Afghanistan & The Millennium Development Goals: Produced by Afghan Connection, September 2011

Afghanistan & The Millennium Development Goals
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TO ENHANCE SECURITY
produced by Afghan Connection, September 2011
This Education Pack is an Afghan Connection adaptation of the original design by People in Peril Association (PIPA); Afghanistan and MDG Tool Kit Original Authors: Luk Zajac, Andrej Nvojsk of People in Peril Association Graphic design: Miroslav Lukacovic Translation: Zuzana Grekskov, Tatiana Crov, Mria Harmanoov Copyright: PIPA and Swedish Committee for Afghanistan, free to use AC authors: Sophie Gore Browne, Dr Sarah Fane
Afghanistan MDG Education Pack
INDEX
page
INTRODUCTION TO AFGHANISTAN AND THE MDGs Find a Problem Search for a Solution Web of Global Causes and Consequences My Ordinary Day Surfing for a Better World MDG 1: ERADICATE HUNGER AND POVERTY A Pound a Day International Child Labour Conference MDG 2: UNIVERSAL PRIMARY EDUCATION How Important is MDG 2 Obstacles and Opportunities with Snakes and Ladders MDG 3: PROMOTE GENDER EQUALITY Can I Wear What I Like? Films and Questions for Discussion Violence Against Women (Poetry and Reading) MDGs 4, 5 AND 6: REDUCE CHILD AND MATERNAL MORTALITY AND MAJOR DISEASES Create your own Global Campaign Class Quiz MDG 7: ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Imagine Life As A Street Child and Make Something out of your own Rubbish MDG 8: GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP How Can You Help Afghanistan? MDG 9: SECURITY Opinion Scale and Essay APPENDIX: Exercise Material Introduction MDG 1 MDG 2 MDG 3 SOURCES FURTHER EDUCATION RESOURCES
35 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 58 37 42 43 50 51 53 54 58 59 60
EU / Afghan Connection Twin School Programme
INTRODUCTION
Afghan Connection welcomes you to our Education Pack. This Education Pack was funded by the European Union as part of an awareness programme about Afghanistan and the Millennium Development Goals. The project is run through a Twin School Programme which connects European schools with schools in Afghanistan. The information in this pack will give UK Twin School pupils insight into the daily life of their Afghan partner pupils and the challenges they face as individuals and as a nation. If you are not a part of our Twin School Programme this pack can be used to enhance subject teaching in the general curriculum and, in particular, can be incorporated into Personal Social and Health (PSHE) Education. The aim of the information provided and the accompanying exercises is to teach pupils about Afghanistan and the progress towards its MDGs. Each chapter focusses on a particular MDG, offering information and exercises of varying standards which teachers can modify as they wish. It is not obligatory to do all the exercises with each chapter of information but perhaps pick one or two which are most appropriate for your pupils age group. We have included a recommended time and age group for most exercises but generally this is open to teachers discretion and style of teaching. The appendix provides exercise materials which relate to each chapter, and reference links to further on-line education resources, information sources and related research as well as books and films.
INTRODUCTION TO AfghANISTAN AND ThE mDgS

The United Nations is an inter-governmental organization made up of 192 member states, out of the existing 200 nation states in the world Its headquarters are in New York City, on the East coast of the USA
In 2000 the United Nations hosted the Millennium Development Summit
The three day conference brought together 150 world leaders; the largest number to participate in a single global conference in human history
The purpose of the summit was to establish common goals for a better world: to eliminate injustice and poverty o guarantee all people a decent t standard of life
As a result of the summit 189 member states of the UN signed the Millennium Declaration: a pact to achieve eight goals by 2015 Afghanistan did not sign the Millennium Declaration until the year 2004 extending its deadline for accomplishing the MDGs until 2020 In addition to the eight goals set for every country, Afghanistan has one more: To Enhance Security Despite significant progress world wide, it is considered unrealistic that these goals will be achieved by 2015
The eight general goals aim to lift 500 million people out of poverty by 2015, with emphasis on Goal 8: To Build a Global Partnership for Development
Afghanistan is a land locked country in South Central Asia The Hindu Kush mountain range sweeps across the country from the North East to the South West, forming a spectacular landscape of wide valleys protected by towering mountain ridges averaging about 15,000 ft above-sea-level There are 20 ethnic groups in Afghanistan. The majority of its people are Pashtun, making Pashtu the most widely spoken language In the North East, people are more commonly of Persian descent They are known as Tajiks and speak Dari. As part of their Muslim faith Afghans are renowned for their hospitality to strangers It is not unusual for families to invite you into their homes to share what food they have and give you a bed for the night if you are visiting the area The following Education Pack explores the current state of the MDGs in Afghanistan, a country which has suffered from a series of wars lasting more than a quarter of a century to date The war has affected all aspects of Afghan life; security, health, education and the environment The violence and destruction of war has led to widespread corruption, degrading basic values such as tolerance, trust, and co-operation which have been respected by Afghan society for centuries Currently Afghanistan is the poorest Asian country and one of the most impoverished countries in the world On the UNDP scale for International Human Development Indicators,1 it lies number 155 out of 169 countries However, these indicators have improved consistently since 2005 after years of stagnation
1 http://hdrstats undp org/en/countries/profiles/AFG html
Millennium Development Goals, Introduction
ThE NINE mIllENNIUm DEvElOpmENT gOAlS fOR AfghANISTAN
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TO ENHANCE SECURITY
It is not the UNs task to fulfill all of the MDGs They are supposed to be reached in every country by the joint effort of the government and its citizens.
Kofi Annan, General Secretary of UN in the years 1997 2006
pROgRESS wITh AfghANISTANS mDgS

1. ERADICATE EXTREmE pOvERTY AND hUNgER 1
educe the number of those who earn R less than $1 day by 3% a year educe the number of people suffering R from hunger by 5% every year This is unlikely to be achieved. Benefits from the industrial growth and development within the country are not filtering down to the majority of the population.
6. COmBAT hIv/AIDS, mAlARIA AND OThER DISEASES 6

alt and reverse the spread of H HIV/Aids, Malaria and other major diseases such as Tuberculosis (TB) The spread of Malaria and TB is in decline. The spread of HIV/AIDS is hard to measure but poverty, lack of education, high unemployment, drug use and prostitution indicate levels may continue to rise.
2. AChIEvE UNIvERSAl pRImARY EDUCATION 2

nsure,by 2020, that all boys and girls E have the opportunity to complete at least a Primary School Education Huge progress has been made but still less than half of all school age children attend school. This is predominantly due to the majority of girls not in school.
7. ENSURE ENvIRONmENTAl SUSTAINABIlITY 7

ncourage sustainable development E alve the proportion of people H without access to safe drinking water and sanitation and improve living conditions for slum dwellers There is little management of the environment. Forests are disappearing as people gather firewood. Slums are expanding rapidly as the people flock to live in the cities.
3. pROmOTE gENDER EQUAlITY AND EmpOwER wOmEN 3

quality in education E uarantee women equal pay and G access to equal representation in courts of justice ncrease representation of women in I government by 30% One in eight women are illiterate, and most are uneducated and unable to get a job. However, it is interesting to note that female representation in Parliament is now 27%, higher than in the UK (22%).
8. A glOBAl pARTNERShIp fOR DEvElOpmENT 8

Deliver foreign aid through appropriate mechanisms working towards longterm sustainable development evelopment through trade and D financial investment ob creation that will provide access J to affordable medicines and new technologies Development depends on foreign aid and is hindered by corruption. High middlemen costs, inefficient co-ordination and poor security continue to impede foreign investment.
4. REDUCE ChIlD mORTAlITY 4

educe child mortality below the age R of five by two thirds Good progress has been made as nearly all children now have access to basic health care and vaccinations. However Afghanistan still has the second highest child mortality rate in the world and it is unlikely the goal can be achieved.
9. TO ENhANCE SECURITY 9
eform the Afghan National Army and R Police educe the misuse of illegal weapons R and clear landmines educe the contribution of opium to R the market to less than 1% Land mines are being cleared. Terrorist attacks have increased despite improvements in training the army and the police. Drug trafficking is commonplace and the security situation is deteriorating across the country.
5. ImpROvE mATERNAl hEAlTh 5

educe maternal mortality by two R thirds There has been a gradual increase of female doctors and access to health care is improving, but Afghanistan still has the second highest maternal mortality rate in the world.
Introduction, Millennium Development Goals
EXERCISE
find a problem, Search for a Solution
We would recommend doing this activity before revealing exactly what the Millenium Development Goals are in order to evaluate the pupils perspective on global problems before informing them TIME: 20 minutes MATERIAL: The introduction and background on the MDG Summit (p 3) and a copy of the MDG Diagram (p 4) OBJECTIVE: To find out what the students consider to be the most alarming world problems and discuss solutions INSTRUCTIONS: 1 2 Divide the students into groups and tell them to discuss what they consider to be the biggest global problems Ask each group to write down at least three problems, which need to be solved in the world within 10 years, and to suggest possible solutions e g
PROBLEM: Disease SOLUTION: To provide clean drinking water and improve sanitation facilities These suggestions can be kept for comparison when pupils learn about solutions in each chapter 3 Read through or explain the Millenium Development Summit and introduce Afghanistan (p 3) Then distribute a copy of the Millenium Development Goals to each group or make a list of them on the board for comparison Emphasize that the Millenium Development Goals simultaneously identify a problem and establish an aim to resolve it Ask each group to write their chosen problems on the board, beside a corresponding MDG if there is one
DISCUSSION POINTS: Are all the problems you come up with addressed by the Millenium Development Goals? Would you add more goals to the Millenium Development Goals? Had you ever heard about the Millennium Development Goals before? What can you do at your school/town/home in the near future to help alleviate these problems?
EXERCISE
watch the DvD white Doves
This short 20 minute introductory film provides a general overview of life in Afghanistan and the daily challenges individuals face. It can be used with many of the exercises in the Education Pack, particularly the exercise below. (There is also an exercise in the chapter on MDG 3 that requires you to watch the film closely and answer specific questions.)
web of global Causes and Consequences

TIME: 20-40 minutes MATERIAL: The Nine Millennium Development Goals (p 4), Progress with Afghanistans MDGs (p 5), Excerpts from Dr Sarah Fanes blog (p 37) OBJECTIVE: Understand the different Millennium Development Goals and how they relate to each other INSTRUCTIONS: 1 2 Introduce pupils to MDGs by reading through the accompanying material together Once all the pupils understand the MDGs, ask them to write down which one they consider to be the most important and why Then split the class in to groups of nine accordingly If an MDG is not chosen, allocate pupils to represent that MDG so that all nine are covered. 3 4 5 Write the nine goals in a circle on the board Ask each group to consider which two other MDGs would contribute most to the achievement of their chosen MDG Ask a representative from each group to come up and draw arrows from those two MDGs to their chosen MDG They should explain the reasons for their choices, which can be noted on the board The MDGs with the highest number of arrows leading from them at the end of the exercise indicate which MDGs the pupils consider to be the most important in order to accomplish all the other MDGs
DISCUSSION POINTS: Read the excerpts from Dr Sarah Fanes Blog (Appendix, p 37) when she visits Twin Schools in Afghanistan and finds out the pupils perspectives on the MDGs Compare their views with your own and discuss the similarities and differences. From your class discussions, do you find it surprising how interdependent the MDGs are? Do you think any of the MDGs are more urgent than the others? If so, discuss your reasons.
EXERCISE
my Ordinary Day
TIME: 30-45 minutes MATERIAL: A template, an example school day and three stories of a typical Afghan childs school day from Appendix (p 38-42) OBJECTIVE: Compare and contrast pupils daily lives, routines and opportunities here and in Afghanistan INSTRUCTIONS: 1 2 Ask pupils to draw a circle on a big sheet of paper in the image of a clock composed of 24 hours or print out the template sheet (p 38) for pupils to use Ask them to depict with sketches and/or brief descriptions within the clock how they spend a typical 24 hour school day Use Afghan pupil Amenas sketch as an example (p 39) The pictures should convey different places and people, the daily activities and ways individuals spend the day Give them a limited time as the content is more important than how good the drawing is They should also answer the questions on the accompanying template sheet (p 38) Divide into groups and then distribute the stories of how Afghan children usually spend their day for comparison Each group should get one of the stories and fill out a 24 hour clock of an Afghan pupils day and answer the questions together as best as they can Alternatively if you have limited time, read out one of the Afghan childrens stories with the class and fill out a typical 24 hour day for an Afghan pupil on the board, using the discussion points below for comparison AGE: up to 13
DISCUSSION POINTS: What makes your typical day similar to those of children from Afghanistan and what makes it different? What do you think causes the biggest differences in how you spend your day? Is there anything that has taken you by surprise in your comparisons? What do you hope will change for Afghan children and how? What would you change about your typical day and why? Do you think Afghan children wish for the same things as you? If not, then why?
EXERCISE
Surfing for a Better world
TIME: Homework Project MATERIAL: Introduction Chapter (p 3-5) OBJECTIVE: To analyse the most effective way of raising awareness about Millennium Development Goals, using film in particular INSTRUCTIONS: 1 2 3 Introduce pupils to the MDGs (p 3-5) Split students into groups of two or three and ask each group to search online to find good film clips which focus on the MDGs or which are connected to MDG themes (We suggest youtube/vimeo/google videos ) Inform each group they must find at least three or four video clips connected to the MDGs Encourage them to choose a variety from the following types of film/campaign formats: campaign of a non-governmental (non-profit) organisation / animated video / music video clip / interview with a celebrity / speech by a leading figure / a citizens (childrens) initiative / official campaign of the United Nations Organisation / a picture slideshow 4 5 During their search they should consider answers to the following questions: Which of the MDGs is each video trying to emphasise? Which method is the most engaging? Why? hat are the aims of these videos or presentations? Do you think that they have achieved their aims? W How? Which ones do you consider to be the best? Why? Each group must present their findings with reasons as to why they chose them, identifying their strengths and weaknesses with suggested improvements Discuss with the class, which format was the most effective in building awareness of the MDGs Encourage groups to try to create their own MDG themed video e g Have a look at a video clip on youtube called Afghanistans education, which uses music and photographs to raise awareness about MDG 2 (www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4wp1mA6LX4) AGE: 12/13 +
mIllENNIUm DEvElOpmENT gOAl 1

Afghan Average Income
842 AFN/week (12) 65% of the weekly income/547AFN is spent on food (8)
UK Average Income
499/week 15% of the weekly income/70 is spent on food
3. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE Agriculture is Afghanistans core industry and has the potential to sustain the whole country However, without functioning irrigation systems in many rural areas, the agriculture industry as well as family subsistance farming has suffered greatly Many Afghans depend on external food support either from relatives abroad or aid groups Some decide to leave the country or region, while others may start growing high value commodities that are less water reliant This is the attraction of growing poppies, the plant-base of opium, which is now illegal to grow and sell p to 40% of children below the age of five do U not have enough food This affects their physical development
Nine million Afghans (36% of the population) are not able to meet their basic needs and live off less than 60p a day.
CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES Of pOvERTY

1. WAR War leads to the destruction of services and infrastrucure such as: oads, electricity and sanitation systems R ospitals and basic health care facilities H Schools to educate the population Industry and factories to provide employment Irrigation systems necessary to grow food.
Other impacts of war on Afghanistans economy: Landmines on fields and roads restrict movement illions of educated professional people have left M nsecurity has disrupted international trade and the I modernization and expansion of services and industry 2. CLIMATE Natural disasters such as droughts, floods and earthquakes affect thousands of people every year in Afghanistan and particularly the poorest people living in isolated rural areas, with less infrastructure and access to external support
Abdul is 12 years old and used to work in a bakery Now he is lying on his bed in the Childrens Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan His mother sits beside him fanning away the flies He stares at the ceiling, showing little emotion Ten days ago he survived the blast of an anti-personnel mine He had one leg amputated His other leg and his abdomen were badly torn apart Despite his injuries Abdul is more worried about his family than himself Since my father was killed my older brother and I have provided for our family. We were looking for clay to rebuild our house us. I ran towards them to stop them touching it. I must have stepped on another mine. Now I will be a burden on my family instead of being a breadwinner. I dont know how we will manage.
Source: UNICEF UK
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mDg1, EXERCISE
One pound a Day
TIME: 45 minutes MATERIAL: Story of an Afghan Family, Background on Basic Needs, Afghan Commodities and Afghani (AFG) Currency and Send a Child to Work (p 43-49) OBJECTIVE: Think about what it means to be living in poverty the priorities, daily sacrifices and compromises INSTRUCTIONS: 1 2 Hand out copies of the material to groups and read through the Story of an Afghan Family (p 43) Explain that each group has 420 AFG with which they must budget (p 48) This is the ordinary income of a family of six members, roughly equivalent to 6 (2011 exchange rate) This means that one member of a family has 70 AFG (1) at his/her disposal Before they can make an informed decision on how an Afghan family would meet their daily needs, read through the Background on Basic Needs (p 43-44) with the accompanying coupons (p 45-47), and perhaps make a note of the prices on the board Tell the pupils about the possibility of sending one of the children to work to create more income Hand out the two options described on p 49, to each group to read amongst themselves Give the pupils a set amount of time (est 20 minutes) to come to an agreement within their groups, about what the family should spend the money on, using the pictures of Afghan goods and services (p 45-47) After the set time is over, ask a representative of each group to list their choices and explain how they made their decisions Encourage a class discussion, using the information contained in the Background on Basic Needs, about why different groups chose different things AGE: 11/12 +
4 5 6 7
DISCUSSION POINTS: Why were some needs mostly done away with and others were not? Are you surprised by your choice of how to spend the money and what you might have to do without? Were there any groups whose choices were very different? How did they make their decision and why? Did groups think about saving money for the future? How was this possible? What is standing in the way of a better life for this Afghan family? id any of the groups decide it was necessary for one of the children to work? Why? Did everyone in the D group agree with the decision? What are the advantages and disadvantages for the child and family, longterm and short-term, if they work? o you think that the priorities of the Afghan family from the activity resemble those of ordinary families in D your own country? In what ways are they similar or different?
Millennium Development Goal 1
11
mDg1, EXERCISE
International Conference on Child labour
TIME: 45 minutes MATERIALS: Perspectives on Child Labour (p 50) OBJECTIVES: Understand Child Labour and the complexity of the issue. Gain insight into diplomatic process through debate and co-operation to reach a resolution. INSTRUCTIONS: 1 2 3 4 5 Divide students into six groups and present each group with a different role from The Perspectives on Child Labour Explain to them that each group will represent a different side on an international conference on Child Labour Pupils must discuss their roles perspective, the reasons for its position at the conference and the outcome they seek Remind the pupils to separate their own personal views on the issue from the role they represent In the conference one pupil is chosen to represent the views of each group in a round table discussion, with the aim of reaching an agreement on the issue and deciding specific solutions Begin the discussion by asking each representative to introduce himself/herself and briefly summarize what he/she hopes to achieve at the conference Then initiate the debate by asking one representative to put forward his/her main arguments for or against Child Labour, encouraging each representative to interject where appropriate to ensure each viewpoint is stated Throughout the discussion, any pupil can substitute their representative to add to his/her views, with a tap on the shoulder AGE: 12/13 +
DISCUSSION POINTS: Have you managed to find a solution on which all sides can agree? f so what are the compromises each group had to make to find a consensus? Was it difficult? According to I pupils, which group had to compromise the most and which one the least? What is it that helps to find a joint solution among people with different demands and what is it that stands in their way? f a solution was not agreed upon what are the reasons for that? Which group did not desist from their I demands and why? What do you think are the biggest obstacles in the fight against Child Labour?
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BACK TO SChOOl CAmpAIgN
Up to four million children returned to school due to the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEFs) campaign in 2002, which provided basic equipment for schools to start the school year Eight million school books and 18 thousand boards and packages with school tools were distributed Hundreds of trucks transported the cargo from Peshawar, a city in Pakistan near the border It was the largest logistical operation in the history of UNICEF, backed by a major campaign including radio advertisements, street theatre, community meetings, and thousands of posters, flyers and stickers Special attention was paid to enroling girls in school
In a country that has one of the youngest populations in the world, with nearly half the population under the age of 15, the achievement of this MDG is crucial for the Afghan people to lay the foundations that will enable them to re-build their country. ess than 50% of school age children (7-12yrs) L attend school. nly 23.5% of the population can read or write. O
pROgRESS
1. ENROLMENT In 2001, there were only one million children enrolled in schools, now statistics estimate there to be 6 7 million (71% primary enrolment rates) However, enrolment does not equate to attendance or completion of schooling and the Ministry of Education (MoE) data shows that 19% of enrolled children are either temporarily or permanently absent 2. ACCESS According to a 2010 national survey (Integrity Watch Afghanistan) 88% of Afghans said they had access to primary and secondary education more than any other public service There are approximately 12,514 schools in Afghanistan, according to the MoE, up from 7,650 in 2004 However the MoE is struggling to keep up with growing demand for education, especially in rural areas Kabul University was reopened in 2002 and other higher education institutions have opened since, but for the most part they remain accessible only to the elite 3. GIRLS EDUCATION (MDG 3) Under the Taliban most girls were banned from receiving an education Now, a decade later, over two million girls are in school This is significant progress However, even though more than a third (37%) of pupils enrolled in schools are girls, only 5% manage to complete secondary school education
gIRlS RECEIvE AN EDUCATION

Miriam wants to be a teacher Her school, built by Afghan Connection, is called Bibi Ayisha and educates 1300 girls Hardly a girl at the school has a mother who can read or write At the beginning of 2011, Dr Sarah Fane, founder of AC, received a letter from one of the girls studying at Bibi Ayisha High School which shows just how much an education means to girls in Afghanistan: The best memory in my life is this one so one day a kind and best woman came to our country and she built a good and nice school for us. Now we are very happy because we have a good and nice school in our Province and all of the girls can go to this school and study their lessons. Thank you kind and lovely woman.
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fACTORS hINDERINg ThE COmplETION Of mDg 2 IN AfghANISTAN:

pOvERTY (mDg1)
This is one of the main obstacles that prevents children attending school, as it is necessary for the children of poor families to work to supplement the family income Approximately one in five children work to feed their family (6-17 yrs) Even if they can afford for their children not to work, there are often extra informal teaching fees and stationery costs which prevent the possibility of education Some families send one child to school who can tutor the others Pre-dominantly this is a male member, while girls remain at home to help with household chores or are sent to work
QUAlITY
a) Despite a surge in school construction, 6,000 schools (47%) still have no buildings Corruption in education services and a lack of access to general resources including text books and writing materials are stalling efforts to improve school conditions b) The quality and availability of good teachers is a problem There has been a decline in the ratio of teachers to pupils as demand for education is growing Only 22% of teachers reach the minimum teaching standard qualification set by the MoE In particular female teachers are in short supply nationally, only one in four teachers are female In rural A VICIOUS CyCLE areas only 1% of teachers are female, in contrast to 80% in some urban areas Many parents will not send their daughters c) Learning outcomes and school completion rates are poor to school because with the low quality of teaching Despite the fact that the teacher is not female nearly 50% of children are now enrolled in school only one in four can read and write As one school principal Few teachers in Kunduz said, Things work on the basis of connections Without an in rural schools and bribes, from text books to test results and teachers education a female are female Many teachers are not qualified to teach I have seen cases cannot qualify to where students who have studied under a teacher for become a teacher three years werent even able to write their names.*
DISTANCE
For many children the nearest school is too far away to walk to in rural areas and children may walk for hours through mountainous landscapes to reach their school The extreme climate in Winter and Summer prevent many pupils from reaching school in time for morning classes This is a particular obstacle for disabled children as well as girls Conservative notions of female honour prevent girls travelling longer distances to school and harassment of girls on their way to and from school by males is not uncommon
SECURITY (mDg 9)
It is often too dangerous for children to travel to school The fighting does not always occur on specific front-lines and can flare up with little warning, so parents often decide it is not worth the risk Women especially are likely to be kept at home for their own protection As one father in Kandahar said, The suicide bombings and shootings lately have forced us to keep our children home I hope we can send them back soon, but the situation is too difficult right now.*
*Girls Education in Afghanistan, Joint NGO Briefing Paper issued by Oxfam International, Feb 2011
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TRADITION
a) RELIGIOUS VALUES OF THE FAMILY: The tribal customs and Islamic beliefs of a family can prevent children from going to school Depending on who has control in a given area, parents might prefer to send their children to a Madrassa religious school, where children learn Islamic values and practices through close study of the Quran Once females reach adolescence, particularly in rural areas, the completion of education is not a priority Attending school as a young woman can risk harassment and abduction b) COMPLETION OF EDUCATION IS NOT A PRIORITY: It is considered enough to know how to read and write and some people do not think children learn anything of much use in the higher classess However the percentage of people completing school is gradually increasing One obstacle to completing education is that young women of poor families are more likely to be forced to marry early, for the dowry (sum of money) the daughters family will receive
ThE TAlIBAN AND EDUCATION

Under the rule of the Taliban (1996 2001), girls above eight years old were officially denied access to schools and only about 3% received a primary education Many women risked their lives to provide an education, and organized underground secret schools for young girls In Kandahar, a Taliban stronghold in the South of Afghanistan, women are still fearful of going to school Although There were 50 attacks on schools each month boys were allowed to attend school, the educational content in 2009. This rose to 250 a month when schools was dominated by the study of the Quran were used as polling stations for the elections.
A SOlUTION: ThE wORSAJ EDUCATION INITIATIvE

Worsaj is an area in the North East of Afghanistan where Afghan Connection (AC), together with the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan, aims to address many of the factors hindering the progress of MDG 2, in a new sustainable development model Rather than continuing to fund school construction across broader geographical areas of Afghanistan, the charity will concentrate its efforts in one region providing education for a population of 70,000 Worsaj is a mountainous district with four valleys and five main villages Qawunduz, Mihan shar, Tarusht, Pastab and the main centre, Khanaqa village Each village has a boys and a girls school up and running, but these schools have either limited or no facilities Many children cannot reach these schools from their distant villages and have no access to education To overcome these issues AC will fund at least two school constructions a year to upgrade the main village schools Each will have a resource centre with library, computer room, meeting hall and science laboratory AC is running Community Based Schools in villages which do not have access to education because the nearest schools are simply too far away These schools are run in village homes or mosques and AC pays and trains the teachers and provides all the stationery and equipment The schools guarantee that every child in these four valleys has access to education To ensure high quality teaching, AC will provide Teacher Training for 100 teachers a year from the main schools and Community Based Schools and for girls in the top grades at school wanting to become teachers To enable sustainability, AC will support and provide capacity building for the District Education Authorities who will run these schools in the future This should provide the entire Worsaj population a good quality education, in a secure and safe environment, supported by the surrounding community The majority of adults in the area are illiterate, but they are determined that their children should have an education. Last year 35 of the girls from one of the Worsaj schools graduated to University and Teacher Training College and the school attained some of the best results in the North of Afghanistan Afghan Connection is proud to contribute towards the education of these talented and determined girls and to play a part in fulfilling MDG2 in Afghanistan
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mDg 2, EXERCISE mDg2, EXERCISE

how important is mDg 2?
TIME: 45 minutes MATERIALS: MDG 2 information and The Story of the Street Children (p 51) OBJECTIVE: Explore the different barriers to education in Afghanistan and the benefits of receiving an education if these can be overcome INSTRUCTIONS: 1 2 3 4 5 Draw a tree on the blackboard similar to the one in this photograph The roots represent factors preventing pupils from having an education The trunk represents Education The branches represent the fruits of education, both for those receiving it and for the Nation Using information from this chapter and the appendix, ask pupils to come to the board and label the roots with the problems preventing an education and the branches with the fruits of an education
DISCUSSION POINTS: Consider what factors are the most crucial for MDG 2 to be achieved in Afghanistan. Consider in what ways the future of Afghanistan could be changed for the better if MDG 2 can be achieved.
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Obstacles and Opportunities with Snakes and ladders
The following exercise is aimed at a younger age group (under 12 years) To explore these issues with an older class, use the same material from the MDG2 information and The Stories of Afghan Children (p 53) without using the Snakes and Ladders game Decide each characters ultimate goal in life, along with the obstacles and opportunities they are likely to experience Then lead a discussion around why education is more important or more likely for each individual TIME: 45 minutes MATERIALS: Dice, six game pieces, Snakes and Ladder game board and The Stories of Afghan Children (p 52-53) OBJECTIVES: Analyse another persons circumstances and evaluate their obstacles and opportunities in life. Understand the issues that prevent Afghan children receiving an education. INSTRUCTIONS: 1 Divide students into six groups, providing each group with a case study from The Stories of Afghan Children 2. he pupils in each group must set one objective for their character; they must decide what their character T most wants to achieve in his/her life They must write down five possible obstacles their character could face and five possible opportunities that could contribute to achieving his/her objective, using the infromation on MDG2 for suggestions 3 Play as you would a normal game of snakes and ladders Before each groups first turn they must introduce their character and read aloud their story to the other groups When a group goes up a ladder, they must read out loud an opportunity that would bring that child closer to his/her goal Similarly if a group goes down a snake, they must read out an obstacle
DISCUSSION POINTS: Which character has the highest chances to achieve his/her goal? Why? Is it difficult to imagine the challenges and ambitions of these children? If so why? In comparison what are your personal life goals and what are the chances of achieving them? Is education an important goal/opportunity for all the characters in the stories? If yes/no, why? What have you learnt about the lives of Afghan children from the stories and what has surprised you?
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lIfE fOR wOmEN UNDER ThE TAlIBAN
emales were prohibited from receiving an F education and access to adequate health care hey were forbidden to walk the streets without T a blood relative (if violated, women were verbally threatened and ultimately beaten or whipped) omen were not allowed to work outside their W homes, the only exception being a small number of female doctors and nurses in Kabul hospitals omen were forced to wear a burka in public (an W enveloping garment from head to foot with a cloth grille over the face) omen were not allowed to wear high heel shoes W or wear make up as it was considered to attract the wrong attention from men hey were forbidden to laugh out loud. T As Fatima Akbari, a 42-year-old wife of a carpenter says: Gender equality means that women have the same opportunities as men. In this way, we have been lagging behind other countries, but now the situation is getting better. The repression of women has been one of the most controversial issues in the modern history of Afghanistan Past but also present attempts at reforms in this area face opposition and are often considered to be unIslamic. During the military conflicts at the end of the 20th century, womens rights in Afghan society were abused by fundamentalist Islamic groups, namely the Taliban They were forced to lead confined and isolated lives away from the public eye, usually in a restricted physical and social space, justified to be for their own protection and security indows on the first floors had to be painted so W women could not be seen from the outside emales were prohibited from featuring in any F sort of media, entertainment or exhibition, in the publication of female images in newspapers, books or film or from participating in TV, radio or public meetings
wOmEN STIll fACE ChAllENgES

Government capacity to enforce Womens Rights is weak Women who have public leadership roles regularly face intimidation, threats and harassment The influence of conservative family values and tribal customs prevail, with low worth attached to womens rights to an education and financial independence: men can have up to four wives and marry women as young as nine years old and a womans share of inheritance is lower than that of men Without financial independence, women cannot afford legal representation They are often unable to read and are unaware of their fundamental rights Only around 6% of women over the age of 25 have had a formal education and only 12% of women over the age of 15 are literate No country in the world has such a high rate of illiteracy for women as Afghanistan
ACCEpTABlE DRESS fOR wOmEN NOw

ince 2001 beauty salons have re-opened and S some women have changed their burka for more modern dress and comfortable clothes nder Afghan national law there are no U restrictions on womens clothing However, they do not tend to wear T-shirts or revealing skirts and most women dress traditionally he Burka is often mistakenly associated with T Islam, but in fact Islamic religious doctrine only obliges women to cover their hair, not their faces, feet or palms n the countryside, traditional dress still I predominates as do traditional values Women wear long dresses and loose trousers and are still expected to wear a burka in public
18
ADvANCINg wOmENS RIghTS

NATIONAl lEvEl ChANgES, TOp-DOwN
omen can now vote and be elected. W Afghanistan is one of the countries with the highest percentage of women in its National Parliament 27 1% of seats in the Parliament are occupied by women, only 22% of UK MPs are female he Ministry of Womens Affairs was T established to co-ordinate the advancement of womens rights in Afghanistan, through a group called the National Action Plan for Women of Afghanistan (NAPWA) which aims to monitor correct enforcement of the Elimination of Violence Against Women Act (Aug 2009) he Government of Afghanistans National T Solidarity Program, works with male members of Community Development Councils (CDCs) to include women in the democratic processes of government To promote the leadership skills of women the programme uses slogans such as: Women have the potential to lead! Women leaders better serve poor Afghans Being a leader brings respect and honour to a womans family and community
gRASSROOT INITIATIvES, BOTTOm-Up

Micro-credit and saving groups are being set up by groups of women to save money and make small loans These enable members to start small local enterprises, such as book-keeping, business planning, risk assessment and trades such as carpetweaving, baking, hair-dressing and silk manufacture Initiatives are being encouraged to increase subsistence and diversify a households food supply, by live-stock rearing and growing various fruits and vegetables This can reduce a familys hunger period and generate more income from surplus produce Food co-operatives are being established to produce high value crops such as saffron, wheat, fruits and vegetables on a larger scale to sell Training programmes are being run in vocational trades such as honey production, animal husbandry, cloth-making, tailoring and weaving as well as computer literacy and English Other local initiatives such as local support groups, legal aid clinics, rights-awareness training, conflictresolution workshops and literacy courses for women, have proved key in empowering women and educating them about their rights
wOmEN plAY SpORT

Under the Taliban women were forbidden to play sports It was considered to bring shame on a females honour It is still disapproved of in rural and conservative areas Only in recent years has it become more acceptable for women to enjoy sports sometimes without headscarves but usually within the confines of school walls or a specifically protected or contained area Robina aged 15, at Afghan Connections Jalalabad Peace Day Cricket Camp for 140 girls, held in 2010 said If girls had the same opportunities as boys we would be so happy and we could change the future for the better There are no facilities for girls. I love cricket and I am so happy to be here. An excerpt from Dr Fanes (Afghan Connection) blog, April 2011: 50 girls from five different ethnic groups, had come together from five schools across Kabul for a two-day camp Dressed in whites emblazoned with the Spirit of Cricket, Afghan Connection and AYSCO, they received coaching from three female and one male coach all siblings from a wonderful cricketing family The female coaches play for the Afghanistan Womens Cricket Team Most girls were playing cricket for the first time, but a few had played before and one or two were magnificent and have been spotted for the Afghan team One had been taught by her three brothers in the refugee camps of Pakistan. Judging by the force with which the ball whacked me off her bat, they taught her well! Another, called Diana, comes from a cricketing family too and all her siblings and both her parents play A beautiful girl with green eyes and henna in her hair told me how she had her parents blessing to be at the camp but all her aunts and uncles were very against it and had criticised the family She loves cricket and says she is very, very angry that girls have so few opportunities and that uneducated people across Afghanistan make life so hard and restricted for women Some spoke excellent English and loved talking to us about everything from cricket to hair dyes, their passion for romantic literature, including Romeo and Juliet, and their determination to have careers as engineers and doctors. They begged us to come back again and do another camp for them.
19

Can I wear what I like?
TIME: 40 minutes MATERIALS: Farida Tarana, a female finalist in the singing competition Afghan Star (Appendix, p 54) Hafiza, A teacher living in the rural province of Ghor (Appendix, p 55) OBJECTIVE: To explore the values that influence the way we dress and to compare these with influences in Afghanistan INSTRUCTIONS: 1 2 Either divide students into groups of 4-5 people mixing up girls and boys, or take the exercise with the whole class depending on time available and size of class Introduce these themes to the class Religious Traditions / Climate / Own Comfort / Influence of family, friends and society / Aesthetics of clothing and social trends / Men / Price / Media and role models (famous people) / Expression of personality Ask them which of these they think most influence the way girls in the UK dress? Through discussion they must list the different influences on dress in order of importance in individual groups or on the board For comparison, consider what most influences the way women dress in Afghanistan Read about two different women from Afghanistan If you are working in groups then half the groups must read Farida Taranas story and the other half must read Hafizas Ask students to discuss what they think influences the way each woman dresses in each particular case and to list them in order of importance, putting themselves in the place of the woman from the society described in the article
3 4
DISCUSSION POINTS: As a class compare the different outcomes between each woman in Afghanistan and then compare these with your UK results: hat do you think influences these women the most personal values or external factors imposed on them? W ow do the factors influencing womens dress in the stories compare with those influencing women in the H UK? Consider similarities and differences ow have these values changed over time in the UK and in Afghanistan? Consider historical changes in the H way women dress in the UK o you think that men in Afghanistan are subject to similar restrictions in dress and other expressions of D individuality as the women in these articles? If yes, which? If no, why? f your family or politicians or religious groups told you that you could not wear the clothes you like, would I you wear them anyway? Would you do so even if you were in danger of being punished (prison, expulsion from school, job loss, rejection from the family, bodily punishment)?
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films and Questions for Discussion
1. White Dove, focussing on MDG 3 (20 mins)
What was the reason the small girl from the beginning of the film had to work in the streets? How did the girl end up in a school? Why does the mother of the girl consider education important for her children? What are the differences between Bibi Chadidza school and UK schools? What professions did the girls from Bibi Chadidza list most frequently? According to the headmaster of Bibi Chadidza, what is most important for the future of the school? What was the impact of the midwife assistant course on the local community? What were the womens lives like before taking the course? What obstacles did they have to face? How do you think the situation in Afghanistan would change if more women received an education?

2. Womens rights in the documentary Afghan Star (90 mins)
This award-winning documentary is not provided but can be ordered on-line, via Dogwoof or Amazon. Visit their website at www.afghanstardocumentary.com for more details. According to the United Nations Organisation, there are three main reasons why women in Afghan society still do not have the same rights as men: Traditional patriarchal arrangement of family and society Poverty and insecurity caused by a long-term military conflict Defective legislation, infringement of the existing laws, violation of protective social mechanism hat are some of the main issues men have with women participating in such a public competition? W hat are the different concerns the individual female participants have? W ow does the support they have vary among their close family and friends? H ow much does this have to do with the different areas from which they come? H ist some of wider societys/general publics opinions about women participating in the competition or simply L the idea of a competition at all? hat do you think about the fact that one woman contenders performance was extremely disapproved of W because she danced on stage and that this was the likely reason she was voted out? ould you have dared to do it in her position? W o you think the documentary has strengthened the wider national womens movement to advance their D rights? If so, how? And if not, why? ut of all the female contenders, who made the best impression or presented the better image to promote O womens rights? hat is the most surprising or memorable part in the story of Afghan Star that showed a different side to W Afghanistan, and life for women in Afghanistan, other than what you previously imagined?
21

violence Against women
Traditional attitudes in Afghan society severely restrict a womans freedom of choice, her independence to pursue a career, to make money and to move around the country. If women break these codes of honour they may become victims of domestic violence. In reality 80% of disputes are still settled through informal local customary procedures, which deny many women their basic rights, and do not recognize laws such as the Elimination of Violence Against Women Law passed in August 2009. Civil Society Organizations such as the Afghan Womens Skills Development Centre provide shelter for survivors of genderbased violence in Afghanistan. Aside from providing a safe house for victims of abuse, staff build awareness of the Violence Against Women and Family Laws amongst police, religious leaders and through training judges and law enforcers in the area. TIME: 50-60 minutes MATERIAL: Afghan Aid case studies and excerpts from the book Caged Bird: Nadia Anjumans Poems and Stories from a Safe House (p 55-58) (You can order the book through us by contacting office@afghanconnection org or use our selected examples with the Education Pack ) OBJECTIVES: To provide insight into the repression of women in Afghan society. To explore the role of tradition in making women vulnerable to abuse. To understand the discrepancy between officialy declared rights and their enforcement. INSTRUCTIONS: 1 2 Read the poem Useless by Nadia Anjuman (p.56) and Consequences of a Forced Marriage (p 57) Begin a discussion on the themes of silence/voice, imprisonment/liberty, male domination and domestic violence Read two success stories from the Appendix (p 55) One is about Shahnaz, a young woman who has set up her own small cosmetic shop by learning to save credit as part of a micro-finance iniative She had no education but through this program has her own economic independence and is the main earner for the family The other is Hafizas story used in the first MDG 3 exercise Question generalizations about the treatment of women in Afghanistan through discussion of a number of different case studies which reveal the problems women confront as well as increasing opportunities they have to make significant changes in their lives AGE: 14+
3. 16+) Read the story about Najla and Sheila (p.57-58), who lived abroad and returned home to re-integrate ( into a traditional way of life with their family They are both killed for bringing disgrace on their husbands and family for not being virgins Through their stories explore the difference between rural and urban society and their attitudes to womens rights DISCUSSION: Using all the material, scenarios from the case-studies and information from the Education Pack, prompt the pupils to discuss the various forms of violence women can face and the prospect of opportunity in present-day Afghanistan List the common constraints women share on their freedom. Then list their different individual problems. Consider the reasons for these differences? Is it regional, traditional, familial, economical? hat solutions might you consider best for each individual situation? You can refer to current solutions W outlined on p 19, in the section on Advancing Womens Rights How do you think womens rights can be advanced most effectively?
22
ThE hEAlTh mIllENNIUm DEvElOpmENT gOAlS 4, 5 & 6
IN ThE pAST
War and conflicts within Afghanistan have had a disastrous impact on the healthcare system Many hospitals and health care institutions have been destroyed or damaged and many doctors have fled abroad There has been limited access to vaccinations and medicines and health education has been almost completely absent
AT pRESENT
Even now social indicators reflect similar levels of under-development in healthcare as before the Soviet Invasion in the 1970s Every day hundreds of people still die because of conflict, landmines, poor sanitation and lack of medical assistance and health awareness
mDg 5
No where in the world is life harder for a pregnant woman than in Afghanistan Nine out of ten births take place at home without the assistance of an educated health carer One in fifteen women (or even one in every six women in some less developed areas of the country) dies while giving birth or due to pregnancy complications, which amounts to 25,000 deaths every year, one every 27 minutes None of this has made headline news Only 30% of medical institutions employ professional female staff who, due to traditional Afghan custom, are the only ones allowed to carry out all the physical examinations and tests for women Another cultural factor that has a negative impact on the health of mothers and children is that more than half of women get married before the age of 18
ChIlDREN AND wOmEN SUffER ThE mOST

Afghanistan has amongst the highest levels of child and maternal mortality in the world The life expectancy for a woman in Afghanistan is 44 years old, approximately half that of a woman in the UK
mDg 4 and 6
Child mortality is very high in Afghanistan Almost one in four children dies, 23 5% (235 in 1000), in contrast to about 1% in the uk (5 5 in 1000) Tuberculosis is still responsible for 12,000 child deaths a year, as about 25% of children have not yet been vaccinated
Millennium Development Goals 4, 5 & 6
23
pROgRESS
Despite these statistics there have been significant improvements in health: lthough child mortality is still very high, it is in A clear decline he majority of children are now receiving T vaccinations for Tuberculosis, Poliomyelitis and Measles (75%) he situation is improving in urban areas, where T the rate of child mortality is now 20% lower than in rural areas ost Afghans now have access to basic health M care Media, touring theatre companies, and professional courses for women have helped to raise awareness about hygiene and healthy living
Asif wants to be a doctor
CASE STUDY
Many hospitals were destroyed during the years of war, some medical staff were killed and others fled as refugees Afghan Connections health projects have focused on hospital and clinic refurbishment, medical training and vaccination programmes, all of which have an impact on MDGs 4,5 and 6 This photograph of a UK doctor funded by AC to give medical training in Afghanistan, was taken on a ward round in Kunduz Hospital The child, aged three, had come in to hospital after ten days of diarrhoea and vomiting She was dying Our doctor asked the Afghan doctors to feel for the childs pulse It was so weak they had difficulty in finding it Then he began the process of rehydrating and resuscitating the child and the Afghan doctors watched on and felt the pulse grow stronger and stronger The child survived The Afghan doctors could not have had a better teaching demonstration The joy was short lived. As the doctors arrived at the bedside of the next child in the ward, he died. His mother, a Kuchi nomad, had walked for days to bring him to hospital They had arrived too late and his death was a tragic reminder that almost one in four babies born in Afghanistan will not reach their fifth birthday
Persisting problems that contribute to a lack of healthcare in Afghanistan: xtreme poverty is a major obstacle in accessing E healthcare and treatment igh levels of illiteracy contribute to a low level of H awareness about healthcare and hygiene imited access to a clean water supply and poor L sanitation mean disease spreads easily fghan Healthcare services depend almost A entirely on Non-Government Organizations funded by foreign sources
24
mDg 2, EXERCISE mDg4,5&6, EXERCISE

Create your own global Awareness Campaign
TIME: Home Work Project OBJECTIVES: To present global health problems in a coherent, engaging way To learn about wide-ranging campaign techniques and their effectiveness in raising awareness INSTRUCTIONS: 1 2 Split students into groups of 4-6 Each group must pick one global health problem and prepare an awareness campaign around it, e g Malaria, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, access to clean water and sanitation etc Then pupils should pick a presentation method for their topic poster, TV commercial, Power Point presentation, web page or dramatic performance, with the aim of raising awareness among young people in the UK, in the most engaging way possible oster campaign try to incorporate the basic facts about your topic, the causes of the problem, and the P areas in the world where this topic is considered to be a serious problem Present some possible solutions as well as success stories V commercial/dramatic performance it does not have to be created in a film/media format, but can T be presented as a dramatic scene It should last around 30-60 seconds and should use both sound and image ower Point presentation or a webpage the credibility of the information you use is the main priority P void stereotypes when describing the problem (such as using pictures of extremely poor children with A swollen bellies) Try to depict the topics rather by means of using symbols and your imagination, with sensitivity, without picturing people in undignified situations (e g dying people, begging or helpless) Their aim is to research the topic in one week In this time they should collect a strong basis of information on the subject, get acquainted with the facts, context and causes and make it as interesting as possible for their classmates In class they must plan how they will research this within the groups: split the tasks, make a time plan and think about the tools needed for a presentation 4 Then pupils must present their work in a given time and comment on the others work Assess each group individually and the class as a whole Keep any handouts made by the pupils to display them in the classroom following the exercise AGE: 11/12 +
DISCUSSION POINTS (after each presentation): How and where they found information about their topic? What did they find most interesting about the topic they picked? How they thought about making it particularly engaging? Was this easy or hard? Did they like this form of learning, and working in their groups? For inspiration (tips and techniques) please use the Global Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for all (WASH) Campaign resources online: www wsscc org/wash
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Class Quiz
TIME: 35 mins
This is not supposed to be a test of knowledge, but an entertaining way of informing the pupils about a specific issue. Below are more interactive instructions other than the pen and paper format, perhaps for a younger class. INSTRUCTIONS: 1 2 3 You need an open floor space with four labels taped to the ground reading A, B, C, D If you want to add a competitive element, split the students into groups of 4-5 members It would be useful to name the groups using different colours, numbers, or specific names, etc As you read out each question and set of answers, each group will have to decide on one correct answer within their group and after approximately 20 seconds one representative of each group should position himself/herself on a marked area (A, B, C or D) to represents the correct answer according to the team Mark the correct guesses of each group on a blackboard Repeat the process for each question Briefly sum up the results of the quiz and, if appropriate, you can reward the most successful group Leave time to go over each question and discuss how some groups arrived at their answers Then explain the reason behind some of the answers
4 5 6
QUIZ QUESTIONS: 1 Globally, how do we use the most water? a) Washing b) Cooking c) In industry d) For irrigation
Answer: d) For irrigation. (More than 70% of human water consumption is spent on irrigation.) 2 How many litres of water are needed to produce one litre of milk? a) 10 litres b) 100 litres Answer: c) 1,000 litres 3 How many litres of water are used in the production of one kilogram of beef? a) 16 litres b) 160 litres c) 1,600 litres d) 16,000 litres c) 1,000 litres d) 10,000 litres
Answer: d) 16,000 litres. (In the industrial production of beef it takes an average of about three years for the cattle to be ready for slaugther. One cow provides about 200kg of boneless beef. In three years it consumes about 1,300kg of cereals, 7,200kg of dietary fibre, and 24 cubic metres of water. In addition, seven cubic metres of water are used to clean and keep cattle.) 4 How many water tankers would be needed to transport the daily drinking water supply of a town with 10,000 inhabitants? a) 10 b) 100 c) 1 tanker per person d) 3km long line of water tankers
Answer: d) 3km long line of water tankers. (150 water tankers would be needed every day, this would form a line approximately 3km long, every day.) 5 What percentage of Afghans drink contaminated water? a) Afghans dont drink contaminated water b) 1/3 c) 4 out of 5 d) Almost all
Answer: c) 4 out of 5. (About 80%, the worst situation being in the rural areas.)
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6 Which of these diseases is the most widespread in Afghanistan? a) Malaria b) Tuberculosis c) Measles d) HIV/AIDS
Answer: a) Malaria. (Even though malaria occurs only in the areas below 1,500 metres above sea level, which applies to around 60% of the overall area of Afghanistan, there are about 1.5 million people infected by it every year. Tuberculosis causes about 12,000 deaths/year.) 7 What should you do in order to avoid catching any of these diseases when travelling in Afghanistan (also across the rural areas)? a) Eat only in luxurious restaurants b) Drink only bottled or boiled water c) Get a vaccination against malaria d) Move only in air-conditioned spaces
Answer: b) Drink only bottled or boiled water. (The greatest danger lies in water supply. It is not possible to get bottled water in many areas of Afghanistan, but boiling ordinary water serves as a good alternative. There is no vaccination against malaria. Luxury restaurants are very expensive and rare; there are only some in the biggest cities. Movement in air-conditioned spaces can have the opposite effect: you can catch a cold or other infectious illness from other people.) 8 Nowhere in the world is the maternal mortality rate higher than in the south and in the south-east provinces of Afghanistan The risk of a mothers death caused by pregnancy or childbirth is: a) 4% b) 8% c) 16% d) 24%
Answer: c) 16%. (In these areas, the risk of a mothers death caused by giving birth is 15-times higher than in Kbul and more than a 1000-times higher than in the UK (0.01%).) 9 Afghanistan has the second highest number of landmine victims per capita in the world A higher number is ascribed only to: a) Cambodia b) Bosnia and Herzegovina Answer: a) Cambodia 10 What is not allowed in an Afghan hospital? a) To pay the doctors for treatment b) For a patient to be treated by a doctor of the opposite sex c) To thank the doctor for the treatment d) To uncover ones body c) North Korea d) Mozambique
Answer: b) For a patient to be treated by a doctor of the opposite sex. (Cultural norms do not allow Afghans to uncover themselves in front of a stranger of opposite sex, even in cases of serious health problems or if someones life is in danger.) DISCUSSION: hy is about 16,000 litres of water used for producing 1kg of beef? What is the water used for during the W process of production? hat can we do to reduce water consumption in agriculture? W hat could be the main health consequences of the fact that the majority of Afghans do not have access to W drinking water? hat do you think could be done in order to ensure that all Afghans have access to safe drinking water? W What can you do to support Afghans in this effort? o you know about an awareness or fundraising campaign which focuses on ensuring clean drinking water D for countries of the developing world? If not, try to search on the Internet
27

whAT IS A SlUm?
Slum households are defined by UN-Habitat (the UN Human Settlements Programme) as households that lack a decent water supply, adequate sanitation facilities, sufficient living area (overcrowded), decent structural quality and/or security of tenure
Source: Oxfam
Photo by Brje Almqvist
Environmental degradation is a severe problem in Afghanistan. The status of MDG 7 is crucial since it is treated as one of the least important MDGs. Long-term neglect of sustainable development could seriously impair Afghanistans aim of being a secure nation state with a stable economy.
pROgRESS
Environmental Laws are in place to protect resources and conserve the ecosystems There is also an established Environmental Protection Agency However with a shortage of government funding, the management and infrastructure required to implement these environmental standards is weak War, climate change and a growing population have led to scarce resources (land and fuel) and food shortages Without electricity systems in place, vast areas of forests are being cleared for fuel, destroying an important ecosystem Excessive grazing and soil erosion has led to a shortage of fertile land to farm There are new crop diseases and water pollution is rife Government statistics estimate that at least 80%
of drinking water in rural areas is contaminated, which leads to high numbers of Afghans suffering from water related diseases The pastoral livelihood of a livestock/arable farmer is in decline This undermines Afghanistans potential to feed its own citizens, instead relying on imported goods Millions are escaping the plight of under-development in rural areas and the insecurity of agricultural livelihoods by migrating to the cities However the high density of people living in proximity leads to poor living conditions At least 75% of Afghanistans city dwellers live without proper sanitation systems, electricity or secure home ownership, as the mass migration to illegal shanty towns soars There is almost no hope of Afghanistan reaching this goal by 2020 Infact the status of MDG 7 is deteriorating Kabul is considered to be the most rapidly growing capital in the world, already home to five million, but it is one of few capitals without a functioning sewage system The city can only cope with a fifth of the solid waste it produces each day Only 1 in 15 households has access to clean water through the city system and others depend on communal water pumps The development of Afghanistans land, environment and resources, lies at the root of all the other MDGs success If they are not achieved through sustainable development then environmental degradation will continue to tip communities into the detrimental cycle of poverty and ill-health
Photo by Brje Almqvist
28

Imagine life for a Street Child
TIME: 45-50 minutes INSTRUCTIONS: Once you have read through the information on MDG 7 start a discussion around the photos Ask pupils to look carefully at the images, discuss what they can see and imagine the sounds and smells Discuss with them any issues that arise, such as whether rubbish should be left in the streets like this, and why young children might be searching through rubbish What is of value to them in there and how could this threaten their health? Make a note of all the sensory descriptions and key words pupils have used on the board For extra material you can refer to stories in the Appendix, particularly the Life of Street Children (p 51) Now ask the pupils to write a poem, short description or story that conveys what they imagine it to be like as one of these children Ask them to consider all the senses smells in the air, noise, taste of water, touch, temperature and the sights Then consider their hopes, fears and dreams as young children with a whole future ahead of them, but also what their daily worries, responsibilities and friendships might be How can rubbish be re-used? Start a discussion with pupils about rubbish: Of what does your rubbish at home and school consist? How is it collected and where does it end up? How much of it could be re-used in some way? How do you already recycle at home? Consider the different values between what is considered waste in the UK in contrast to Afghanistan. an you reduce waste in other ways, for example by buying fewer things or having things repaired instead of C buying new ones? Come up with examples of this in UK and Afghanistan for comparison AGE: 7-14
AN ARTS AND CRAFT PROJECT Ask pupils to look at what they throw away throughout the week and keep any bits of packaging they think is an interesting shape or colour or could serve another function Challenge the class in groups or individually, as a homework project, to make something with the packaging they have collected It can be an unusual sculpture or something with a more functional use In the photo is an example of how Afghan twin school pupils recycle fruit juice cartons to make their own school bags. Examples of how rubbish might be re-used are: painting jam jars or any kind of container you might throw away; using empty crisp packets to make decorations; using newspaper/old maps/scrap coloured paper to make beads for jewellery, or papier mache cardboard picture frames etc You can make a display of what pupils make alongside the written pieces they wrote about in the first part of the exercise
29

When the MDGs were agreed, it was understood that the richer countries were expected to assist the under-developed countries to reach their targets through aiding sustainable development.
AfghANISTANS CURRENT ECONOmIC STATUS

Afghanistan remains one of the poorest countries in the world and is still the poorest country in Asia, but it has made some progress economically: he country is ranked 167 out of 183 countries in t the World Bank Doing Business Rankings (June 2010), having once been at at the bottom fghanistans economy grew by 22% in 2010. A Aside from the amount of development aid and the security situation, the countrys economic stability depends on good climate conditions: griculture accounts for 60% of the Afghan economy. a ood harvests were a major contributing factor in g Afghanistans economic growth Legal exports consist traditionally of dried fruits but the illegal cultivation of poppies to make opium, still represents a substantial share of the countrys economy The UK Department for International Development (DFID) reports that the cultivation of poppies is in decline since it has been made illegal, but in reality it remains an attractive way to make money, as it is not heavily water reliant, which guarantees high yields despite droughts The Manufacturing Industry is rudimentary, often functioning only through simple workshops with low productivity Hand-woven carpets, which require a significant amount of manual labour, still constitute important export goods Commerce and service provision sectors are expanding rapidly, and the rising development of the mining industry, especially in copper and iron extraction is promising The country also has rich deposits of raw materials such as lithium, oil, natural gas, coal and metals but extraction has been hindered by a lack of infrastructure and the difficult security situation, which discourages foreign investors and disrupts trade deals
whO hElpS IN AfghANISTAN?

The United States of America is the biggest donor of development aid in Afghanistan Other important donors are Japan, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the European Commission and the World Bank Afghanistan has received 26 billion dollars in aid since 2001, which is less than half of the total 62 billion dollars promised by the International Community for the restoration and development of the country By comparison, the US Armed Forces spend about 100 million dollars a day on their military mission, with international development assistance reaching only 7% of this amount One of the great challenges is to ensure that the aid gets to those who need it the most, and for it to be transparent and effective Often it is not the lack of aid that causes problems but the inefficiency of how such assistance is delivered on the ground Money often disappears as it filters through various government bodies and middle-men organizations, often leaving little to transform circumstances on the ground
30
hOw DOES ThE UK hElp?

DfIDS AID pROgRAmmE IN AfghANISTAN
At The Kabul Conference in July 2010 the International Community agreed to pass more control over to the Afghan Government DFID the UK Governments Department for International Development, has pledged 178 million each year from 2011-15 to Afghanistan This will go towards stabilising insecure areas (MDG9), stimulating the economy to sustain itself without foreign assistance (MDG7) and improving the effectiveness of the Afghan Government to support social services (MDG1) The funding will go towards: eveloping local government capacity to deliver D basic services eaching out to people in Taliban areas through a R re-integration programme nsuring viable elections, with more citizen E participation especially from women mproving the effectiveness of and peoples I confidence in the Afghan police force ncouraging private sector growth and foreign E investment nvesting in roads and rail construction which will I provide thousands of jobs xtending the reach of the National Solidarity E Programme to initiate community-led development in health and education mproving the civil service and tackling corruption I at the highest levels by improving auditing and accounting aking vocational training more accessible for M uneducated adults so they can get jobs ncreasing government spending through public I systems such as education e g payment of teacher salaries The overall aim is to reduce the need for Afghans to turn to the Taliban, through increasing their selfsufficiency We do not want British troops to stay in Afghanistan in a combat role a day longer than is necessary The UK, along with international partners, is working towards the day when Afghan forces can take charge of the security situation, and ensure a stable and peaceful Afghanistan.
Source: DFID
pROgRESS
In effect, development assistance has aided the progress of practically every MDG: elping millions of Afghan girls and boys h return to school, e g the UNICEF Back to School Campaign eveloping basic infrastructure (roads, power d plants, networks of power transmission lines, irrigation systems) nsuring that a large number of people in e rural and urban areas have access to drinking water and basic health care romoting greater involvement of women in p society and on the job market. apacity-building of democratic government c structures, working to erase corrupt systems of governance The ultimate goal of this global partnership is to ensure sustainable development which can continue even after the donor countries reduce their aid to Afghanistan
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how can you help Afghanistan?
A Global Partnership does not necessarily have to be in the form of monetary assistance. It is simply sharing this vision of the Millennium Summit; a world free of poverty, where peoples basic rights to an education and justice are granted, and there is dialogue and support between countries, not war. This is what Afghan Connections Twin School Programme seeks to do, by nurturing relationships between children from different countries and mutual learning through cultural exchanges. 1. FUNDRAISE OR VOLUNTEER FOR CHARITIES Much of Afghan Connections funding has come from schools in the UK and from the hard work of individual children. A 13 year old boy from one of our UK twin schools, climbed Kilimanjaro and raised 10,000; a girl in year 6, read The Bread Winner by Deborah Ellis, a book about life for children under the Taliban, and was moved to raise 25,000 to help build a school She has already raised half the money There are many more examples of children who have fundraised to help, raising anything from a few pounds to thousands of pounds This brings great hope to the children in Afghanistan, knowing that children across the world are supporting them like this Support local, British or international organizations which operate out in Afghanistan, through volunteering You can form a group at your school to represent the charity or join one, through which you can hold events, promote campaigns and spread awareness to other pupils Include your friends, classmates, teachers or family 2. CAMPAIGN AT GOVERNMENT LEVEL Politicians have a great influence regarding the extent to which the UK fulfills its MDG responsibilities You have a right to be informed and to call for action You can find out more about how DFID utilizes its funds, who will benefit the most from them and how it is changing the life of the people on the ground Then organize events like ACs Manifesto event in November 2011 to pressure government into making MDG 2, Education for All, a priority in Afghanistan To be involved and for more information visit the Twin School Manifesto Page at www afghanconnection org Join a campaign on the internet Support online petitions and campaigns that seek to support quality living conditions for everyone Your signature can mean a lot, and you can achieve even more if you tell your friends and family about the campaign www millenniumcampaign org, www whiteband org Write letters/emails to politicians and urge them to fulfil their promises As the Government signed the MDG statute, it carries a responsibility to fulfil these goals before the end of 2015 (2020 for Afghanistan) Ask them what they have done to fulfil these MDG responsibilities of the UK? How they are advocating an increase to official development aid? Or ask their opinion on these matters and encourage them to increase their efforts Participate in marches or demonstrations If there is a meeting taking place in your surrounding area that draws attention to one of the MDGs, do not hesitate to participate simply your presence can make a difference to the effect of pressure groups working to influence government policy Inspired by the UNs Cyber School Bus Millennium Campaign, Add Your Voice: www un org/Pubs/CyberSchoolBus/mdgs Further resource: Send My Sister to School Campaign, www sendmyfriend org/take-action/spread-the-word
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3. SPREAD AWARENESS ABOUT THE MDGs IN yOUR LOCAL COMMUNITy Write about the MDGs Once you are familiar with the topic of the Millennium Development Goals, write articles in your school magazine, for your local newspapers or publish a blog on this topic online Do an art project or organize an art exhibition on one of the MDG topics Use any form of art photography, drawing, painting, web design or film to explore the issues surrounding an MDG Find a local gallery, cultural centre or central community space to exhibit your work Create an interesting campaign Call your classmates or even teachers and create a campaign on the topic of all or just some of the MDGs together There are many options you could perform a play in the school or on the streets, make a video, run a poster competition and display them around the school Use the internet to get inspiration from similar campaigns of young people from Britain Get involved as a volunteer in your community to progress MDGs in your own area Get personally involved as a volunteer in initiatives aiming to improve the living conditions of people in your surrounding area Look in your local newspaper for volunteering opportunities in local non-profits and charities Or go on-line and look at the larger charities, e g Oxfam, and find out what volunteer opportunities they have local to you Start your very own MDG radio show Cooperate with your school or regional broadcasting service on a program devoted to the MDG topic in your community Communicate with teachers Ask your teachers in any class about anything regarding the MDG topic If you come up with a good idea on an activity or an initiative, do not hesitate to share it with your teachers Organize a concert Get in touch with a popular band or a music group in your school or region and organize a concert that would draw attention to the MDG topic Establish a film club with discussions about current global issues Together with your classmates and with the support of your teachers or Afghan Connection, organize the One World film festival at your school Organize discussions Invite your peers, people from the region or guests who have a professional or personal experience with the MDG topic and organize a discussion or an open debate on various topics related to the MDG Organize a form assembly on one of the MDGs. Have an MDG week at the school, where each MDG is addressed in a series of assemblies organized by different classes Or this can be spread out throughout the term
33

ThE lEgACY Of wAR
A sad heritage of the Afghan wars is the large number of land mines and unexploded ammunition scattered over a great part of the country Up to four million Afghans live in such dangerous areas Since the beginning of the war against the Soviet Union in 1979, mines and unexploded ammunition have killed around 100,000 people After Cambodia, Afghanistan has suffered more injuries from land mines than any other country in the world In 2008 over half of the thousands of victims from mines were children Mine disposal requires great financial resources the clearance of 1 square kilometre can cost more than half a million dollars Each year around 3 5 million people are trained to avoid mine hazards
One of the most important challenges in Afghanistan is to achieve security in the whole country. While the Millennium Summit took place in 2000, Afghanistan was in the midst of war and could not attend. When they were able to sign the pact in 2004, it was essential to add a ninth Millennium Development Goal To Enhance Security. Afghanistan is the only country in the world to have nine MDGs.
wAR
Prior to the last thirty years of war, Afghanistan was going through a period of democratic reforms Government, Justice and Educational Institutions, health and basic infrastructure were much more advanced than they are today However, during The Cold War (1947-1991), Afghanistan became a buffer state between the the Communist Eastern bloc and the Western powers During the Christmas of 1979, the Soviet Union sent troops into Afghanistan The USA was indirectly involved in the proxy war, supporting the Afghans fight against the Soviets, with money and weapons The war lasted almost a decade, until 1988 and claimed the lives of millions of civilians, decimating large parts of the country The withdrawal of the Soviet troops and the de facto victory of Afghan insurgents, left a political vacuum and the peace process disintegrated into civil war After years of regional fighting between rival tribal warlords and various political factions, the Taliban a fundamentalist Islamist movement took power
in 1994 and the country fell further into decline The Taliban enforced a strict observance of the Muslim Sharia law which restricted many civil liberties, especially for women The regime destroyed anything un-Islamic, even its own cultural Persian heritage, and often punished disobedience with death In 2001, the USA and Great Britain sent military intervention to Afghanistan to end the Taliban rule This was provoked by the terrorist attacks of 9/11 in the USA, conducted by Al Queda affiliates of Osama bin Laden who were hiding in Afghanistan at the time
Much of Kabul was destroyed in the Civil War
34
DRUgS
The country maintains its dependence on illegal profits from growing and processing opium Up to 93% of the worlds opium comes from Afghanistan, which is also the largest producer of hashish in the world No other economy is as dependent on narcotics as Afghanistan It is estimated that profits from the opium economy exceed the amount of international aid for Afghanistan and make up one half of the Afghan economy Two million people profit directly from the drug business, the majority of them from areas of on-going Taliban influence in the south-eastern part of the country, e g Kandahar and Helmand provinces Selling heroin can provide enough income to provide the basic needs for an average family Many farmers are forced to grow opium due to poverty and debts However raw opium is sold for a fraction of its end market value (approx 0 2%), after having been processed and exported to Western markets
wEAK gOvERNmENT
Outside of the capital, the Afghan government has only marginal control A great part of the country is controlled by tribal leaders often militants engaged in illegal drug business They do not respect the central power of government, and apply their own concept of common law and taxation, differing from clan to clan and region to region The state is weakened by the consequences of wars, instability, poor enforcement of law, cultivation, processing and dealing of drugs, underdeveloped infrastructure, geographical complexity of the territory, and corruption on all levels
CORRUpTION AND NEpOTISm

The state is still not capable of establishing secure basic services for its citizens One of the main problems of the public administration is widespread corruption and nepotism (practice of appointing relatives) Positions in the public administration are not assigned on the basis of skills and experience, but on the basis of connections, family ties or even bribes As a result the state apparatus remains ineffective, slowing down the countrys development Most of the skilled and educated younger generation experiences disillusionment, as it is almost impossible to get a position in the public administration without the right connections or substantial money According to Transparency International, Afghanistan is the second most corrupt country in the world, after Somalia
whAT IS ThE SITUATION TODAY?

Isolated fights between Taliban insurgent groups and coalition forces continue in some parts of Afghanistan and the end of the conflict is still out of reach despite Nato troops gradual withdrawal by 2014 ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) alliance, under the auspices of NATO, has functioned in the country to secure Kabul, the capital, and surrounding areas Within ISAF, there are soldiers from 46 countries Public opinion in Afghanistan is largely on the side of the coalition forces In 2009, only 7% of Afghan people sympathized with the Taliban movement and 79% expressed strong disapproval. The majority of Afghans (61%) believe that the USA plays a positive role in Afghanistan Afghan people are generally war-weary and hope for more peaceful days However they fear that after the departure of the coalition forces, the country will become destabilized again, falling into the hands of tribal leaders and extremist movements like the Taliban Many people oppose the presence of the coalition forces and in extreme cases, their protests include violent forms of attack on the civilian population, Afghan law enforcement units, coalition units or international organisations, often in the form of suicide-bombings in public places or IEDs (Improvised Explosive Device) roadside bombs Despite the on-going fighting and sporadic terrorist attacks in some areas, reconstruction and development is making gradual progress in Afghanistan The country has established a new Constitution and a newly elected Parliament geared towards democracy and peace The economy has recuperated and its gross domestic product is increasing
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Opinion Scale
TIME: 30-45 minutes OBJECTIVES: to learn about important current issues. to understand there is seldom a black and white, clear answer in political strategy. INSTRUCTIONS: 1 If possible work in an open space 2. lace a chair (or other object) at both ends of an imaginary line a scale of opinion and explain that one P end of the line represents one extreme, I absolutely agree, the opposite end of the line represents the other extreme I absolutely disagree You can stick cards bearing these notions to the chairs and use a paper tape, a cord or chalk to mark the line 3 The idea is to read out a statement and ask pupils to position themselves along the line to represent their own opinion Their opinion does not have to be completely clear If they are indifferent, they should take their place in the middle of the line and the closer they stand to one of the cards, the more they identify with that opinion AGE: 7-14
4. ncourage pupils to explain their opinions and justify them. Remind pupils that there is not a right answer to any E of these statements Under the influence of other pupils arguments, they are free to change their opinions 5 Discuss the topic Make sure everyones opinion is heard and respected, giving pupils a chance to defend their opinions
STATEMENTS: The UK should not have soldiers in Afghanistan to fight against the Taliban. Coalition troops led by the USA should stay in Afghanistan to ensure peace in the country. Departure of the coalition troops from Afghanistan would secure immediate peace in the country. The international community has a right to military intervention in countries that violate human rights. In some cases, military intervention can be the most effective way to ensure peace. he proposed withdrawal of Coalition forces by 2014 is the right course of action to achieve long-lasting peace. T
Essay
TIME: Homework activity MATERIALS: Refer to the List of Further Reading in the Appendix and, depending on the age group, encourage pupils to refer to library books, articles or research papers on-line about the consequences of war, particularly in Afghanistan OBJECTIVE: o present an opinion on wars negative and positive consequences, and to consider how justifiable is the T occupation of Afghanistan INSTRUCTIONS: Ask students to choose one of the following topics and write an essay Afghanistan: there is no prosperity without security, there is no security without prosperity. Peace in Afghanistan an ideal vision or an achievable reality? Can war achieve peace and human rights? Instruct pupils about your expectations for the essay in form and length ( we recommend to set a limit of 2000 words) Clarify that each essay has to have a title and an index of the sources they use Further resources: Youth and Education in Afghanistan Lesson Plan, Pulitzer Centre on Crisis Reporting http://pulitzercenter org/education/lesson-plan/lesson-plan-youth-and-education-afghanistan AGE: 13/14 +
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mDg 2, EXERCISE INTRO, mATERIAl

Afghan Childrens perspective on the mDgs
The following excerpts are taken from Dr Sarah Fanes blog. You can read about her more recent visits to Afghanistan here: http://sarahfane.blogspot.com SARI SANG SCHOOL, 26TH APRIL 2010: Today, we asked the girls to come up and write the Millenium Development Goals they knew on the board Then the class was asked to vote for the goal they considered most important The concept of voting took a while to explain. On first attempt, everyone voted more than once. Finally we managed to get them to choose just one goal The results were surprising First came health and security, gender didnt feature they said they follow the guidelines of the Quran and are happy to follow these Education was important but not top of the list Then we asked each girl to explain why they had voted for their choice of goal Fascinating to hear them debate, and probably the first time they had ever done so The answers were brilliant and well thought through As the lesson went on they became more confident after such a hesitant start The last question I asked was what was their one wish Peace, security, health for the entire country, end to conflict, possibility of further education and then just two who allowed a wish for themselves to travel abroad and to be successful JARI SHAH BABA, 27TH APRIL 2010: We have been visiting the school for four years There are nearly 1400 girls there and most used to study outside. AC has completed two projects here to build enough classrooms for all the girls. We received a wonderful welcome In the garden courtyard of the school, girls were out in headscarved teams playing volleyball . . . a real joy to see in a country where so few girls are allowed to play. Another group are busy in the kitchen. They received cooking equipment from their twin school last year which we presented to them on our last visit Today they were jammed into a tiny room, cooking us a feast of welcome. They had brought fresh vegetables from their gardens and the head teacher had brought in some of her chickens Delicacies such as the local flat bread stuffed with vegetables were being made amidst very happy laughter The whole school was buzzing The choir had prepared the National song and a song of welcome and sang with great gusto Everywhere we went we were followed by hundreds of children We gave out all the twin school cards and projects and did a lesson involving all the children in discussing the Millennium Development Goal of education for all primary aged children We heard first hand from the girls of all the reasons why children miss out on education and all the problems they face but also all the fruits of education The sadness is that these girls are so bright and determined and all want to serve their country as doctors and engineers and teachers, but as they said, it is so hard for them to afford university or to be allowed to go so far from their homes to study None of these girls has an educated mother It is a new generation and things are changing, but perhaps not fast enough for some of the really bright ones After a delicious lunch, we went back to Keshem town through the lively bazaars and on to Mashad School for 2500 girls. Until this year this was our largest project and it looks fantastic. Beautiful buildings and wonderful grounds Very exciting to see it finished The first time I came here the garden was awash with groups of children who had no classrooms Now they have a finished school
Appendix, Introduction
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24:00
18:00
06:00
12:00
Answer these questions:

How old are you? Where do you live? In a village, town or city? Describe your home and how many people you live with? How many hours sleep do you usually get? How do you get to school and how long does it take? How many classrooms does your school have? Which subjects do you find the most interesting at school? What is your favourite food? What is your favourite thing to do in your spare time? What are your future dreams (or in 5/10 years)? What are some of your fears or worries?
38
My name is Amena and I come from the Ghazni province, located south of the capital, Kabul I live in the suburbs of Kabul, in Pulisukhta. I go to Kote Sangy girls school. The school is run by Aschiana which means the nest, an organization that helps street children get an education I am 17 years old and this is my typical day: I wake up at 4am to pray Muslims pray five times a day and the first prayer is early in the morning At 5 30am I have to help with cleaning the house, preparing the breakfast for my younger siblings and other work around the house We have breakfast at home at 6am and then I go to school We start with the first class at 6 30am The school day ends at midday It is also lunch time for me and my schoolmates We have shifts in serving and preparing the lunch One of us brings the lunch to the school corridor where other girls sit on the floor We are used to sitting on the floor while eating This is an Afghan tradition Every day we eat the same soup with vegetables and afghan bread called naan Sometimes we have a piece of meat and vegetables, depending on the season I spend the rest of the day at home, where I help with cleaning and cooking But I also find time for my favourite hobby drawing I go to bed very tired at 11pm
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A Day in the life of wahidullah
Im in grade six and am 12 years old We are fifty boys in my class, and thats fun The best thing about school is to make friends The worst thing is that sometimes we fight Ive got four brothers and four sisters at home Im the oldest and thats not all that good because I have to look after my sisters and brothers all the time, if they fall and hit themselves, if they are crying and fighting and have to be comforted by me, and they want to be with me all the time It really is quite hard In the evenings I rock the little ones to sleep Three or four would have been enough But in the end I do really love them all One year ago my little brother Ahmed got a cold, a fever and started to cough, and then suddenly he died! He was only a year old All of us in the family cried a lot Then we buried him up the hill, about five minutes from our house It is easy to get there During Eid the whole family went there, and then we all cried again even more Theres a rock on the grave Theres no writing on it, but it is Ahmads rock and we recognise it Theres nothing dangerous about dead people or ghosts I have never seen any ghosts But I am afraid of war Just fifteen kilometres away from here theres been fighting between the Taliban and Americans. I am afraid that the war will come here One time it was just like war here in the village. It was two years ago, during summer and it was hot so we all slept up on the roof during the night The roof is flat, so we simply put our mattresses there Then all of a sudden there was a big bang, a huge explosion, lots of smoke and dust I was really scared! Some people had blown up the house that was supposed to be the girls school We dont know who they were, only that they didnt like girls going to school Now theres a girls school in the village anyway I live close to the school It only takes me and my brothers twenty minutes to walk My Dad is working as a clerk at the school It is good to have him there, its easy to get hold of him if I need him Id also like to be a clerk when I grow up or maybe a doctor I get up at about 6am, drink some milk and eat some bread, and maybe some leftovers from dinner the night before as well Then I go to the mosque and pray I do that five times a day Ive heard that Christians only go to church on Sundays Imagine how much more often we go to the mosque every day, and five times a day too! Five times seven is 35 35 times a week! This has to be better than just once a week. After prayers I meet my friends outside of the mosque, its fun to go there Well, then I start school at eight. My favourite subjects are Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Maths. We have a break at about 10am Then we usually go out and buy candy or cookies in the shop We finish school at 11 30am and then walk home to have lunch Then later we have tea at home and go to the mosque once more to pray My family has two cows, one black and one red, that I gather grass for every afternoon Weve got chickens too, but unfortunately no cat I really do like cats, but you really cant have both cats and chickens running around One has to choose And then theres fights with the dogs as well to think about, if you have a cat Cats are really good because they catch rats and mice, which I really dont like They make holes everywhere and eat our wheat, so we should have a cat, I think In the afternoons I play I play football and volley ball with the other boys on the village road We play until five, because then its time to go to the mosque again After that I do my home work before we go to the mosque one last time about 7 30pm Then the day is nearly over, because we go to bed at 8pm, but if there is a wedding we go to bed later There are lots of weddings My family is often invited to weddings several times a month See, thats why my hands and nails are red All the wedding guests colour their hands, its a part of the celebration It is really good fun at weddings Then we all dance I really like to dance; it is one of my favourite things to do I like it where I live, so Id like to live in my village for the rest of my life If theres anything that I would wish for then its an end to the war, to have security and peace in Afghanistan, and that I can continue my studies when I get older, because not everyone has the chance to go to school Told to Johan Rham
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A Day in the life of Zabihullah
My name is Zabihullah and Im sixteen Im in ninth grade and have nine siblings, four brothers and five sisters Im the second youngest My Dad is old, hes seventy or seventyfive, so he can no longer work in the fields My brother and I do that instead My mother is younger than my dad Im not quite sure how old she is, but she works around the house, cleans, cooks and things like that We are twenty one in my home We are all related, aunts and uncles, and two of my brothers are married and they have eight children In other peoples houses in the villages they are about thirty, so twenty one is really not that many This is what a normal day in my life looks like I wake up at about five thirty I wash myself and go to the mosque, if I can make it, otherwise I pray at home I eat my breakfast really quickly: bread and butter, cheese and tea with milk You boil water and milk and then you add tea It has to be really quick because it takes about two and a half hours to go to school The school is on the other side of the Black Mountain You have to walk up and then down Quite often I have to run the last bit to get there in time at eight Then its lessons until ten, and we have a break for about fifteen minutes We drink some water and get some fresh air, or sometimes I stay in the classroom to ask the teacher something that I didnt get We are forty boys in the class We dont know any girls apart from our own sisters Girls mainly stay at home after the age of twelve, but some girls go to a girls school Then we continue our studies until quarter past twelve Then I walk home over the mountain again, two and a half hours It is hard, but I look at it as a kind of sport Lunch is waiting at home Now, during winter it is usually dried sheep meat, vegetables, beans, rice and bread During the summer we have chicken and fresh meat, mainly sheep My favourite food is vegetables and beans After lunch I pray again Then I work in the fields with my brothers We are growing wheat and onions, and we have three cows Cows are my favourite animal We get so many things from the cows: milk, butter, yoghurt, calves and cow dung We are lucky to have cows We have a donkey too, we just call it Donkey. She is with us when we work in the fields. She carries tools, fire wood and all kind of things Theres only one car in our village We are about 3000 people living here If someone becomes ill or if you have something heavy to take to the market and sell, then you can pay the owner of the car to take you to the town It takes about three hours We work in the fields until about five, my brothers and I When we get home we wash ourselves and then go to the mosque to pray The girls and women pray at home and prepare dinner Then we have tea and go to the mosque again at seven to pray the last time that day When I come home after that I do my home work for a couple of hours Then Im completely exhausted and practically fall into bed, sometimes I even fall asleep over my homework Well, thats pretty much what a regular day looks like Fridays are different though, then school is closed Sometimes we walk to the market in town during Fridays It takes about six hours to get there and back again Or we might see relatives However, if we have to we work in the fields during Fridays as well I have three best friends, boys of course, that I can talk about everything to We spend as much time as we can together We like music Its really good that we have electricity in our village, it comes from the power dam close by, because then we can use the cassette player. The best singer is Boreilej Samedi. He lives in Jalalabad and sings in Pasthu, its our own language He sings about Afghanistan, about love and life Hes really, really good! The best thing about school is that you learn things. Chemistry, Physics and Maths are my favourite subjects. Id like to become a doctor when I grow up Id like to live in my village, and Id like to have a hospital here The closest clinic is in town, and it takes three hours to walk there People are dying on the way Even with a car, as the road is too bumpy and its difficult to drive on If we had a hospital in the village people wouldnt have to die in vain, like they do if someone steps on a mine There are a lot of mines up in the mountains and when you go there with the animals, then its not uncommon that theres an explosion Then its really good to have a hospital close by I have seen what happens when you step on a mine It is scary Told to Johan Rham
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girls at Shar-i-Khona
We wake at 4 30am and prepare for prayer After we have prayed we do our homework We eat bread for breakfast and then set out for school Our school shift is from 8-12 It is a 5km walk to school and I leave at 6 30am and arrive at 7 45am There are five of us from my village and this is our nearest school After school we walk all the way back home again, have lunch and say our prayers We do our homework and help our mothers We cook, clean and fetch water before the 5 30pm evening time prayers After prayers we do the final preparations for cooking supper for all the family and then eat I study after dinner In the holidays we visit relatives homes, have great discussions and listen to the radio especially educational programmes Very few girls from the village manage to come to the school Only five of our mothers out of 22 girls in the class are literate Our fathers are teachers/drivers/shopkeepers and farmers Only one girl at school has electricity and that is solar power What are your problems? Lack of electricity, poor roads, prices rising and health What makes you happy? Coming to school, learning we enjoy more than anything else. What are some of your dreams? We think of the future Everything depends on peace We want peace so much We want to graduate and teach and make a positive contribution to our society Our school was once destroyed by the Taliban and we dont want that to happen again We wish we had really good teachers in our schools We would like advanced teaching aids We want peace and tranquility
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mDg 2, EXERCISE mDg1, mATERIAl

Story of an Afghan family
Omid lives with his family in a suburb of Kabul the capital of Afghanistan He is luckier than most of his acquaintances He managed to gain a good and steady job. He works as a driver for an international non-governmental organisation which pays him 12,000 Afghani a month (170, 2011 exchange rate) His wife Nazima is a housewife They have three children: 5-year-old son Jamshid, 11-year-old daughter Farima and a 12-year-old son Jamil. They all care for Omids mother who helps in the household but has recently been ill They live in a small rented house which consists of one bedroom and one kitchen The family bought a piece of land in the countryside a few years ago They had to ask Omids company as well as two other neighbouring families for a loan They see their future life set in the country, which was their original home setting, but they would need 17,500 more than they have in order to construct a three-room house, We wish only the best for our family including good health and education for our children However, we are considering sending our two elder children to work in a weaving factory or to sell goods in the streets instead of going to school, because we dont have enough money. Omid says. He hopes that at least his eldest son Jamil will obtain a good education in order to be able to take care of his parents later on Nazima dreams about buying a sewing machine which could help her and her daughter to earn some money by sewing and repairing clothes
Background on Basic Needs

FOOD: A typical Afghan breakfast consists of sweet tea with fresh bread from a bakery Lunch and dinner usually consists of boiled rice with raisins or vegetables, and perhaps spiced lamb in wealthier Afghan families Afghan bread naan is served with both lunch and dinner. Afghans use a lot of vegetable oil in the preparation of all traditional meals Yoghurt is usually served in addition to the main dish and can be drunk in a diluted form as a refreshing drink on hot summer days HOUSING: The rent in Kabul is surprisingly high Rent of a humble one-room house or flat costs approximately 44 a month; a two/three-room flat or a house is usually double the price or more Therefore many families live in slums on the steep slopes around the city, which form the poor suburb quarters Large families often live in one or two crowded rooms in order to save on the rent. Kabul is a fast-growing city, as the majority of inhabitants have moved there in the last decade to pursue a better life Most of them do not own any house or land, but rent from richer families In the block of flats which was built by Soviets in the 70s, the average price of a three-room flat is around 70,000, which means that decent housing is inaccessible for an ordinary Afghan family WATER, SANITATION AND HyGIENE: Less than a third of Afghans have access to sanitation such as toilets and an even smaller part of the population has access to clean water The houses in suburbs of Kabul are often built on steep hills According to a generally accepted rule, the land is cheaper the higher on the hill and the further away it is from the road and wells The women and children have to carry the water home from distant wells Pure water is therefore very precious and its value grows when fuel is used to heat it, for which expensive wood or bottled gas (in the case of middle class families) are used HEATING AND ELECTRICITy: Even though the summers in Afghanistan are usually hot and dry, the winters tend to be very cold Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, lies at an altitude of 1800 metres and it often ends up covered in snow during the winter months A big part of Afghanistan was deforested so people have to buy the wood from local dealers They use it for heating during the winter and for heating water throughout the year Many of them cook and heat food using bottled gas, which costs about 1000-1500 AFG a month for an average family Electricity is used by fewer than 10% of citizens and is often replaced by oil generators, which contribute significantly to creating smog (air pollution) in Kabul SCHOOL: Although the children in Afghanistan do not pay school fees, their parents must cover their travel expenses, daily food and learning aids, such as pens, exercise books and textbooks Some schools employ professional teachers, but most of them (especially those in the countryside or religious schools) employ mullahs teachers of Islam In Afghanistan it is possible to become a teacher after finishing the twelfth year of school Giving a small sum of money to the mullah every month to pay for educating their children is something that Afghan parents are used to CLOTHES AND SHOES: The traditional dress for an Afghan is the shalwar kameez loose two-piece clothes composed of trousers and a knee-length shirt They take different forms for men and women, and most women also wear a burqa: a long veil covering a woman from the top of her head to her feet, with a fabric grid covering the eyes Despite the fact that Islam does not command women to be fully covered (only long sleeves, covered legs, hair and low neck are obligatory), most women still prefer wearing burqas mainly as a consequence of the social pressure and deeply rooted traditions in more conservative parts of the country As quality shoes are too expensive for most Afghans, many buy plastic sandals or cheap rubber shoes If they are lucky these can last three months after some shoemakers repairs
Appendix, Millennium Development Goal 1
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HEALTH CARE: There is no system of health insurance as we know it here Visits to doctors or hospitals are paid in cash The rich, or the employees of foreign organisations go to see experienced and qualified doctors in good hospitals The poor can afford only less qualified doctors who are often able to diagnose and treat only the most common illnesses by means of using the cheapest medication. Even common problems, that require just a simple treatment with antibiotics or a small surgical procedure, can result in death VISITS AND FAMILy BONDS: The good name of the family and maintaining family relationships are two of the most important life values for the Afghans One is expected to bring a small gift or a cake when paying a visit to relatives In return, the hosts also offer their guests only the best of what can be found in their household As a rule, the sons try to visit their parents regularly and support them financially It is considered to be a sons failure and an unacceptable social shame when he is not able or willing to take care of his parents HOUSEKEEPING AND SHOPPING FOR DAILy NECESSITIES: Afghans living in their own houses have to do the housekeeping themselves However, if they rent a flat or house, the owner of the estate is obliged to provide for it A household is typically very modestly equipped (even in the case of a middle-class family) Windows are often covered only with see-through plastic sheeting and kitchens are very basic There is little furniture in a traditional household, even tables and chairs are unnecessary, as a family usually sits on a sheet spread on the ground when eating Covers and rugs provide not only comfort and warmth, but also a sign of the social status of a family COMMUNICATION: In 2010 one in two people had access to a telephone Mobile phones are common in the middle and upper-classes There are six active mobile phone operators and it is common for at least one of the parents and one child in a family to use a mobile phone Parents buy phones and a small amount of credit (often only up to 250 AFG per month) mostly for their daughters because they are worried about their safety Secondhand mobile phones, which are delivered from other Asian countries, are very popular here Internet remains a privilege of the elite Only 1 7% of the population have access to the internet RELIGIOUS FEES: Muslims pay a so-called zakat which is one of the five pillars of Islam It is a mandatory property and income tax which is used for religious purposes in the form of charity for the poor As well as non-financial support, each Muslim contributes 2 5% of their property and income to this fund Only the poorest Muslims are spared payment It is more of a moral obligation for a good Muslim than an official rule, as the law does not require it LOANS: Loans are often the only possibility for a family to cover their high expenses It is very common for a young man to borrow money for his wedding, for purchasing a house/flat, or for unexpected medical treatment In cases when they are unable to pay off the debt, the only remaining possibility to escape the vicious circle of loans and repayments is to sell one of the daughters as a bride to the lender, or to provide a member of the family for work The most common victims in both cases are under-aged children SEWING MACHINE: The tradition of sewing is very old in Afghanistan There are many factories in the towns, where traditional Afghan clothes are sewn The division of men and women is also strictly kept in the clothes manufacturing process (e g men only sew clothes for men) Many schools have their own sewing workshops, where girls can gain useful experience The sewing machine provides one of the few possibilities for women to work in the country WEDDINGS: Marriage is a big social event in Afghanistan, for which the bridegroom and his family save money all their lives Weddings usually take place in wedding halls huge buildings with large windows situated in the suburbs of bigger towns There are usually about 500 to 1000 guests at an average wedding The total cost of a wedding can amount to as much as 510,000 The male and female guests of the wedding have parties in separate rooms For the women it is often the only opportunity to wear clothes in public which do not cover them completely TAXES AND FEES: Apart from the fees and taxes required for various levels of local or national administration, Afghans spend a lot of money on bribes According to research by the UN, every other Afghan will pay a bribe when asked to do so, giving rather high sums of money which, on average, equal around one third of their income Almost everything can be provided for by means of bribes from the issue of a driving license to release from prison, even in cases of serious crimes Employed Afghans have to pay income tax which is between 210% of their income
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Meat 20
Sewing machine
Wood
40
Loan
120
Lamb, which all the most popular meals are made of.
Savings for the cheapest sewing machine for the mother
10
For heating during cold winters and for heating water.
To buy land in the countryside where the family wants to move.
Taxes and fees
Learning aids
Rent 60
Religious fees
Various mandatory payments in administrative offices.
30
For children attending school - pens, exercise books, textbooks
For one room and one kitchen in the suburbs of the city.
Contribution to the mullah for educating the children etc.
10
Shoes for everyone
2 eggs per family per day
Yoghurt
Pocket money for children
The cheapest, usually dont last long.
15
For preparation of basic meals.
10
A very important food component.
15
School travel expenses and daily food.
40
Rice
50
Basic household equipment
Medicine Phone and

credit
The most common food for Afghans.
Pots, containers, carpets, blankets...
30
Basic medication for the grandmother
10
Mobile phone and a basic monthly credit
10
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Presents for relatives
Clothes for everyone
Tea Bread
10 40
Gifts for the relatives and family or a tape with favourite music.
10
Anorak, wool, underwear, burqa, shalwar kameez.
15
A part of breakfast, drunk also during the day.
5 loaves of bread a day (family has no oven for bread).
Visit from the fathers parents
Vegetable oil
Basic sanitary products
Doctors visit
Travelling by bus from a distant city.
20
A basic ingredient for making Afghani meals.
15
Soap, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste.
15
A visit to a doctor for anyone seriously ill.
10
Raisins
Vegetables
Gas canister
Wedding
40 40
An important ingredient in Afghan meals.
20
Onions, carrots, pulses, spinach, zucchini.
30
For cooking and warming up the food.
40
Savings for the sons future weddings.
40
Sugar, spices
Additives to tea and various meals.
10
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glOSSARY Of AfghAN COmmODITIES
Bread five loaves of bread for a day (family has no oven for bread) Vegetable oil a common ingredient in Afghan meals Rice the staple food in Afghanistan Tea drunk at breakfast and throughout the day Vegetables onions, carrots, pulses, spinach, courgette Meat lamb is the most popular Sugar and Spices used in tea and various meals Raisins incorporated in many Afghan meals Wood for heating in the winter and for warming up water Gas for warming up food Basic toiletries soap, shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrush Rent for one room and one kitchen in the city suburbs Pocket money for the children school travel and food expenses Basic medication for the grandmother Gifts for relatives (a music tape) A Doctor visit for anyone seriously ill Clothes for everyone anorak, wool, underwear, burqa, shalwar kameez Shoes for everyone that need to be replaced often Learning resources pens, exercise books, text books Bus fare to visit relatives, parents of father, friends in a distant city Basic household equipment pots, containers, carpets, blankets Religious fees contributions to mullah for educating the children and other Mobile phone basic monthly credit Sewing machine saving towards one for the mother Dentist appointment once a year for each member of the family Loan towards the plot of the land they want to buy in the countryside Wedding saving for wedding party and sons Taxes and fees various mandatory payments in administrative offices Yoghurt a common food in the Afghan diet 2 eggs for a family per day eaten with most meals Religious taxes funds for the poor 40 15 50 10 30 20 10 20 40 40 15 60 50 10 10 10 30 10 5 20 30 10 10 10 10 120 40 30 15 10 10
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Copy this page x2
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Use this card when planning the familys budget!
The family decided that it was time for Farima to start working and support the family. Farima doesnt attend school, but works in the street, selling plastic bags at the market. After coming home, she helps her mother with the housework. Because of her work, Farima has neither time for education, nor for playing games with her siblings and friends. Farimas work will help the family: Contribute to the family budget 50 AFG a day Save money on education expenses 5 AFG a day Save on pocket money by 40 AFG a day
The family has decided that Jamil will work in a weaving factory which belongs to a man who had lent some money to the family. He promised that he would accept Jamils work in exchange for the debt repayments. Jamil doesnt attend school, but instead works in the factory. Its hard work and Jamil has neither time for education, nor for playing games with his siblings and friends. Jamils work will help the family: Cut the debt payments in half (to 60 AFG) Save 15 AFG a day on food as he gets his main meal of the day in the weaving factory. Save money on education expenses by 5 AFG a day as he is no longer attending school. Save on pocket-money by 40 AFG a day.
The family decided that it was time for Farima to start working and support the family. Farima doesnt attend school, but works in the street, selling plastic bags at the market. After coming home, she helps her mother with the housework. Because of her work, Farima has neither time for education, nor for playing games with her siblings and friends. Farimas work will help the family: Contribute to the family budget 50 AFG a day Save money on education expenses 5 AFG a day Save on pocket money by 40 AFG a day
The family has decided that Jamil will work in a weaving factory which belongs to a man who had lent some money to the family. He promised that he would accept Jamils work in exchange for the debt repayments. Jamil doesnt attend school, but instead works in the factory. Its hard work and Jamil has neither time for education, nor for playing games with his siblings and friends. Jamils work will help the family: Cut the debt payments in half (to 60 AFG) Save 15 AFG a day on food as he gets his main meal of the day in the weaving factory. Save money on education expenses by 5 AFG a day as he is no longer attending school. Save on pocket-money by 40 AFG a day.
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perspectives on Child labour
CARPET STORE OWNER: You think that children are the best carpet weavers and that is why you employ them They are light-fingered and have good eyes They are obedient and work for low wages If you paid them more, the price of your carpets would increase so much, that your clients might import them from other countries like Pakistan But even there they use child labour Also, you do not force children to work, their parents ask you to employ them This is how it has worked for generations. The law permits labour within family and in this small town, everybody is family. ACTIVIST: You work for an international non-profit organisation that fights against child labour all around the world You believe that, in general, it is true that child labour stands in the way of education Children are deprived of youth and education and are left without hopes of a better future Employment of adults may be more expensive, but in the end, the country profits more from it You also support the idea that carpets produced without child labour carry a rugmark as a proof for clients abroad. CHILD LABOURER: Carpet weaving is a long, boring, and difficult job. It is hot, dusty and dark in the workroom. Food is the same all the time disgusting If the owner does not consider the work you have done of quality and fast enough, he beats you And that happens quite often You have worked here for a year, six days per week, since you were 10 years old. You hate it here and you are jealous of other children that attend school, play and help their parents only in the morning or in the evening But maybe it is meant to be like this, you know you can hardly do anything about it MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Child labour is contrary to the Declaration of the Rights of the Child signed also by Afghanistan in 1994 You find it immoral that it is still present in some countries, and that products of child labour are exported to Europe If you do not succeed in changing the situation in Afghanistan, you will enforce in the European Parliament a ban on the importing of carpets from Afghanistan You are aware of the amount of development aid Afghanistan gets from the European Union and that is why they should take you seriously AFGHAN GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE: According to the law of Afghanistan, labour of children under 15 is prohibited, but you know that, like many of other laws in this country, this law is not observed The problem is that, apart from carpets, Afghanistan exports almost nothing Owners of the weaving factories pay taxes and without child labour, our country and these people would lose their income If you intervene, the problem only shifts somewhere else Children might end up on the streets, or if they are lucky enough, they will work outside for less money and in worse conditions Who will help the families that lose their income this way? Also, Afghanistan is not the only country in the world with child labour You have heard about child workers in Europe and America PARENTS: Your children work in a weaving factory The family needs this money to pay off old debts Your salary is low but you would hardly find a better job because you are uneducated and unqualified. You have had to work since you were a child You find child labour in the weaving factory very harsh but you cannot see any other way out of this situation Education is important for children, but your family needs money You have heard people talking about the prohibition of child labour, but how could a family like yours survive then? First, other issues should be solved, e.g. how to provide more well-paid jobs for adults.
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Story of Street Children
According to the annual report of The United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF), Afghanistan is the worst place to live for children, especially girls: he countrys rate of child mortality is the highest in the world: about 257 deaths per 1000 children born. T Two thirds of the population do not have access to drinking water Almost 80% of the population over the age of 15 years are illiterate. The north of the country is more peaceful and safe than the south and the east Dozens of little figures wander around the market at the edge of the town Mazar-i-Sharif in the darkness, some of them pushing wheelbarrows The students from Aschiana work to save their families from hunger Sayd lives here and dreams of becoming the Minister of Defence when he grows up What UK child has similar dreams? The children here dream mostly about peace and life in safety They believe that they could achieve this through working in government At half past five a remote bus line to Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, is waiting to set off The drivers wash the windows of older but well-preserved buses in which three pupils from Aschiana are offering food and drinks from their baskets to the passengers It seems that nobody has bought anything yet today A teacher is observing them at work He himself is not much better-off Teachers earn about twenty or thirty Afghanis a day This is equivalent to just under 50p. In the meantime, other pupils are arriving at the market with fruits and vegetables. They are wearing shabby sweaters, T-shirts and traditional clothes, shalwar kameez (similar to pyjamas) made of wool The girls have their faces covered with scarves, not because of the cold weather, but out of respect for the values of their religion, Islam Even though the temperature is slightly above zero, many children are wearing sandals without socks The first tank trucks loaded with bags full of potatoes and onions arrive The children hurry to approach them spreading their arms They are fighting over rotten potatoes thrown at them by farmers and keep on showing each other what they managed to seize Some of them sweep the sellers stalls, bring water or arrange the goods If theyre lucky, they can earn about 2030 Afghani They have to leave at seven as the lesson starts at eight in Aschiana and the journey from the market to school takes about an hour. The school is composed of four big tents where the children sit on the floor boys and girls separately
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Stories of Afghan Children
DHARA: Dhara is 17 and lives in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan She has a little brother Her father is a banker and her mother a politician Dhara attends a prestigious high school She wants to study abroad (anywhere in Western Europe) She is torn between the idea of life away from the hardships of living in a country broken by war, and using her privileged position to help her country Her parents support her The family lives in a rich neighbourhood of Kabul, in a luxurious villa FARID: A 14-year-old, physically disabled boy called Farid from an eight-member family without a father is fortunate He is one of the 4000 street children in Kabul that are helped by a non-profit organisation, Aschiana Thanks to Aschiana, Farid gained a basic education; he can attend art and sport classes, and practical training which could help him to find a better job. Farid does not have a clear idea about his future. He wants to find a job to sustain his future family LAILA: Laila is 15 and lives in the poor province of Kapisa, north of Kabul She has three siblings, two sisters and a brother Her parents are pastoral nomads If the family settles in an area with a girls school, she attends it, but sometimes they settle in an area where there are no schools and so Laila stays at home She wants to become a doctor MAHMUD: Mahmud is ten years old and works on the streets of Kabul He sells an English newspaper to locals and foreigners His father died in the war and his mother is not able to sustain her five children One of the elder siblings, Mahmud has to work to help his family However, his earnings can pay only for one room in a small house without electricity or running water Mahmud dreams of graduating from high school and become a clerk SAHRAA: Sahraa is 13 and lives in Kandahar, a province under the influence of the Taliban There are no girls schools in her village or in the surrounding area If Sahraa wanted to attend school, she would have to commute 100 kilometres to the neighbouring province None of the family members can read or write When Sahraa is 16 years of age, she is supposed to get married The marriage is arranged, her husband is 20 years older than her and he is her distant relative Sahraa would like to work as a tailoress TARIK: Tarik lives in a big city of Herat, in western Afghanistan His father is a civil engineer and studied in former Czechoslovakia Now he works for a foreign construction company that builds roads in Afghanistan His mother is a housewife Tarik has a younger sister and an older brother He is 16 now and after finishing high school, he would like to study at polytechnic university in Kabul
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Interview with farida Tarana; (a female finalist in the singing competition Afghan Star)
WHAT IS yOUR STORy? I have been singing since I was 23 During the Taliban era, my whole family fled to Iran and after 2001 we all returned Nowadays, I work in Kabul bank In 2005, I was the first women among ten finalists to make it to the finals in Afghanstar I am the second oldest child; all my sisters are married, unlike me First, I would love to achieve something, and then I can get married In my family, nobody has had the courage so far to perform in public as a singer. I wanted to show people that a woman can do anything not just take care of a household. WHAT WAS THE TALIBAN RULE LIKE? We were not allowed to sing HAS THE SUCCESS CHANGED yOUR LIFE? Of course! I am famous now, people know me and respect me, and it is easier to get what I want Men keep on asking me to marry them, and I keep on refusing them all WHy DO yOU WORK IN A BANK AND NOT AS A PROFESSIONAL SINGER? In this country, you cannot earn your living with music, it is only my hobby Before I started working in Kabul Bank, I worked for the World Food Program organisation in Herat There have been some fights recently, Taliban is very strong in this province I moved to Kabul for safety reasons HAVE yOU THOUGHT ABOUT SOME CONCERTS? I had some offers from different companies and mobile operators, even from the American Embassy, but I refused them all. I just want to do a good job in the bank. I do not even have my own CD, I only starred in five music videos for the television I am not the author of the music and the texts, I sing poems made into music CAN yOU TELL US WHAT yOUR SONGS ARE ABOUT? They deal with different issues, not only with love and politics With our country, too DO yOU HAVE A BOyFRIEND? (laughs) Not yet WHAT KIND OF RULES DID yOU HAVE TO OBEy DURING THE AFGHANSTAR? In Europe, people are free They can do whatever they like to become a Superstar But here in Afghanistan, we have many cultural restrictions The stage is the only thing we have, nothing more I have only my voice to convince people with I could not even dance or dress in western clothes But I do not wear a burka as many women from the countryside do and i love to wear the latest fashion within accepted limits of Islamic law yOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DANCE? Afghan society has not fully accepted us singing yet, how could I possible dance at the stage? WHAT WAS THE REACTION OF yOUR RELATIVES AND FRIENDS TO yOUR SUCCESS? Only my close family supported me my father, mother, and sisters Other close relatives like my uncle and my aunts, reacted in quite a negative way WHAT DO yOU MEAN? They forbade me to visit them after the contest They still forbid me to I would like to explain to them, that in Afghanistan, not only teachers and doctors are needed We also need artists Hopefully, my disturbed relations with the family will get better soon WHAT DO yOU THINK ABOUT THE SITUATION IN yOUR HOME COUNTRy? After the fall of the Taliban, we were all full of expectations that after eight years we were going to live in peace Unfortunately, we were mistaken There are still to many incidents, Taliban still have great control in some regions, there are night curfews WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR yOU IN yOUR LIFE? I would love to achieve all my goals I do want to live in Afghanistan, I am not thinking of emigrating Working in a bank fulfils me My fame helps a lot, too It is easier for me to negotiate on behalf of the bank and communicate with the media. Some people come to my bank from different parts of the country just to see me. (laughs)
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hafiza (a teacher living in the rural province of Ghor)
Hafiza lives in the Qaiaghak village in Chaghcharan district of Ghor Province towards the north west of Afghanistan She was engaged when she was only seven years old Early engagement of girls is not unusual in Afghan society Hafiza is presently 16 years old and her husband is 12 years old Since her husbands family is poor, she still lives with her parents When Hafizas mother-in-law decided that Hafiza should stop her education, arguing that if she were allowed to continue going to school she might meet another young man and run off with him, Hafiza told her friend, Sabira, who was a member of a child peer group Sabira was very affected by Hafizas story and told her peer group teacher about Hafizas situation Sabiras teachers and some peer group students decided to visit Hafizas in-laws house Hafiza said: They had a long discussion with my father and mother in-law and they explained about the value of child rights and education in Islam to them. They said that education is essential for all men and women and finally they succeeded in convincing them to allow me to go back to school. Before, I did not know about my rights but now I know, I am happy. When the village Community Development Council (CDC) recently suggested holding a literacy course, Hafiza was chosen to teach it For this, she receives a monthly salary that helps her to improve her life
Shahnaz Jan (a member of the Afghanaid Savings Group)

Shahnaz, a young woman of 18, is from the village of Malikan, Firoz Nakhcher District, Samangan Province She belongs to a poor, eight-member family, is not educated and has never attended a school. When she joined the Afghanaid Savings Group, she was able to benefit from enterprise training She contributed to the groups savings and was able to get enough credit to open a shop This marked a new beginning in her life: she is now proud of running a small business and earning her own living During a meeting with Afghanaid staff, Shahnaz said: My family were not in favour of me joining the savings group because they thought my money would not be safe, that it would be taken out by someone else. However, my aunt, who was a member of the group, convinced my father and mother to join and start saving, and finally I was allowed to join the group and so I started attending the meetings and put some money in the savings. When after a few months the saving group provided me with a small credit of Afs. 10,000 my parents realised how beneficial the saving group is. With this credit of Afs 10,000, Shahnaz started running a small cosmetic shop, which is going well Her family members are also supporting her Her younger sister, who has been able to receive an education, is helping her to write and keep sales and purchase records Her brother works in Aybak District and brings products from the local market Her father and mother are now happy that their daughter is running a business and contributing to the family income Commenting on the experience and reaction from her family, Shahnaz said: Though the savings group initiative is considered a drop in the ocean, there has been a positive impact: young women and girls are being economically empowered, giving them respect and better social status within their family and community. There is no doubt that young girls like Shahnaz Jan are becoming vanguard earners, especially for extremely poor families, and that parents have started realising the potential of girls and young women Afghanaid
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Nadia Anjuman
Nadia Anjuman was a female poet, who attended underground literature classes, disguised as sewing classes (practically the only activity women were not forbidden to do) in the Western city of Herat, while the Taliban forbade women an education Years later in 2007, by then a mother and Literature student at university in Herat, she was found beaten to death Although the Taliban do not officially control womens lives anymore, the repression of women is still at large in Afghan society It is through her beautiful poetry that we have been given a chance to understand what life is like for many women still without a voice or respect for their fundamental rights Useless (1999) No desire to speak again; what should I sing about? I am accursed by time whether I sing or not Why should I talk of honey since it is poison for me? Alas! A group of oppressors closed my mouth I dont have a confidante, who shall I be coy with? Why do I cry, laugh, die and remain? Myself and this corner of captivity, the sorrow of failure and regret I was needlessly created and I should seal my mouth shut I know that it is spring and the season of delight but What can I do with tied wings? I cannot fly Even though I have long been silent, I havent forgotten the songs Because my heart and my soul speak in every moment Happy the day when I will break the cage When I will leave this solitude and sing with abandon I am not a weak tree that sways with every breeze I am an Afghan girl and it is right that I always cry
Fly Freely (2001) On a day when my thoughts bring me firewood as a gift instead of cold feelings On a day when my eyes are wide open As if By seeing a withered leaf, oceans would flow On a day when my hands are inspired to weave clothes full of wheat and roses for the body of this creation On a day when my lullaby can grant sleep to the eyes of the sick and street-bound children On a day when with soaring melodies pray to the fire spirits On that day, I will write a poem, a great romance sweet as a palm tree and enchanting as the moon
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Consequences of forced marriage
I am 25 years old and I was born into an middle-income-level family My father had two wives; my mother was his second wife We were five sisters and three brothers but my mother had no authority in the family life All the authority in the family was held by my step-mother My father was a farmer and he was always busy working on our farms He died of some disease, but before his death he did something that up to the present day I cannot understand He gave me as a bride to a man called Mullah Yusuf when I was only seven years old for a large sum of money I was married to him later on Mullah Yusuf was 50 years old, and a ruthless and violent man who only sought pleasure From the very first day, he abused me and beat me When I grew older and I learnt to distinguish good from bad, I suffered Many times, I ran away from home after Mullah Yusuf was cruel to me, beating and abusing me I used to go to my fathers house asking them to help and defend me against him However, my maternal uncle did not protect me Instead he would blame me for bringing shame, sending me back to my husbands house One day after my husband beat me, I went to my fathers house My mother could not bear my condition anymore and we both decided to go to complain to the legislative organs to solve the problem But once again my maternal uncle opposed our decision He said that, we must preserve our dignity and grace This is an issue related to our dignity and you should not take the issue and complain to legislative organs and court! He handed me back to Mullah Yusuf When Mullah Yusuf found out that we had planned to complain to the legislative organs, he became even more violent and he insulted me and my family even more He used to beat me so much that I thought I would die Yet, I had to tolerate the situation; he hated me He decided to allow people to sexually abuse me, but such a life was intolerable to me I did not want my dignity to be trampled on I was tortured many times for that, but he did not succeed in carrying out his plans for me Finally, Mullah Yusuf decided to marry his brothers widow and marry me to the son of his brother However, I never gave in to his decision For this reason, he tortured me physically and psychologically every day Sometimes, I thought that I would set myself on fire, but I heard from our neighbours daughter that a woman attempted to burn herself but survived I was scared I would survive the suicide attempt then I would face a fate worse than the present One day at around 7pm, when Mullah Yusuf went to the mosque to pray, I ran away from the house I did not know where to go and what to do I talked to a man on my way whom I didnt know He looked like a good man to me; he pretended to care for my story and I trusted him He promised to help me I shared the story of my life with him but I didnt know that he was deceiving me During the week that I spent with him, he sexually abused me many times and he told me that he would hand me over to my family or to my husband if I did not obey him As I did not want to return to my family and wasnt happy to give in to this man, I went to the police when I arrived in Nimruz province Both the man and myself were punished by law and we were sentenced to two years in prison After my release from the prison, I had no safe place to go to The security organs introduced me to the safehouse Since I arrived there, I have known the meaning of life and real safety The sympathetic staff-members of the house assisted me in many different ways and accepted me as part of their family They turned my hopelessness into hope and life Here I can study, and the legal advisors of the safehouse help me with getting a divorce and separation from Mullah Yusuf By S. from Safe House for Women at Risk
Najla and Sheila: victims of Unwanted Traditions

In the past three decades, the people in our country have had to struggle through pain and suffering, through years of devastation, through the resistance against the Russians, and the following years of factional fighting between different Mujahideen groups. People showed great resilience especially during the invasion and occupation of the Russians to safeguard our homeland and dignity Many young people and women were martyred in their fight I want to tell you the story of the lives of Najla and Sheila, two such victims: continue onto next page . . .
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During the factional war among the mujahideen, Kabul faced one of the worst situations. When the war began, people dispersed to other cities and provinces, fleeing to any region or place they thought was safe A large number of families were killed or separated from each other The family of Kaka Osman and two daughters of his (aged 10 and 11) were suddenly lost Kaka Osman suffered, unable to believe that he had lost his two daughters He was ashamed when he sat with others Months and years passed, and Kaka Osmans beautiful and adorable daughters grew up They were living with a Russian family in the former Soviet Union They were brought up by the family, sent to school and received a higher education But the two sisters during all their time in the former Soviet Union never forgot their real family, and always wished that they could return to their homeland and family one day, after they finished their education, so that they could serve their country But as they had grown up in a foreign country, they knew nothing about their culture or about the customs of their country. They would go out with their classmates, and pass their time in joy, not being aware that they would return to their family one day, and would have to answer to them When Najla and Sheila turned 30 years old, they finally made a decision and asked for permission from their Russian family to return to their country and to visit their real family They returned to their homeland in Ghazni province But, they were not welcomed warmly by their family as they had expected Even though Kaka Osman was very happy to see his daughters again, he was ashamed by the way they dressed, by the way they spoke and by the habits that they had brought from abroad. In the three or four months that Najli and Sheila were at home, the other family members tried hard to restore their original traditions, customs and habits Since the girls had good morals soon they adopted the customs of the region They attracted many suitors for marriage Without considering and respecting the demands, viewpoints and expectations of his daughters, Kaka Osman engaged the girls to two boys who were his relatives and from his tribe Unfortunately, the families of both of the grooms were narrow-minded and backward families, so the sisters could not intervene, and Najla, the bigger sister, got married. On the night of the wedding party, Najla was welcomed gloriously, in the presence of a large number of guests. Everyone was happy and cheerful and no one knew the bad that was to come The wedding party ended and people went home. Najli and her husband Basheer went to their gloriously decorated room. At midnight, the groom came out of the room with concern on his face and immediately called for his parents to come He said a lot, complaining to his parents about the girl they had chosen for him He, a backward and narrow-minded man, could not comprehend that the girl had lived in a foreign country, far away from her family and parents, growing up in a strange society He didnt understand that her morals had developed along with the society and family with which she was living at the time At dawn on her wedding night, Basheer decided to throw the girl out and return her to her fathers house The elders of Basheers family gathered together and went to the house of Kaka Osman to inform him about what happened Kaka Osman also called his tribesmen to offer their view about what had happened The cousins of Kaka Osman decided that Najla should be killed. Bringing back such a girl to your house was a great mistake and it involves all of us, they said. We cant allow her to live here. We are ashamed. We are not weak and shameless people! They left the scene taking their weapons with them They marched towards Basheers house and there they shot Najla, a simple hearted and pious girl, brutally in front of the people. Najla, breathing her last breaths, thought about her past life, her wishes and goals, but sorrowfully she could not fulfil any of them; her fate did not allow her She wondered who was responsible for all this Was she responsible? After this heart-rending event took place, the cousins of Kaka Osman went to his house and said that if Najla is not a virgin then Sheila must also not be a virgin She should be killed for this moral corruption We cannot tolerate the shame anymore When she goes to the house of her husband and we are informed about her adultery, we once again will be disgraced. We should kill her so the tribe wont be shamed, they said. They went straight to the oppressed Sheila and martyred her in front of her mother After that, the mother of Najla and Sheila could no longer bear her loss and she lost her mind. This was the fate of the two young girls who always thought of their homeland far away They always wanted to return back to the warmth of their family, to stay with them and to serve their homeland But unfortunately, both girls became victims of commonplace culture and habits By N.N. from Safe House for Women at Risk
58
SOURCES
mATERIAlS:
Afghan Aid: www afghanaid org uk Afghan Star: www afghanstardocumentary com Caged Bird Stories from Safe House and Nadia Anjumans Poems, produced by Humanitarian Assitance for the Women and Children of Afghanistan (HAWCA): www hawca org To order a full copy please contact us at office@afghanconnection org for more details Dr Sarah Fanes Blog: http://sarahfane blogspot com White Dove: Introductory MDG and Afghanistan film produced specifically for this Education Pack This is provided with the education pack To get hold of a copy please contact us at office@afghanconnection org for more details
STATISTICS AND INfORmATION:

Change the World in Eight Steps: Oxfam Education Resources, 2010: www oxfam org uk/education/resources/ change_the_world_in_eight_steps Department for International Development: www dfid gov uk/afghanistan High Stakes: Girls Education in Afghanistan: Joint NGO Briefing Paper, published by Oxfam International, February 2011 www oxfam org uk/resources/policy/education/high-stakes-girls-education-afghanistan html International Human Development Indicators, United Nationals Development Programme: http://hdrstats und org Millennium Development Goals 2010 Report, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, October 2010: www un org (SCA) The Swedish Committee for Afghanistan: worked with People in Peril Association (PIPA) to produce the original Education Pack www swedishcomittee org
EU / Afghan Connection Twin School Programme
59
EXTRA RESOURCES
BOOKS:
Junior School: The Breadwinner, Parvanas Journey and Mud City by Deborah Ellis Shadow by Michael Morpurgo Senior School and 6th Form: Flashman by George MacDonald Fraser The Sewing Circles of Herat by Christina Lamb The Places Inbetween by Rory Stewart Cables from Kabul by former ambassador to Afghanistan, Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini Dear Zari, Hidden Stories from Women of Afghanistan by Zarghuna Kargar
fIlmS:
Afghan Star: www afghanstardocumentary com Out of the Ashes, The Rise of the Afghan Cricket Team: www outoftheashes tv Kabul At Work by Oliver Englehart: www kabulatwork com you can watch the film and interview with Oliver on youtube as part of Aljazeeras Witness Series.
ChARITIES:
UNICEF: www unicef org/infobycountry/afghanistan html Save The Children: www savethechildren org uk/en/afghanistan htm Oxfam: www oxfam org uk/oxfam_in_action/where_we_work/afghanistan html
CAmpAIgNS:
10x10 (a global film and social action campaign for girls education): 10x10act org Send my Sister to School: www sendmyfriend org
EDUCATION SOURCES:
Change the World in Eight Steps: Oxfam Education Resources, 2010 Youth and Education in Afghanistan Lesson Plan: Pulitzer Centre on Crisis Reporting, http://pulitzercenter org/education/lesson-plan/lesson-plan-youth-and-education-afghanistan
NEwS:
Aljazeera (Arabic News Network): http://english.aljazeera.net BBC Afghanistan Timeline and Profile: http://news bbc co uk/1/hi/1162108 stm 2011 Afghanistan Dispatches by Anna Badkhen: http://annabadkhen com/dis php
gOvERNmENT AND NON-gOvERNmENTAl ORgANISATION (NgO):

he Female Face of Afghanistan: Recommendations to a future UK Government launched on International T Human Rights Day by Glyn Strong and Fiona Hodgson, 2009: www conservativehumanrights com/reports The Universal Declaration of Human Rights: www un org/en/documents/udhr/index shtml illennium Development Goals 2010 Report, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, October 2010: www un org M FID Afghanistan Operational Plan 2011-15 Summary: www dfid gov uk/afghanistan D
60
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Afghanistan & The Millennium Development Goals

produced by Afghan Connection, September 2011

Afghanistan MDG Education Pack

EU / Afghan Connection Twin School Programme

Afghanistan MDG Education Pack

INTRODUCTION TO AfghANISTAN AND ThE mDgS

In 2000 the United Nations hosted the Millennium Development Summit

Millennium Development Goals, Introduction

ThE NINE mIllENNIUm DEvElOpmENT gOAlS fOR AfghANISTAN

Afghanistan MDG Education Pack

pROgRESS wITh AfghANISTANS mDgS

6. COmBAT hIv/AIDS, mAlARIA AND OThER DISEASES 6

2. AChIEvE UNIvERSAl pRImARY EDUCATION 2

7. ENSURE ENvIRONmENTAl SUSTAINABIlITY 7

3. pROmOTE gENDER EQUAlITY AND EmpOwER wOmEN 3

8. A glOBAl pARTNERShIp fOR DEvElOpmENT 8

4. REDUCE ChIlD mORTAlITY 4

5. ImpROvE mATERNAl hEAlTh 5

Introduction, Millennium Development Goals

Afghanistan MDG Education Pack

web of global Causes and Consequences

Introduction, Millennium Development Goals

Afghanistan MDG Education Pack

Introduction, Millennium Development Goals

mIllENNIUm DEvElOpmENT gOAl 1

CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES Of pOvERTY

Afghanistan MDG Education Pack

Millennium Development Goal 1

Afghanistan MDG Education Pack

mIllENNIUm DEvElOpmENT gOAl 2

gIRlS RECEIvE AN EDUCATION

Millennium Development Goal 1

fACTORS hINDERINg ThE COmplETION Of mDg 2 IN AfghANISTAN:

Afghanistan MDG Education Pack

ThE TAlIBAN AND EDUCATION

A SOlUTION: ThE wORSAJ EDUCATION INITIATIvE

Millennium Development Goal 2

mDg 2, EXERCISE mDg2, EXERCISE

Afghanistan MDG Education Pack

mDg 2, EXERCISE mDg2, EXERCISE

Millennium Development Goal 2

mIllENNIUm DEvElOpmENT gOAl 3

wOmEN STIll fACE ChAllENgES

ACCEpTABlE DRESS fOR wOmEN NOw

Afghanistan MDG Education Pack

ADvANCINg wOmENS RIghTS

gRASSROOT INITIATIvES, BOTTOm-Up

wOmEN plAY SpORT

Millennium Development Goal 3

mDg 2, EXERCISE mDg3, EXERCISE

Afghanistan MDG Education Pack

mDg 2, EXERCISE mDg3, EXERCISE

mDg 2, EXERCISE mDg3, EXERCISE

Millennium Development Goal 3

mDg 2, EXERCISE mDg3, EXERCISE

Afghanistan MDG Education Pack

ThE hEAlTh mIllENNIUm DEvElOpmENT gOAlS 4, 5 & 6

ChIlDREN AND wOmEN SUffER ThE mOST

Millennium Development Goals 4, 5 & 6

Asif wants to be a doctor

Afghanistan MDG Education Pack

mDg 2, EXERCISE mDg4,5&6, EXERCISE