The Children of War (TCOW) Ministry of Finance, Kabul
Massoud Sad Lane, St. 5, Qala-i- Phone: 0798149173
Fatullah, Kabul 0772065364
Phone: 0700011819 0796777100
Email: info@thechildrenofwar.org 008821684445287
tcpw_school@yahoo.com Email: contact@turquoisemountain.org
Web: www.thechildrenofwar.org wali@turquoisemountain.org
Country Director: Mujzhgan Aziz Web: www.turquoisemountain.org
Managing Director: Shoshana Clark
The Liaison Office (TLO)
Hs. 959, St. 6, Taimani Rd., Kabul UK Department for International Development
PO Box 5934 (DFID)
Phone: 0700203527 British Embassy, St. 15,
Email: massod.karokhail@tlo-afghanistan. Roundabout, Wazir Akbar Khan,
org Kabul
info@tlo-afghanistan.org PO Box 334
Web: www.tlo-afghanistan.org Phone: 0798138200
Director: Masood Karokhail
240
Contacts: Kabul Province
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Contacts: Kabul Province
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Contacts: Provincial
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Cooperation Center for Afghanistan (CCA) GIZ Basic Education Program (GIZ/BEPA)
Faizabad Dashe Qurugh, Faizabad
Phone: 008821621138244 Phone: 0797505286
Email: ahmadi_ab@yahoo.com 0777900360
Web: www.cca.org.af Email: hilde.lemey@giz.de
Manager: Shuhaboddin Web: www.bepafg.com
Education Advisor: Hilde Lemey
Danish Committee for Aid to Afghan Refugees
(DACAAR) International Assistance Mission (IAM)
Near Government Club, Mal Bazar, Below Saif-i-Shahid High School,
Keshim, Faizabad Faizabad
Phone: 0793407982 PO Box 625
Email: badakhshan@dacaar.org Phone: 0707470710
Web: www.dacaar.org Email: rtl.badakhshan@iam-afghanistan.
Regional Manager: Dadullah org
Web: www.iam-afghanistan.org
Department of Agriculture, Irrigation & Regional Team Leader: John Meyers
Livestock (DAIL)
Faizabad MEDAIR
Phone: 0799272961 Shahr-i-Naw, District 5, Dasht-i-
0798981588 Sangi Muhr, Faizabad
Email: m.alim_alimi@yahoo.com Phone: 0799613445
keshawarz1973@yahoo.com 0700296778
Director: Mohammad Alam Alimi 008821652030399
Email: bdkpsm-afg@meair.org
246
Contacts: Provincial
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Email: kobuta@un.org
hakim@un.org
Badghis Province
Web: www.unama.unmissions.org Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and
Head of Office: Tomoko Kobuta Industries (ACCI)
Qala-i-Naw
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
Phone: 0772884745
Faizabad
Email: badqis.cci@gmail.com
Phone: 0798507384
Web: www.acci.org.af
Email: kabul@unicef.org
Regional Manager: Mohammad Ishaq Darwish
Web: www.unicef.org
Provincial Progamme Officer: Mohammad Zahir Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee
Fazil (BRAC)
Beside Kabul Bank, Qala-i-Naw
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
Phone: 0700565651
(UNODC)
Email: mehedihasan1969@yahoo.com
Shahr-i-Naw, in front of Masjidi
Web: www.bracafg.org
Alfath, District 5, Part 3, Faizabad
Area Manager: A. S. M. Mehedi Hasan Khan
Phone: 0799268596
0794901200 Coordination of Afghan Relief (CoAR)
008821644421117 Jada Mohyab, Opp. Arghawan
Email: hussain.jalili@unodc.org Mosque, Qala-i-Naw
hussain_jalili@yahoo.com Phone: 0799538287
Web: www.unodc.org Email: coarbadghis@yahoo.com
Officer in Charge: Mohammad Hussain Jalili coar_kbl@yahoo.com
Web: www.coar.org.af
United Nations World Health Organization
Provincial Manager: Mohammad Hamid
(UNWHO)
Section 5, Near LDG office, Department of Agriculture, Irrigation &
Shahr-i-Naw, Faizabad Livestock (DAIL)
Phone: 0799322134 Qala-i-Naw
008821633330740 Phone: 0799471549
Email: mazarin@afg.emro.who.int Director: Hafizullah
Web: www.emro.who.int/afghanistan
National Health Coordinator (NHC): Sayed Mazari Department of Rural Rehabilitation and
Nasiri Development (DRRD)
Near Judiciary, Badghis City
Phone: 0799078692
Email: rasull.akbari@mrrd.gov.af
Contact Person: Syed Rasoul
248
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Contacts: Provincial
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Contacts: Provincial
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Independent Administrative Reform and Civil Marie Stopes International - Afghanistan (MSI)
Services Commission (IARCSC) Guzar Marmol, behind Sultan
In front of Balkh University, Razia High School, Mazar-i-Sharif
Tafahusat, Mazar-i-Sharif PO Box 5858
Phone: 0700500425 Phone: 0787889503
Email: amini_kamal@yahoo.com Fax: 0775101020
Web: www.iarcsc.gov.af Email: balkh.pc@msi-afg.org
Regional Director: Kamal Amini Web: www.mariestopes.org
Provincial Coordinator: Rahmatudin
International Assistance Mission (IAM)
Koche-i-Marmol, Mazar-i-Sharif Medica Afghanistan (MA)
PO Box 25 Jughdak, Rasul Barat Mosque Rd.,
Phone: 0799199622 Mazar-i-Sharif
0700504393 Phone: 0793200551
Email: rtl.balkh@iam-afghanistan.org Email: humaira.rasuli@medica-
Web: www.iam-afghanistan.org afghanistan.org
Regional Team Leader: Rita Readin Web: www.medicamondiale.org
Contact Person: Wida Hakim
International Federation of Red Cross and Red
Crescent Societies (IFRC) National Democratic Institute for International
ARCS Compound, District 10, Affairs (NDI)
Karte Ariana, Mazar-i-Sharif Hs. 2, St. 1, District 7, Karte
Phone: 0700501995 Amani, Mazar-i-Sharif
Email: Mohammad.wahid@ifrc.org Phone: 0796074680
Afghanistan.Mazar@ifrc.org 00799541900
Web: www.ifrc.org.af Email: aaziz@ndi.org
Head of Office: Mohammad Wahid Web: www.ndi.org
Regional Programme Manager: Abdullah Aziz
Islamic Relief – Afghanistan (IRA)
Hs. 45, St. 2, Guzar Pul-i-Hawayee National Solidarity Programme (Provincial
in front of Salman Fars Masque, Management Unit) (NSP/PMU)
Mazar-i-Sharif Hs. 2, St. 5, Karte Bukhdi, Salib
Phone: 0777012631 Surkh St., Mazar-i-Sharif
Email: ehsan@ir-afg.org Phone: 0799263600
Web: www.islamic-relief.com Email: balkh@nspafghanistan.org
www.irafghanistan.org Web: www.nspafghanistan.org
Project Coordinator: Mohammad Ehsan Provincial Manager: Mohammad Humayoon Ajam
254
Contacts: Provincial
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Contacts: Provincial
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Civil Society Human Rights Network (CSHRN) Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Bamiyan Nations (FAO)
Phone: 0708279439 Mullah Gholam Research Farm,
Email: ismailzaki@ymail.com Bamiyan
Web: www.cshrn.af Phone: 0799149874
Coordinator: Ismail Zaki 0789735092
008821643339370
Cooperation Center for Afghanistan (CCA) Email: hakim.tawhedi@fao.org
Next to Ghol Ghola, Shahr-i-Naw, faoaf-bamiyan@fao.org
Bamiyan Web: www.fao.org
Phone: 0799036653 National Seed Officer: Hakim Tawhedi
Email: ccakabul@hotmail.com
Web: www.cca.org.af Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation
Manager: Sayed Ahmad Kahamard District, Kahamard
Phone: 0775369794
Cooperation Center for Afghanistan (CCA) 0772994690
Near CHF office, Shahr-i-Naw, Email: mohammad.asil@helvetas.org
Yakawlang amir.khan@helvetas.org
Phone: 008821621138244 Web: www.helvetas.org
Email: ccakabu@hotmail.com Contact Person: Mohammad Asil
Web: www.cca.org.af
Manager: Zargham Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation
Center of Bamiyan, North of the
Coordination of Afghan Relief (CoAR) Airport, Dasht-i-Essa Khan
Sarafe St. 3, behind UNAMA Office, Phone: 0771006051
Bamiyan 0778013825
Phone: 0774040228 0778159712
Email: coar_bamyan@yahoo.com 008821621011259
coar_kbl@yahoo.com Email: homayoun.afshar@helvetas.org
Web: www.coar.org.af keshar.sthapit@helvetas.org
Project Manager: Mohammad Mukhtar Kazimi Web: www.helvetas.org
Contact Person: Homayoun Afshar
Department of Agriculture, Irrigation &
Livestock (DAIL) Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation
Bamiyan Saighan District, Saighan
Phone: 0799354059 Phone: 0774574243
0799661029 0776382320
Email: atayeebayan@yahoo.com Email: abdul.latif@helvetas.org
Director: Mohammad Tahir mmd.hemmat@gmail.com
Web: www.helvetas.org
Department of Rural Rehabilitation and
Contact Person: Abdul Latif
Development (DRRD)
Bamiyan IbnSina Public Health Programme for
Phone: 0799315655 Afghanistan IbnSina (PHPA)
Email: baser_bamyanrrd@yahoo.com Tolwara Village (opp. But-i-Kalan),
Director: Younus Baiser Bamiyan
258
Contacts: Provincial
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Contacts: Provincial
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Afghan Women Services and Education Agency for Assistance and Development of
Organization (AWSE) Afghanistan (AADA)
Next to Security District 2, District Airport Rd. (opp. Imam Abu Hanifa
3, Maimana Mosque), Maimana
Phone: 0797008191 Phone: 0799271526
Email: finance.awse@gmail.com 0788563775
Web: www.future4afghanwomen.net Email: qfakhri@aada.org.af
www.awse.info qamaruddinfakhri@yahoo.com
Programme Manager: Najeeba Benawa Web: www.aada.org.af
Provincial Project Manager: Qamaruddin Fakhri
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Contacts: Provincial
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Contacts: Provincial
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Contacts: Provincial
269
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Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee Danish Committee for Aid to Afghan Refugees
(BRAC) (DACAAR)
Jada-i-Mahtab, Walid Ahmed Check Post 1, Spin Aday Rd., next
Shaheed St, Herat City to Karubar Bridge, Herat
Phone: 0700409551 Phone: 0797987049
Email: musa.1962@yahoo.com Email: raziq@dacaar.org
Web: www.bracafg.org Web: www.dacaar.org
Regional Manager: Mohammad Abu Musa Regional Manager: Abdul Raziq Kiani
270
Contacts: Provincial
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International Federation of Red Cross and Red Course in side alley, Herat City
Crescent Societies (IFRC) Phone: 0799872122
Afghan Red Crescent Society, District 0799205590
8, near Takhti Safar, Herat City 0786936701
Phone: 0700400986 Email: nasarahmad_timori@yahoo.com
Email: afghanistan.herat@ifrc.org daud_ehrarry@yahoo.co.uk
Web: www.ifrc.org.af Project Manager: Nisar Ahmad Temori
Head of Office: Farhang Amani
National Democratic Institute for International
International Rescue Committee (IRC) Affairs (NDI)
Jada-i-Mahbas, District 1, Herat Charahi Bland Av., Arif Khan
City Barekzai Rd., St. 2, on the right,
Phone: 0799569452 Herat City
0700404692 Phone: 0799205618
0799161632 008821684400029
Email: alem.faizi@afghanistan.theirc.org Email: asamim@ndi.org
soraiya.saddiqi@rescue.org Web: www.ndi.org
Web: www.theirc.org Regional Programme Manager: Abdul Aziz Samim
Field Coordinator: Alem Faizi
National Solidarity Programme (Provincial
Marie Stopes International (MSI) Management Unit) (NSP/PMU)
Gerdai Park-i-Taraqi (in front of District 5, Municipality Square,
Gymnasium), Herat City Nazar Qala-i-Naw St., Herat City
PO Box 5858 Phone: 0799775365
Phone: 0787889504 Email: herat@nspafghanistan.org
Fax: 0775101020 Web: www.nspafghanistan.org
Email: hpc@msi-afg.org Provincial Manager: Atiqullah Suroush
Web: www.mariestopes.org
Provincial Coordinator: Azizullah Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)
Jada-i-Wolayat, opp. Agriculture
Medica Afghanistan (MA) Department inside alley, Herat City
Hs. 6, Mukhabirat Rd., against Phone: 0789168226
northern gate of 008821621330214
Telecommunication Department, Email: mustafa.azimi@afg.nrc.no
Herat City Web: www.nrc.no
Phone: 0796850834 Integrated Office Administrator: Mustafa Azimi
Email: humaira.rasuli@medica-
afghanistan.org Nye Express Office
info@medica-afghanistan.org Communication St., Baghcha-i-
Web: www.medicamondiale.org Shaghal, next to Radio Killid, Herat
Head of Office: Hosnia Mohammad City
Phone: 0773333623
MOVE Welfare Organization (MOVE) Email: kamalnaser_2006@yahoo.com
East of Taraqi Park inside Jadah-i- Web: www.nyeexpress.com
Majeedi, West of Majeedi Cross Office Manager: Kamal Nasir Milgery
Rd., North of Hirat Bastan English
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Contacts: Provincial
Development and Ability Organisation (DAO) Independent Administrative Reform and Civil
Sector 1 to the south of Khirqa Services Commission (IARCSC)
Mubarak, Kandahar Beside Culture and Youth
Phone: 07788366414 Department, Darwaza-i-Herat,
Email: info@daoafghanistan.org Kandahar
Web: www.daoafghanistan.org Phone: 0788796948
Liaison Officer: Hafiz Abdul Latif Email: ibrahim.safi123@gmail.com
Web: www.iarcsc.gov.af
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Regional Director: Ibrahim Safi
Nations (FAO)
South of Sera Jama, District 6,
Shahr-i-Naw, Kandahar
Phone: 0708895808
Email: Salahuddin.Khan@eirp-afg.org
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Contacts: Provincial
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Web: au.edu.af
Chancellor: Abdul Rashid
Khost Province
Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and
Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee
Industries (ACCI)
(BRAC)
Phone: 0799114813
De Ali Baba Bazar (Deboli), Kapisa
Email: faizaqa.usefzai@yahoo.com
Phone: 0707197919
Web: www.acci.org.af
Email: firoz.zaman704@gmail.com
Regional Manager: Faizaqa Usefzai
Web: www.bracafg.org
Area Manager: Mohammad Firoz Zaman Agency for Assistance and Development of
Afghanistan (AADA)
Department of Agriculture, Irrigation &
Matun Tapa, St. 6, opp. HN-TPO
Livestock (DAIL)
provincial office, Khost
Phone: 0700289914
Phone: 0706353081
Director: Sayed Moskin Saifi
0799418779
Department of Rural Rehabilitation and Email: drawalizraswand@gmail.com
Development (DRRD) Web: www.aada.org.af
Phone: 0799435582 Technical Manager: Abdul Wali Zraswand
Email: hayatullah.farhang@mrrd.gov.af
Basic Education for Afghans (BEA)
Contact Person: Hayatulla Farhang
Bagh-i-Prozha, Khost Bazaar
National Solidarity Programme (Provincial Phone: 0799137115
Management Unit) (NSP/PMU) Email: noorbaadshahshakir_agbased@
Sherkat Gulbahar, south side of yahoo.com
Kohistan, District 1, Governor’s Officer in Charge: Noor Badshah Shakir
Office, next to the Main Rd.
Department of Agriculture, Irrigation &
Phone: 0700242334
Livestock (DAIL)
Email: kapisa@nspafghanistan.org
Phone: 0797471207
Web: www.nspafghanistan.org
Director: Abdul Rahim
Provincial Manager: Abdul Aziz Jawed
Department of Rural Rehabilitation and
United Nations Human Settlements Programme
Development (DRRD)
(UN-Habitat)
Matun Tapa, near the Governor’s
In front of Kohistan District 1
Hs., Khost City
Government, Mahmood Raqi
Phone: 0702228485
Phone: 0791611345
Email: khost.mrrd@yahoo.com
0799421740
Director: Mohammad Usman Mehdi
Email: harisafgan@yahoo.com
Web: www.unhabitat-afg.org International Medical Corps (IMC)
Provincial Manager: Saifurahman Haris Matun Tapa, Khost City
Phone: 0700581470
0788461716
Email: rabia_halim@yahoo.com
Web: www.internationalmedicalcorps.org
Admin/Liaison Manager: Rabia Halim
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Contacts: Provincial
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Contacts: Provincial
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Contacts: Provincial
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Contacts: Provincial
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Danish Committee for Aid to Afghan Refugees Independent Administrative Reform and Civil
(DACAAR) Services Commission (IARCSC)
Hs. 1034, Sayed Kaian St., near Opp. Military Hospital, beside
Ekhlas Mosque, District 2, Pakistan Consulate, Jalalabad
Jalalabad Phone: 0707030133
Phone: 0793407901 Email: nafisa_munsif@yahoo.com
Email: jalalabad@dacaar.org Web: www.iarcsc.gov.af
Web: www.dacaar.org Regional Director: Nafisa Monsif
Regional Manager: Haji Mohammad Amin
Independent Humanitarian Services Association
Department of Agriculture, Irrigation & (IHSAN)
Livestock (DAIL) In front of old Dar-ul-Moalemin,
Phone: 0700600080 Jalalabad
0799344698 Phone: 0799328597
Email: ahmad_loqmani@yahoo.com 0700283813
Contact Person: Hakeem Email: ihsan_org@yahoo.com
Web: www.ihsan.org
Department of Agriculture, Irrigation & Deputy Director: Esmatullah
Livestock (DAIL)
Nangarhar Canal International Federation of Red Cross and Red
Phone: 0799395465 Crescent Societies (IFRC)
00799395465 Afghan Red Crescent Society
0700625249 (ARCS) Compound, opp.
Email: h_safi1@hotmail.com Directorate of Health, Jalalabad
Director: Mohammad Hussain Safi Phone: 0700603574
Email: afghanistan.jalalabad@ifrc.org
Department of Rural Rehabilitation and Web: www.ifrc.org.af
Development (DRRD) Head of Office: Sayed Amin
Phone: 070292026
Email: homayoon.faqiry@mrrd.gov.af International Foundation of Hope (IFHOPE)
Contact Person: Homayoon Faqiry Block 7, Kabul-Torkham Rd.,
Jalalabad
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Phone: 0798034857
Nations (FAO) Email: nasrullah@ifhope.org
Old Torkham Bus Station/close to info@ifhope.org
Agr. High School, Jalalabad Web: www.ifhope.org
Phone: 0700613868 Acting Country Director: Nasrullah Arsalai
0700299034
008821643339364 International Medical Corps (IMC)
Email: mirmohammad.bashir@fao.org Hs. 494, Sector 3, Near Dar-ul-
faoaf-jalalabad@fao.org Moalemin (teacher training
Web: www.fao.org institute), ARZAQ St., UNAMA old
Officer in Charge: Mir Mohammad Bashir office, main Kabul-Jalalabad Rd.,
Jalalabad
Phone: 0700669947
0799112128
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Contacts: Provincial
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Contacts: Provincial
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Contacts: Provincial
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Contacts: Provincial
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Contacts: Provincial
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Contacts: Provincial
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Contacts: Provincial
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Provincial Media Guide
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All organisations’ contact details are listed by province. Kabul Province is listed first, with the
remaining provinces following in alphabetical order.
Nai’s head office and training centre is in Kabul, with additional training centres at Nai branches
in Jalalabad, Kandahar, Mazar-i-Sharif and Herat. Nai offers practical training to journalists and
those seeking to get a start in the media industry in Afghanistan. Nai also undertakes advocacy,
lobbying the government to reform laws affecting the rights of journalists; builds networks with
provincial journalists and media workers; and holds media sector forums and campaigns to raise
public awareness of the role of the media in Afghanistan.
Nai’s Media Watch unit has been tracking and publishing threats against media workers across the
country for the past ten years and recently launched an interactive online data map representing
its comprehensive research. This year Nai published Journalists in Afghanistan, a book compiling
ten years of reports on violations of the rights of media workers.
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Provincial Media Guide
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Provincial Media Guide
313
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314
Provincial Media Guide
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316
Provincial Media Guide
Rah-i-Farda TV Sepehr TV
Location: Between zone 3 police station and Location: In front of District 3, St. 3,
Pul-i-Surkh Square, Karte 4, Kabul Dehbori, Kabul
Proprietor: Haji Mohammad Muhaqiq Proprietor: Mohammad Homayoun Sepehr
Editor-in-Chief: Dr. Abdul Latif Nazari Editor-in-Chief: Abdul Basir Mujahid
Contact no.: 0786427327/0794969696 Contact no.: 0703131313/0788442000
Email: info@farda.af Email: sepehr@sepehrTV.com
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Location:
TOLO TV
St. 12, Wazir Akbar Khan, Kabul Badakhshan Province
Proprietor: Tolo Media
Editor-in-Chief: Mir Mohammad Sadiq Publications
Contact no.: 0796009010 Rooshangari Monthly
Email: sadiq.ahmadzad@tolo.tv Location: Commercial Markets, Shahr-i-
Naw, Faizabad
TV 7 Proprietor: Sayeed Akram Sadiqi Laalzad
Location: Kolola Pushta, Kabul Editor-in-Chief: Lutfullah Mashal Ertazaad
Proprietor: Bari Salam Contact no.: 0799139754/0799430380
Editor-in-Chief: Lutfullah Rashid Email: shaheen.pamir@yahoo.com
Contact no.: 0700277113/0700162945
Email: info@awanama.com Sada-i-Badakhshan Weekly
Location: Faizabad, Badakhshan
Watan Radio TV Proprietor: Department of Information and
Location: St. 12, Karte See, Kabul Culture
Proprietor: Alhaj Abdul Majed Maqri Editor-in-Chief: Abdul Wasil Latifi
Editor-in-Chief: Dr. Najibullah Contact no.: 0776297486/0799863931
Contact no.: 0778889440/0700020479
Email: amm@watanrtv.af Sema-i-Shahrwand Monthly
Location: In front of AWCC, Shahr-i-Naw
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Provincial Media Guide
Proprietor:
Faizabad
Najibullah Dehzad
Badghis Province
Editor-in-Chief: Faizan Haqirparast
Contact no.: 0799272767/0707771577
Publications
Email: shahrwand.monthly@yahoo.com Khorshid-i-Banawan Periodical
Location: Office of Cultural Association,
Radio Municipality Garden, Qala-i-
Radio Amoo 86.7 FM Naw
Location: District Two, Faizabad City Proprietor: Kawsar Cultural Association
Proprietor: Rozbeh Behroz Editor-in-Chief: Sharifa Raheemyar
Editor-in-Chief: Abdul Saboor Haqjo Contact no.: 0799662659/0798003820
Contact no.: 0799337690 Email: sadiq_afif@yahoo.com
Email: haqjo.radioamoo@gmail.com Sada-i-Badghis,Monthly Magazine
Radio Sada-i-Beharistan 89.7 Location: Qala-i-Naw City
FM Editor-in-Chief: Department of Information and
Location: Baharistan District, Badakhshan Culture
Editor-in-Chief: Rezwanullah Nezami Proprietor: Abdul Khalil Frootan
Contact no.: 0794907747 Contact no.: 0799002448/0799591017
Email: b.radio786@gmail.com
Radio
Radio Sada-i-Ghaziyan Radio Hanzala
Location: Shahr-i-Naw, Faizabad Location: Qala-i-Naw City
Proprietor: Abdul Hadi Hedayat Proprietor: Abdul Rahim Rahmani
Editor-in-Chief: Sayed Ekram Sadiqi Laalzad Contact no.: 0700419424/0795505357
Contact no.: 0783405874/0799139754 Email: sayed-rahmani@yahoo.com
Email: slalzad2010@yahoo.com
Location:
Radio Sada-i-Keshm 90.3 FM
Keshm District, Badakhshan
Baghlan Province
Proprietor: Keshm Cultural Foundation
Editor-in-Chief: Noor Agha Noori
Publications
Contact no.: 0779265420 Etahad Weekly
Email: nooragha.n@gmail.com Location: Pul-i-Khumri City
Proprietor: Department of Information and
Radio Sada-i-Kokcha Culture of Baghlan Province
Location: Next to provincial police Editor-in-Chief: Fahimullah Sadiqi
headquarters, Jurm District, Contact no.: 0700703966
Badakhshan, Email: fahim_1919@yahoo.com
Proprietor: Jurm District Cultural Association
Editor-in-Chief: Abdul Malik Khurasani Seelsila Weekly
Contact no.: 0795023886/0796061530 Location: Pul-i-Khumri City
Email: radio.kokcha.jurm@gmail.com Proprietor: Shir Mohammad Jahesh
Editor-in-Chief: Obaidullah Jaheesh
Contact no.: 0799045881
Email: haheshbos@yahoo.com
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Proprietor:
Mazar-i-Sharif
Shafiqullah Shafiq
Bamiyan Province
Editor-in-Chief: Shakib Nekoofar News Agencies
Contact no.: 0793410107/0771214150
Email: shafiqullah.shafiq@gmail.com Pajhwok Afghan News (PAN)
Editor-in-Chief: Hadi Ghafari
Mehr Radio & Television Contact No.: 0799369943/0708198206
Location: In front of Former Prison, Mazar- Email: ghafari_herat@yahoo.com
i-Sharif
Proprietor: Ghulam Abaas Ebrahim Zada Publications
Editor-in-Chief: Razia Nazari AFC Periodical
Contact no.: 0795600600/0799574008 Location: Bamiyan City, Directorate of
Email: r.r.r.nazari@yahoo.com Football Federation
Proprietor: Directorate of Bamiyan Province
Rabia Balkhi Radio
Football Federation
Location: Third Floor, Hashim Beraat
Editor-in-Chief: Abdul Satar Liaqat
Market, Ahmad Shah Massoud
Contact no.: 0799409651
St., Mazar-i-Sharif
Email: satar.liaqat@yahoo.com
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326
Provincial Media Guide
Sam Monthly
Ghor Province Location:
Proprietor:
Chaghcharan
Sam Cultural and Arts Foundation
Publications Editor-in-Chief Ustad Ahmad Nadeem Ghori
Contact No:. 0797126146
Etahaad Monthly Email: ahmad.nadem@yahoo.com
Location: Chaghcharan
Proprietor: Abdul Ali Rasouli Radio
Editor-in-Chief: Parwiz Yaqubi
Contact no.: 0797634460/0797068473 Sada-i-Adalat Radio
Email: parwizyaqubi@gmail.com Location: Shahraki Muhajeerin
Proprietor: Ali Zafaar Tahiri & Arz Hussain
Firoz Koh Monthly Madawi
Location: In front of Ghor Teacher Training Editor-in-Chief: Ali Zafaar Tahiri
Institute, Chaghcharan Contact no.: 0799389736/0796269761
Editor-in-Chief: Ustad Ghulam Rabani Email: adalat.radio@gmail.com
Hadafmand
Contact no.: 0799204625/0703445105
Email: hadafmand@gmail.com Helmand Province
Jaam Monthly Publications
Proprietor: People of Ghor
Editor-in-Chief: Hamidullah Daadfar Bagari Magazine
Contact no.: 0797031516/0706341146 Location: Lashkar Gah
Email: ghorandma@gmail.com Proprietor: Alhaj Mohammad Esmail
Shareef Yar
Musaweer Weekly Editor-in-Chief: Alhaj Mohammad Esmail
Location: Press Office of the Governor’s Shareef Yar
Office, Chaghcharan Contact no.: 0708198483
Editor-in-Chief: Abdul Haay Khatebi
Contact no.: 0798293841 Hela Magazine
Email: khatebi_ghor@yahoo.com Location: Lashkar Gah
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Location:
Sama Magazine
Asadabad
Kunduz Province
Proprietor: Sayed Abdullah Nezami News Agencies
Editor-in-Chief: Sayed Abdullah Nezami
Pajhwok Afghan News (PAN)
Contact no.: 0707030083/0777139020
Proprietor: Pajhwok News
Email: nizami.alazeera@yahoo.com
Editor-in-Chief: Abdul Mateen Sarfaraz
Zala Biweekly Contact No.: 0799395005/0708198220
Location: Amanullah Sehat Plaza, Email: sarfraz.afghan@gmail.com
Asadabad
Proprietor: Shekib Sanin Publications
Editor-in-Chief: Asef Mal Al-Mehdi Weekly
Contact no.: 0700617825/0777617825 Location: Imam Sahib District
Email: shakib.sanin@gmail.com Proprietor: Al-Mehdi Foundation
Editor-in-Chief: Hajji Sakhi Dad Khel
Radio & TV Contact no.: 0799330096
Radio Badloon Email: almadi.weekly@gmail.com
Location: Nawai Plaza, Asadabad
Proprietor: Ahmadullah Archiwal Baseerat Monthly
Editor-in-Chief: Sayed Agha Miyakhel Location: Wolayat Rd., Kunduz City
Contact no.: 0793663090/0707023823 Proprietor: Payenda Mohammad Rahyab
Email: archiwal@gmail.com Editor-in-Chief: Belqis Oranus
Contact no.: 0799389743/0794754531
Radio Shkulla Email: rahyab2010@yahoo.com
Location: Asadabad
Proprietor: Obaidullah Qaney Bostan Daily
Editor-in-Chief: Sayed Hameedullah Hashimi Location: Khwaja Mashad, Nawabad
Contact no.: 0707068357/0793339591 Proprietor: Abdul Basir
Email: obaid.qani@yahoo.com Editor-in-Chief: Neman Khan
Contact no.: 0700700658/0799893226
Radio Zala Email: bostan_roznama@hmail.com
Location: Asadabad Road
Proprietor: Shekib Sanin Kunduz Weekly
Editor-in-Chief: Shekib Sanin Location: Information and Culture
Department, Kunduz City
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Provincial Media Guide
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336
Provincial Media Guide
Mirzaki Magazine
Radio Location: Sehat Plaza, Gardez
Radio Sada-i-Dost Proprietor: Hakim Sarter
Location: Opposite State Accountant’s Editor-in-Chief: Abdul Manan Abid
Office, Zaranj Contact no.: 0797334843/0799149189
Proprietor: Sayed Abdullah Rahmani Email: hakim.mangal@gmail.com
Editor-in-Chief: Sayed Abdullah Rahmani
Contact no.: 0700567725 Sulaiman Ghajh Bimonthly
Email: rhm.rahmani@gmail.com Location: Information and Culture
Department, Gardez
Proprietor: Abdullah Ekhlasyar
Nuristan Province Editor-in-Chief Mohammad Hanif Hairan
Contact no.: 0300932038
Radio Email: sulimanghar@gmail.com
Radio Elina
Radio
Location: Kalagosh, Noorgram District
Proprietor: Head of the Cultural Council Radio Aryoob
Editor-in-Chief: Sahib Dad Hamdard Location: Aryob Zazi
Contact no.: 0708311095/0708370421 Proprietor: Paktia Provincial Reconstruction
Email: emal.hamdard@yahoo.com Team
Contact no.: 0799134553
Radio Kalagosh
Location: Noorgram District Radio Chamkanai Ghajh
Proprietor: Mohebullah Wakil Zada Location: Shahr-i-Naw Market
Editor-in-Chief: Farooq Kaihan Proprietor: Sayaf
Contact no.: 0700594225/0708855347 Editor-in-Chief: Ahangari
Contact no.: 0700858359
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Radio
Radio Hamsada
Wardak Province
Location: District 2, Taloqan Publications
Proprietor: Simeen Hussaini
Mashwara Weekly
Editor-in-Chief: Sayed Haroon Mustamand
Location: Maidan Shahr
Contact no.: 0799702362/0700088311
Proprietor: Wardak Provincial Council
Email: hamsadaradio@yahoo.com
Editor-in-Chief: Roohullah Wafa
Radio Takharistan Contact no.: 079611111/0786612602
Location: District 1, Taloqan Email: rafi_mayar@yahoo.com
Proprietor: Mohebullah Noori
Editor-in-Chief: Mohammad Nader Azizi Radio
Contact no.: 0700757767 Radio Yaowali Ghajh
Email: radio_takharestan@yahoo.com Location: Sayed Abad District
Proprietor: Hazratuddin Nasrat
Seema-e-Mehr Radio and TV Editor-in-Chief: Hazratuddin Nasrat
Station Contact no.: 0799438575/0777438575
Location: District 1, Taloqan Email: hd.nasrat@gmail.com
Proprietor: Atiqullah Nazari
Editor-in-Chief: Nooria Nekzad
Contact no.
Email:
0700707220
seimah_mehir_rtv@yahoo.com
Zabul Province
Publications
Uruzgan Province Location:
Zubaida Periodical
Qalat
Radio Proprietor: Musawir Ghajh Cultural
Association
Radio Paiwastoon Ghajh Editor-in-Chief: Mohammad Ibrahim Wesal
Location: Tirin Kot Contact no.: 0700366737/0704213800
Proprietor: Matiullah Email: ibrahim_masih@yahoo.com
Editor-in-Chief: Farid Ayel
Contact no.: 0703003007/0707116668 Zabul Hukoomat Weekly
Email: ayil.co2010@yahoo.com Location: Information and Culture
Department of Zabul Province
Proprietor: Information and Culture
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Radio
Radio Qalat Ghajh
Location: Zabul Police Headquarters
Proprietor: International Security Assistance
Force
Editor-in-Chief: Abdul Sadeq Mirwaisi
Contact no.: 0707365264
Email: fanythacker@hotmail.com
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Index
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Index
345
The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance
M National Census 98
National Consultative Peace Jirga (NCPJ) 25, 50,
Maps 153
54, 60, 72
Meshrano Jirga 35, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 97, 98
National Democratic Institute (NDI) 87
Metallurgical Corps of China (MCC) 57
National Development Framework (NDF) 58, 60
Microfinance Investment Support Facility for
National Development Programmes (NDPs) 60
Afghanistan (MISFA) 22, 54
National Directorate of Security (NDS) 32, 85
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 13, 15, 26,
National Drug Control Strategy (NDCS) 36
54, 71, 76, 80
National Emergency Employment Programme
Mine Action Coordination Centre of Afghanistan
(NEEP) 22
(MACCA) 56, 79
National Extractive Industries Excellence Program
Mine Action Programme for Afghanistan (MAPA) 56
57
Mineral resources 28, 57
National Human Development Report (NHDR) 61
Ministers of the Afghan government 96
National Priority Programs (NPPs) 17, 30, 50, 58,
Ministries of the Afghan government 96
60
Ministry for Rural Rehabilitation and Development
National Risk and Vulnerability Assessment 2007/8
(MRRD) 29, 88, 96
(NRVA) 17, 29, 156
Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock
National Security Council (NSC) 71
(MAIL) 21, 36, 96
National Solidarity Programme (NSP) 22, 61
Ministry of Counter Narcotics (MCN) 36, 71, 96
National Surveillance System (NSS) 63
Ministry of Defence (MoD) 6, 18, 71, 93, 96
NATO 47, 73
Ministry of Economy (MoE) 17, 30, 64, 92, , 96,
NGO Code of Conduct 63, 72, 141
156
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) 27, 45
Ministry of Education 56, 96
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs 19
Ministry of Finance (MoF) 15, 22, 38, 44, 51, 52,
53, 54, 59, 61, 65, 68, 92, 96 O
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) 96, 70 Office of Administrative Affairs and Council of
Ministry of Interior (MoI) 7, 36, 39, 51, 71, 93, 96 Ministers Secretariat (OAA/CMS) 64, 84, 91
Ministry of Justice (MoJ) 39, 48, 52, 64, 71, 89, 96 Office of the Attorney General 89, 109
Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, Martyrs and Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Disabled (MoLSAMD) 56, 96 (UNHCHR) 79
Ministry of Mines (MoM) 57, 96 Office of the President 84
Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) 25, 36, 56, 96 Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for
Ministry of Public Works (MoPW) 21, 96 Refugees (UNHCR) 76, 79
Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development Official Gazette (OG) 52
(MRRD) 21, 23, 36, 58, 68, 81, 96 Open Society Institute 87
N Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) 32
Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe
Nai Media 309
(OSCE) 106
National Area-Based Development Programme
Ottawa Convention 56
(NABDP) 58, 88
National Assembly 10, 35, 52, 60, 85 P
National Budget 54, 58, 59, 61 Paris Conference 15, 25, 47, 65
346
Index
347
The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance
348
Notes
Notes
349
The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance
350
Notes
351
The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance
352
Notes
353
The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance
354
Notes
355
The A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance
356