“Unveiling Afghanistan, the Unheard Voices of Progress” is a campaign by Armanshahr & FIDH, in advance of the historic presidential election in Afghanistan set for April 2014, which explores views held by Afghan civil society actors. Over 100 days, 100 influential social, political, and cultural actors hope to spark conversation and debate about building a society that is inclusive of women’s and human rights in Afghanistan.
After more than 30 years of war, Afghanistan’s progress towards democratisation remains extremely fragile. Afghanistan is one of the 10 poorest countries in the world. 75% of the population are illiterate, with the great majority of Afghans having been born after the Soviet invasion of 1979. Afghanistan suffers the world’s highest rate of infant mortality (134 per 1,000 live births) and an average life expectancy of just 48.1 years.
Crippled by war, poverty, societal divisions, and devastating underdevelopment, government institutions are weak, and the rule of law and effective governance almost non-existent. Despite these overwhelming obstacles, hope lives on in the citizen population.Ordinary citizens, notably women and a new young generation of civil society actors, have unfailingly demonstrated their faith in progress, justice and democratization in Afghanistan. These individuals, the positive actors for change in Afghanistan, are put in the spotlight by the “Unveiling Afghanistan” campaign.
Signs of rupture with the previous regime are numerous. Citizens, old and young, have eagerly participated in elections. Parents have sent their daughters, excluded from education under the Taliban, back to school in droves. Tens of thousands of Afghans, both male and female, have applied to university; rates so high that the universities cannot absorb the level of interest. Teachers, despite their meagre salaries, have returned to schools and kept their doors open. Women and girls defend their rights to study at school and university and work in modern and challenging jobs. They are exercising their civic rights by voting and even standing as candidates in elections. New political parties and movements with pro-democracy agendas have been registered; educated and committed representatives have entered parliament. There has been a proliferation of the media, with hundreds ofsuccessful radios, televisions, newspapers launched. Simultaneously, civil society has expanded, with new organisations and networks, cultural, artistic and sporting initiatives set up to promote civic participation and human rights, including women’s rights.
“Unveiling Afghanistan” will give voice to the demands of women for an open and inclusive society in Afghanistan. Critically, it willpromote women’s participation in the electoral process, by building awareness and knowledge amongst women about their fundamental rights and electoral choices. It will shape public opinion and promote the analysis of the strengths and shortcomings of mid- and long-term strategies, at the national and international level, for dealing with discrimination against women and human rights violations in Afghanistan. In so doing, “Unveiling Afghanistan” will contribute to the emergence of a culture of democracy, human rights, and gender equality.
The context of the campaign
The “Unveiling Afghanistan” campaign kicked off its programme in collaboration with the Institut français d’Afghanistan (IFA) of CELEBRATION WEEK OF HUMAN RIGHTS DAY IN KABUL supported by numerous international and national stakeholders with a full week of specialised human rights training, round tables with high level stakeholders and numerous cultural, musical and artistic programs. It include also a photo exhibition of a selection of personalities interveiwed for the Campaign.
An interview a day will be published in the lead-up to the April 2014 elections in the best Afghanistan daily 8 Sobh and Huffington Post.
Also a series of FACE TO FACE public debates leading to elections bringing youth and women together to put forward their grievances and demands to presidential and regional candidates. Finally a second edition of the high visibility International Women’s Film Festival- Herat will be held for a week in order to commemorate 8th of March Women’s day.
Background information on Armanshahr/OPEN ASIA
Armanshahr/OPEN ASIA is a human rights NGO committed to supporting a community of informed and committed citizens for democracy in Afghanistan. Founded 17 years ago, Armanshahr brings together progressive minds and promotes action for human rights, democracy, women’s equality, justice, and the rule of law. It operates in Middle Asia, namely Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Iran. Armanshahr’s mission is to create environments suitable for democratic debate and exchange in the public arena.
In 2010, Armanshahr launched the Simorgh Peace Prize, celebrated every 30 months. The prize recognises outstanding artistic expressions (music, poems, arts, publishers) which speak against war, violence and discrimination.
Armanshahr is also an active human rights publishing house, having published more than 120,000 books in Afghanistan under several series including “Let’s Break the Silence (Human rights), “Women”, “Dialogue”, “Literature” and “Youth”. Armanshahr also publishes “Politis-asia”, a journal on contemporary issues, a periodical on human rights and civil society, and several weekly “Watch” e-bulletins on human rights and women’s rights in Afghanistan, Iran, and Tajikistan. Armanshahr has produced several documentaries, such as Eye (I) Witness (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWuOq72YSd8), in which victims of war share their experiences through interviews.
In March 2013, Armanshahr, in collaboration with Roya Film House, founded the first International Women’s Film Festival in Herat. The festival brought together 100 films and more than 1,500 people to the ancient Herat Citadel. It was supported by major national and international media houses, regional film festivals, and more than 40 civil society organisations. The festival promoted female filmmakers, documentaries, dialogue and exchange in Afghanistan, the region and beyond. The second edition of the Women’s Film Festival is planned for International Women’s Day on 8 March 2014.
Background information on FIDH
Founded in 1922 by 15 human rights groups, FIDH now unites 178 national organizations from 117 countries, that collaborate on strategies and activities to promote universal human rights standards.
FIDH acts with member and partner organizations to monitor, document and alert the international community on human rights situations and cases of violations, focusing on 6 priority areas:
• protecting and supporting human rights defenders;
• promoting women’s and migrants’ rights;
• building and utilizing effective justice systems and bringing perpetrators to justice.
• strengthening respect for human rights in the context of globalization; and
• supporting victims of serious violations in times of conflict or transition.
FIDH believes that sustainable societal change and genuine respect for human rights will result from actions led by local communities, supported by mobilisation at the national, regional and international levels. This interaction governs FIDH’s decision-making processes, its programs, and its operations, setting FIDH apart as uniquely representative and responsive to communities affected by human rights violations. FIDH merges the local understanding and field experience of its partners with expertise in international law, mechanisms of protection and intergovernmental advocacy. FIDH places its member organizations at the heart of its decision-making processes.
