Empowering Afghan women to monitor and advocate for women’s rights

TransConflict is pleased to present insights into the Bureau for Reconstruction and Development’s work to empower Afghan women to monitor and advocate for women’s rights, and to promote women in business in Afghanistan.

By the Bureau for Reconstruction and Development

Under the support of Afghan Women Empowerment (AWE) program of the United State Embassy in Afghanistan, BRD will enhance the capacity of 45 women-lead organizations to promote and protect women human rights at the local level in Afghanistan. The overall objective is to enhance the capacity of women-led civil society organizations (CSOs) in leadership, women’s rights monitoring and advocacy. The project will raise broader awareness of women rights and enhance CSOs ability to advocate for legislative change. These elements will help to improve women’s rights and develop the leadership, networking, and advocacy skills of women-led CSOs in the target provinces.

Throughout the project, women CSOs will be trained and supported in order to link their advocacy work with the international human rights mechanisms, and they will be provided with necessary skills to utilize the UN system of human rights. The latter will be carried out through shadow reports, alternative reports on womens’ issues including monitoring of the recommendations of the Geneva-Based UN mechanism by the Government of Afghanistan, which will help to systemize the advocacy process by women-led civil society in Afghanistan. The project will also facilitate networking and partnership building among CSOs to ensure their collective strength, which will be the key for the effective promotion of women human rights and policy advocacy.

Promotion of women business in Afghanistan – an exhibition of women entrepreneurs

BRD stated a new initiative aimed at the promotion of women in Afghan society through the exhibition of women’s entrepreneurship projects. The event took place in Gahnzi earlier this year involved 30 women entrepreneurs, the representatives of concerned government departments, NGO’s and CSO’s members as well as ordinary citizens interested in the project.

The goal of the event was to promote women entrepreneurship and to highlight its importance in Afghanistan. Thirty participants exhibited diverse projects with different types of products such as clothing, embroidery, paper flowers and dolls. The exhibition was inaugurated by Mr Mahmmad Ali Ahmadi, the deputy governor of Ghazni province, who emphasized the importance of promoting women’s commerce in order to build women’s position on business. He expressed his appreciation for both donors and BRD, the organizer of the exposition.

The director of Women Affairs pointed out the importance of the initiative in building women business and encouraging them to engage in small-scale commerce to provide them with sustainable income, which is essential for their economic development. The exhibition was a successful initiative in terms of women’s participation, the motivation for showing their products and the interest of visitors in women’s development-related issues. Under the project, women were also provided with business and marketing skills, which are crucial in building effective commerce. BRD is planning to organize more exhibitions, which will help women to sustain market linkages and expand their small businesses.

The Bureau for Reconstruction and Development’s vision for Afghanistan is a place where the population lives in an improved environment with integrity and prosperity. It is also a place where human rights and women rights are recognized and respected. The citizen is encouraged to play an active role in determining the future of their communities.