Education

  • Attacks on Education in Afghanistan - Briefing paper GCPEA

    The Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attacks (GCPEA) released their briefing paper titled 'Attacks on Education in Afghanistan', to coincide with the Geneva Conference on Afghanistan 2018. GCPEA is governed by a steering committee made up of the following international organizations: CARA (Council for At-Risk Academics), Human Rights Watch (HRW), Institute of International Education/ IIE Scholar Rescue Fund, Plan International, Protect Education in Insecurity and Conflict (PEIC), a program of the Education Above All Foundation, Save the Children, UNICEF, UNESCO, and UNHCR. GCPEA is a project of the Tides Center, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.

    PDF icon attacks_on_education_in_afghanistan_2018.pdf
  • Farkunda Trust - Statement and AGM Report 2018

    The Farkunda Trust seeks to support young women to excel academically and professionally so they may become financially independant and inspire young women to pursue higher education. Systematic discrimination restricts women’s access to education: the Farkhunda Trust aims to create safe spaces for Afghan women to pursue their education. The selection criteria for the scholarships will specifically target academically talented girls who have struggled with violence or have financial difficulties. To find out more about the Farkunda Trust there are two key documents published in December 2018. The Farkunda Trust Annual General Meeting and Statement on Female Higher Education can be found attached. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact BAAG at info@baag.org.uk or The Farkunda Trust on info@farkhundatrust.org. 

    PDF icon AGM Final Edited Report 6-11-18.pdf, PDF icon FT Statement on Female Higher Education.pdf
  • Displaced, Denied, Destroyed

    Rather than safe spaces for learning, schools in Afghanistan are increasingly becoming military, ideological and political battlegrounds. This briefing notes outlines how the international community and parties to the conflict in Afghanistan are neglecting and violating established commitments to protect students, teachers and educational facilities in armed conflict.

    PDF icon briefingnote-educationunderattack.pdf
  • “I Won’t Be a Doctor, and One Day You’ll Be Sick” Girls’ Access to Education in Afghanistan, October 2017

    Sixteen years after the uS-led military intervention that ousted the Taliban government, an estimated two-thirds of afghan girls do not go to school. As security in the country has worsened, the progress that had been made toward the goal of getting all girls into school may be heading in reverse—a decline in girls’ education in Afghanistan.Forty-one percent of all schools in Afghanistan do not have buildings. many children live too far from the nearest school to be able to attend, which particularly affects girls. Girls are often kept at home due to harmful gender norms that do not value or permit their education

    PDF icon HRW_I_Wont_Be_a_Doctor_ and_One_Day_Youll_Be_Sick_2017_en.pdf
  • State of the world’s emergencies: A briefing for UK parliamentarians, October 2017

    This briefing has been put together by a significant number of international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) under the leadership of Bond’s Humanitarian and Conflict Policy groups. These NGOs are either actively operational in these contexts or working to raise awareness in the UK of the challenges faced by people experiencing humanitarian disasters, conflict and upheaval. Afghanistan is featured in a section of this report where it describes its fragility and its need for continuos international support. 

    PDF icon bond_state_of_the_worlds_emergencies_2017.pdf
  • Swedish Committee for Afghanistan: Development Gains in Education, September 2016

    The Swedish Committee for Afghanistan presents a joint NGO-endorsed briefing paper, highlighting the challenges still faced in the Afghan education sector ahead of the upcoming Brussels Conference. Its main ask is for international donors to increase the size and commitment of their pledges targeted at education development, in order to support the Afghan government in meeting its development indicators and as well as safeguarding the progress already achieved from increasing security threats. The priorities and recommendations in this briefing paper were formed from regional and Kabul-based consultations with grassroots organisations, high-profile NGOs and government officials. From these it highlights five priority areas: safeguarding education facilities, ensuring aid effectiveness, vocational training, school attendance rates and teacher training.

    PDF icon Swedish Committee for Afghanistan BCA briefing paper-upd.pdf
  • HRW: Education on the Front Lines, August 2016

    Human Rights Watch state that Afghan security forces are increasingly using schools as bases during military operations in Taliban-held areas, putting children at risk and depriving thousands of an education. Their report documents the occupation and other military use of schools by state forces and the Taliban in Baghlan province in northeastern Afghanistan. It is based on interviews with more than more than 20 school principals, teachers, and administrators, as well as local families affected by the conflict.Under the laws of war, schools are civilian objects that are not subject to attack unless they are being used for military purposes. Unnecessary use of schools by military forces is contrary to the global Safe Schools Declaration, which Afghanistan endorsed in 2015. The declaration urges parties to armed conflicts “not to use schools and universities for any purpose in support of the military effort.”

    PDF icon HRW Education on the Frontlines Aug16.pdf
  • UNAMA: Education & Healthcare at risk, April 2016

    Children in Afghanistan increasingly struggle to access healthcare and education. Jointly produced by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and UNICEF, this report documents how conflict-related violence, threats and intimidation by all parties to the conflict harmed health and education personnel, reduced the availability of healthcare, and limited children’s access to essential health and education services. The report covers the three-year period, 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2015.

    PDF icon UNAMA education_and_healthcare_at_risk Apr16.pdf
  • AREU: The Political Economy of Education & Health Service Delivery, February 2016

    Political settlements affect service delivery in Afghanistan, according to this AREU research study examining the health and education sectors of Afghanistan. This study tested the hypothesis that the character of political settlements at various levels (primary, secondary, and sectoral) may partly explain the varying delivery outcomes across the country. The study first assesses interference with service delivery by insurgents and local strongmen, finding largely affirmative responses in this respect, and then examines the variations in secondary settlements in the three provincial case studies. Finally, the study explores how local elites and government officials attempt to manage and control service delivery for their own ends.

    PDF icon AREU The Political Economy of Education and Health Service Delivery in Afghanistan.pdf
  • Corruption Free Afghanistan: Break the Corruption Chains, December 2015

    Corruption Free Afghanistan makes recommendations on how to combat corruption in Afghanistan. These include administrative reforms, improvements to adequate educational opportunities for Afghans in insecure areas of the country and better oversight mechanisms in the provincial education departments. The report says the damages corruption causes to developing countries like Afghanistan is astronomical. The report notes that corruption, bribery, theft and tax evasion cost $1.26 trillion for developing countries per year. The report notes that although Afghanistan has been classified as one of the most corrupt nations in the world for many years now, the Afghan government has not done enough to counter corruption and increase the government’s legitimacy.

    PDF icon Resolution _ AntiCorruption _ English.pdf, PDF icon Resolution _ AntiCorruption _ Dari.pdf, PDF icon Resolution _ AntiCorruption _ Pashto.pdf
  • UNESCO: Gender & EFA 2000-2015, October 2015

    This report, compiled by UNESCO's EFA Global Monitoring Report, reveals that fewer than half of countries have achieved the goal of gender parity in both primary and secondary education, even though all were supposed to achieve it by 2005. However, global progress has been positive: between 2000 and 2015, the number of girls for every 100 boys has risen from 92 to 97 in primary education and from 91 to 97 in secondary education. Yet, despite great increases in gender parity in Afghanistan, the country overall has only 72 girls enrolled for every 100 boys, with 87 girls at primary level. 

    PDF icon Unesco Gender & EFA 2000-2015.pdf
  • AREU: High School Activism in Afghanistan, October 2015

    This study, by Afghanistan Research & Evaluation Unit (AREU), finds that the lack of employment, a sluggish economy and dissatisfaction about the functioning of the Afghan educational system are major factors in the politicisation of high school students in Afghanistan, which also includes an attraction towards extremist groups.While some students’ politicization and motivations towards joining political groups have their roots in the history of politics in their families, many seem to believe that without the protection of a political patronage network, they will not be able to gain good marks, be admitted into university, and eventually secure a good job. Overall the impression given is one of a pot under increasing pressure but that has yet to reach boiling point. Obvious manifestations of extreme student frustration, such as demonstrations and protests, are relatively rare and mostly small-scale when they do occur in Afghanistan. However, the country's students seem to be drifting in the direction of widespread mobilisation and protests, particularly if the economy does not recover and employment opportunities do not improve.

    PDF icon AREU Reaching Boiling Point- High School Activism in Afghanistan.pdf
  • AREU: The Politicisation of Afghanistan’s High Schools, July 2015

    Despite a formal ban on political activities issued by the Ministry of Education, this report finds a high degree of politicisation in Afghanistan’s high schools. Across 18 provinces and 136 schools, 403 students and 28 teachers were interviewed. An anti-system sentiment is spreading, whilst the political parties are also actively trying to recruit high school students. It finds little indication of student groups organising themselves autonomously from existing political parties and organisations.

    PDF icon AREU The Politicisation of High Schools in Afghanistan.pdf
  • BAAG: Policy position paper on Service Delivery, July 2015

    Following the General Election in May 2015, BAAG and its members prepared a briefing pack for MPs and ministers.  These covered the themes of Governance, Human Rights, Service Delivery, Women's Rights and Humanitarian.  They each present an overview of the progress and remaining challenges in each area, and priority recommendations for the British government to consider in its support to Afghanistan. 

    PDF icon Policy Position Paper - Service Delivery final version 22July15.pdf
  • GCPEA: Lessons in War, Military use of Schools & Universities during armed conflict, May 2015

    The Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack has reported on instances of military (pro- and anti-government) forces occupying or using educational facilities in countries including  Afghanistan. Snipers position themselves at classroom windows. Soldiers sleep in classrooms. Razor wire encircles playgrounds. Places that once brought students joy and comfort are transformed into places of fear and dread. For this study, evidence was gathered on the nature, scope, and consequences of the use of education institutions by armed forces during the period from January 2005 to March 2015. Using examples drawn from every region of the world, this study demonstrates both the practice of militaries using education institutions and the consequences of such use for students, educators, and communities.

    PDF icon GCPEA lessons_in_war_2015.pdf

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