Afghanistan

Fieldwork for this case study was conducted in Kabul (Afghanistan) from 5-15 February 2013. Preparatory work and consultations were conducted prior to fieldwork, and several interviews that were not scheduled during the consultant‟s time in Afghanistan were conducted by phone or online subsequent to the field travel.

This case study is part of a larger project that explores women’s participation in different development programmes and projects in Afghanistan.

Decades of conflict in Afghanistan have resulted in extreme instability, poverty and gender inequality. The human toll resulting from foreign invasion, the subsequent civil war (1992-1996) and the current conditions is great.

This paper contends that, in spite of women’s sizable presence in Afghanistan’s Wolesi Jirga, the representation of women’ s gender interests remains minimal.

Unquestionably, the situation of Afghan women has been one of the most prominent areas of rhetorical focus of the international development community in the post- Taliban era.

Exclusion of “men and boys” from mainstream research and policy formulation on gender in Afghanistan has significantly contributed to persisting inequalities in practice, including unequal access to education, healthcare and employment.

Since President Ashraf Ghani’s election in 2014, discussion of impend-ing reconciliation talks with the armed opposition of the Taliban has been intensifying. Taliban sources confirmed contacts and indicated they were gearing up towards formal talks.

Special issue of Human Rights Week of Armanshahr no. 146

One of the programmes that Armanshahr organised in the Human Rights Week was a Painting and Miniature Exhibition of the works of Marzia Nazari with the title of “Dance and Paint.”

At the concluding ceremony of the Human Rights Week, following the awarding of Simorgh prize statutes to the awardees, Master Waheed Kaacemy, the celebrated singer, composer and music researcher of Afghanistan, gave a concert to mark the 19th anniversary of Armanshahr Foundation/OPEN ASIA’s establishment.