Afghanistan: Taking Steps Towards Development

Although “free” from the oppression of the Taliban and granted billions of dollars of international aid, the majority of the Afghan people still lack the basic rights and services that were promised to them by President Hamed Karzai. The root of this problem is the pervasive corruption within the government and the elite minority. If Afghanistan is to fully develop, they will have to work towards addressing this widespread corruption and create a system of governance and leadership where the first priority will be to attend to the grievances and plight of their people.

Afghanistan is slowly taking steps towards placing development and reconstruction at the forefront of their list of priorities. Just recently on June 12th, the government of Afghanistan met with many delegates of the international community in Paris, France to discuss the implementation of the Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS). At this conference, approximately 20 billion dollars was pledged to fund ANDS—surpassing the amount of aid that Afghanistan was expecting to receive. Although a significant amount of aid is a major mobilizing force, the most significant aspect of the conference was its evaluation of the successes and failures of the Afghan government over the past seven years. The conference addressed the major flaws of the government such as the widespread corruption, the significant power of many warlords, and lax laws regarding drug trafficking. The Government of Afghanistan also formally declared their promise to focus on development by implementing reforms to combat the pervasive corruption that Afghanistan has been struggling with since their liberation.

Although great strides have been made since the liberation of Afghanistan from the Taliban, this conference is a beacon of hope that the government, with the backing of the international community, will continue to follow the path of reconstruction and not fall into the trap of civil war and corruption that many recently liberated countries fall into. Hopefully, Afghanistan can become a model country for democracy, liberty and development. This conference, unlike most international conferences, acknowledged that the participation of the Afghan people is a critical component for the success and sustainability of any programs and policies implemented. With the incorporation of the voices of the Afghan civil society, donor countries can not only make sure that the funds are used efficiently (and that the foreign aid will not be siphoned directly into the pockets of the government officials and elite minority), but also that the Afghan government will be held accountable to the people of Afghanistan for any major decisions and actions taken.

We at Barakat believe that it is the right to education that is one of the most important provisions citizens can be given. With this new increase in foreign aid and dedication to development, we hope that there will be an increase in the investment in education for women and children.

Only time can tell what lies in the future for Afghanistan and its people, but hopefully this conference will be the catalyst that will force the government to begin placing the needs of their citizens first and begin investing in services to promote the development and well-being of its people. With this new investment, we hope that the future of Afghanistan will be brighter, with both elites and impoverished Afghans working together as informed leaders and citizens to develop sustainable policies that will consistently address the social and economic problems that continue to afflict their country.

Afghan Refugees Brace For Repatriation

Afghan citizens who have had to leave their home country since the Soviet invasion in 1979 represent the largest group of refugees in the world. A recent “in pictures” feature from the BBC tells the story of these families, many of whom—those living in Pakistan—are now being required to return to Afghanistan despite possible security fears. The BBC article concerns a particular camp in northwest Pakistan that has officially been closed by a joint decision made by the Pakistani and Afghan governments and the UN, yet still retains the majority of its original refugees, as most are reticent to uproot themselves and return home. The BBC touches on a number of obstacles the refugees may face as they re-enter Afghanistan; for one, they may encounter an increased cost of basic materials. Families who make their livelihood off of carpets, for example, may find that the materials necessary for production cost too much when they reach Afghanistan. Another concern is that people who were on the losing side of past political clashes will face repercussions today. Additionally, after having spent so long in Pakistan, many returnees lack the extended family ties that are so essential to Afghan family life. Finally, many girls who were attending school in the refugee camp in Pakistan will be unable to complete their education in Afghanistan due to cultural pressures and lack of resources.

It is this final issue that most connects to one of our projects here at Barakat—our girls’ and women’s literacy programs in northwest Afghanistan. The curriculum offered, developed by Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education, consists of twelve different subjects, including Pashto and Dari (Afghanistan’s national languages), math, and writing. All ages of girls and women (and, in some of the most under-served communities, boys) can attend and gain crucial basic educational knowledge. In many of these areas there is a strong societal taboo against educating women and without the literacy schools, these students would probably be unable to access classes.

Go ahead and take a look at the BBC photo-essay linked above—it’s very interesting and poses many questions about the complexities of large-scale refugee repatriation and the effect politics can have on everyday people’s lives. It is important to make sure that if these people must be forced to relocate themselves, there is at least sufficient assistance to help them re-establish their families and gain access to the resources to which they should be entitled.

Women's literacy in Pakistan

Literacy is not just a tool to write and read, but more importantly it is a means for social and human development. Literacy enables people to gain a voice and power against their disadvantaged situations, particularly women. The female literacy rate is drastically lower than the male literacy rate in developing countries. In the world today, one in five adults is still illiterate, and two-thirds of them are women (UNESCO).

Pakistan is one of those countries in which the literacy rate for women is quite low. I read an article in humanitarian news and analysis (IRIN), about the status of current female literacy and how they are trying to improve it. Currently, the female adult literacy rate in Pakistan is as low as 36 percent. This number indicates that there needs to be higher priority given to girls education in Pakistan. Recently, there has been a movement in Pakistan to tackle the women's deprived status by providing them with access to literacy. In 2002, the National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) literacy center was formed by Pakistani President Perves Musharraf to support governments in areas of education, literacy and the provision of basic healthcare services. NCHD aims to accelerate the literacy rate by 3.3 percent per year to achieve Goal 4 of the Millennium Development Goals-from the current adult literacy rate of 53 percent (2006) to 86 percent by 2015. The commission has established over 41,000 literacy centers nationwide from which over 10,000 women have benefited. Nevertheless, despite this significant progress, barriers to real achievement in literacy still remain prevalent in Pakistani society. Particularly, poor transportation and hostile attitudes of men and the community towards female literacy are major factors that hinder women from pursuing literacy.

In tackling poverty, material aid tends to be emphasized by donor agencies. However, I believe that literacy is also among the most essential means that leads to eradication of poverty. Addressing material needs such as food, shelter, clothing and housing will not be beneficial to the community in the long term if it is not accompanied by initiatives to improve literacy. If people, especially women, do not have a voice, it will be difficult for them to break out of the poverty cycle and dependency irrespective of availability of material goods. Barakat has been supporting Afghan refugees living in Pakistan since 1994 by providing educational opportunities at elementary schools and evening schools. We promote education for girls in order to help minimize the literacy gap for the future generations. Acquisition of literacy at an early stage in their lives will significantly offer people, especially girls, more opportunities and options for their future and will also help improve their status.
Yumi Ujihara

Education for Afghan children

Education is one of the most fundamental human rights. Everyone should have access to at least a primary education during their lifetime irrespective of the place they come from. Education often provides people with opportunities to develop and practice skills they will need to improve the quality of their lives.

Recently, I read an article in the New York Times, about the Qalai Sayedan School, located in the Central Afghan province of Logar. I was shocked to read that there are hundreds of public schools in Afghanistan that have shut down due to shootings, beheadings, burnings, and bombings instigated by the Taliban. The only choice for parents to protect their children from the attacks is not to send them to schools. Sayad Rasul, a father of two daughters, kept them at home, saying "It is better for my children to be alive even if it means they must be illiterate". Moreover, the quality of education is extremely destitute in Afghanistan. The lack of schools and classrooms makes a few available classrooms or tents overcrowded and difficult to maintain and provide a safe learning environment. Despite an urgent need for the provision of quality education in a safe environment, international donors such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have not contributed enough to increasing their budget for education in Afghanistan. Only 5 percent of its Afghanistan budget goes towards education as compared with 30 percent for roads and 14 percent for power.


I have had the privilege of enjoying the benefits of educational opportunities from primary education to higher education. I did not believe that I was very fortunate to do so until I found out that a significant number of children could not receive even primary education due to poverty, conflicts in the country, and many other reasons such as poor health and shortage of schools. A large number of children without education remain illiterate and thereby are likely to fall into a trap of poverty, added by difficulty in expanding their opportunity to generate more income. Therefore, providing educational opportunities is undoubtedly important for children especially in war torn zones like Afghanistan, which is particularly what Barakat is trying to work on.

Yumi Ujihara

The Ganges

When I first started my internship at Barakat, I found education and the environment to be an unusual combination but the more I think about it the more it makes sense. The way I see it; the environment needs to be preserved for future generations and a good education prepares future generations to handle the challenges of the real world. They complement each other. Currently, there is a growing demand to address issues concerning education and the environment in order to improve the well-being of the citizens of the world.

Our program director, Arti Pandey, recently visited India and Afghanistan to assess Barakat's programs. During her visit in India, she met with people from the Sankat Mochan Foundation (SMF), an organization that is involved with cleaning up the river Ganges. The damaging effects pollution is having on the river Ganges is a big environmental concern in India. The momentum to clean the Ganges has picked up and many organizations are coming together to address the issue collectively. There has been an increase in focus on the issue of cleaning up the Ganges primarily because of the harmful health effects it has had on the lives of the people who use the water. The pollution mainly stems from organic waste (sewage, trash, human and animal remains) and industrial pollutants. The sacred practice of depositing human remains in the Ganges has its roots in the Hindu belief system that that if the ashes of the dead are deposited in the river, then they will be ensured a smooth transition to the next life, or freed from the cycle of death and rebirth. However, I wonder if an increase in awareness of the poor health of the Ganges has brought about changes in the Hindu tradition. I recently read an article in the Boston Globe, about Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's (who was famously known as the Beatles' guru) cremation ceremony on the banks of the holy river. It was interesting to read that the Maharishi's ashes were not immersed in the Ganges. A memorial was built instead according to his wishes. I do not know the reasons behind the Maharishi's decision but I am intrigued if his wishes were motivated by the need to help preserve the Ganges. A dip in the river is said to wash away sins. However, because the river can cleanse people of their sins does that mean it can cleanse itself of pollutants?

It is time people gave the Ganges a helping hand in preserving its purity. Barakat hopes to support the Sankat Mochan Foundation with a small grant so that they can continue their advocacy efforts at the Central Government level to get final sanction for their proposal regarding Part II of the Ganga (clean-up) Action Plan (GAP). Many lives depend on the Ganges and it is vital that people be educated about the importance of preserving the river. Even though I am from India, I have yet to visit the Ganges. I hope that efforts to save the Ganges will preserve the beautiful river not only for me to see but also for the many generations to come.

Indu Ananthakumar

Welcome

Welcome to Barakat's blog. We plan on using this blog for two purposes. First, to highlight current events and issues in the world that relate to the work we are doing in Afghanistan, Pakistan and India; and in the areas of education, the environment, and women's rights. Second, to highlight the work that Barakat and its partner organizations are doing.

We hope that this information will not only be interesting to you, but will engage you. Through this blog, we hope to create an impetus for discussion, exchange of ideas, and action. Please feel free to comment on blog articles, email us, or call us anytime.