The fourth phase of the network, a substantial step toward establishment of a human rights movement in Afghanistan through well-functioning civil society

The third phase of Civil Society and Human Rights Network (CSHRN) is completed successfully in January 2011 and the network kept on its endeavors by bridging the lessons learned of third phase to the objectives of fourth phase of the network. Precisely eight years ago, the CSHRN established itself as a coordination entity for local human rights based organizations. CSHRN establishment was the result of 2002 up to 2004 constructive and substantial dialogues of human rights defenders and activists in Afghanistan. The CSHRN started its activities in August 2004 by the support of Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR). DIHR as a well-known international human rights institution has supported the CSHRN in the field of institutional and thematic capacity building. This support has enabled the CSHRN to establish democratic structures and increase its human rights knowledge and play its role for strengthening human rights values. The CSHRN convened its first general assembly in Kabul city in presence of representatives of 25 local civil society organizations. In the first two years all the activities of the CSHRN were being limited merely to the Kabul city. But these activities have facilitated cooperation and collaboration among different civil society and human rights organizations. It is worth mentioning that in these years the only supporter of the CSHRN was the Royal State of Denmark international support mechanism (DANIDA). In 2005 the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) Joined DANIDA and thereafter SDC has a great contribution in attaining the aim of the CSHRN. SDC has supported CSHRN in the field of developing pool of training materials. The network by receiving the support of Swiss State has developed the human rights educational manual. Through this program CSHRN conducted systematic human rights trainings in Afghanistan. In the run of recent eight years, CSHRN…

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The civil society representatives have met with the President of Federal Republic of Germany

On October -16th -2011 his Excellency Christian Wulff the President of Federal Republic of Germany met with representatives of Afghan civil society umbrella organizations in the Chair of the AIHRC in German Embassy in Kabul city. During the meeting Mr. Michael Steiner the Especial Representatives of Afghanistan and Pakistan affaires, Mr. Rudiger Konig the Ambassador of German Federal Republic and Mr. Shoayab Azam the Councilor of the Political Affaires of Germen embassy were part of German delegation. Dr. Sima Samar Chairwomen of Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC), Mr. Mohammad Naim Nazari the Executive Coordinator of Civil Society and Human Rights Network (CSHRN), Mis Samira Hamidi Chair women of Afghan Women Network (AWN), Mr. Azizi Rafee Director of Afghanistan Civil Society Forum (ACSF) and Said Rahim Satar the Deputy of Afghanistan NGOs Coordination Bureau ANCB represented Afghan civil society in the meeting. During the meeting the representative of civil society of Afghanistan informed the German delegation about challenges, strength and threats of the civil society institutions. The Afghan civil society also explained the role of civil society in strengthening of legitimate and democratic state in Afghanistan. During the meeting, representatives of civil society appreciated the role of German Federal Government in reconstruction of Afghanistan and its support to civil society in promotion of human rights and democratic values in Afghanistan. President Wulff on behalf of German people and state expressed his support to the Afghan people and the Afghan civil society. He said that the people of Germany will continue to support Afghan people after 2014 when the international military forces leave Afghanistan. President Christian Wulff pays an official visit to Afghanistan to meet with President Hamid Karzai and the German military forces in Afghanistan.

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Summary description of The Civil Society Human Rights Network (CSHRO)

The Civil Society and Human Rights Organisation (until 2011 the Civil Society and Human Rights Network) was founded in 2004 by 25 civil society and human rights organisations. Today CSHRO is organised as a nationwide network consisting of 92 member organisations, a Secretariat in Kabul and four regional centres. CSHRO has since its inception in 2004 had a close and fruitful partnership with the Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR). Throughout DIHR and the Afghan civil society collaboration in the last 8 years the network has received the technical and organizational competence to organize constructive dialogue with the Afghan state on political, economic, social and cultural issues. During this period the network developed itself to a dynamic collaborator with the international partners in the fields of human rights. The network representatives actively participate to different national and international events in and out of the country to convey the message of civil society and human rights activist to the rest of the world. Vision and Mission CSHRO firmly believe that Afghanistan can become a society based on democracy and the rule of law in accor ­ dance with human rights. This belief has become the networks vision so accordingly, CSHRO expect the Afghan society to become a nation, based on democracy and the rule of law in accordance with human rights, and a society, where the state regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion and social and political orientation provide equal opportunities for all, and where people are aware of their rights and claim them in safety and dignity In order to work towards the realization of this ambitious task, the mission of CSHRO is to establish a capable human rights movement through strengthening of rights based civil society and by promoting human rights values, monitoring the human rights situation and…

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CSHRO Strategic Seminar conducted

By: Wazir Ahmad Khorami On March 12 th the strategic seminar of CSHRO was conducted in Kabul city, during the seminar representatives of member organizations together with the CSHRO secretariat discussed how to bring strategic changes into future activities of the Network. The strategic seminar was facilitated by Mr. Francesco Paolo Simone Castellani, adviser at the Danish Institute of Human Rights. At the beginning of the seminar Mr. Malek Sitez, Head of CSHRO's programs in Afghanistan, explained the importance of strategic planning and regularly updating of CSHRO's strategy to the participants. The aim of updating the strategy is to involve and include all member organizations into the CSHRO activities. The participants of the strategic seminar discussed the current strategy in comparison with the current situation in Afghanistan . The participants of the seminar were divided in four working groups where each working group discussed the issues of the key result areas of the strategy (capacity building, coordination and advocacy). During a one hour discussion, participants of the seminar discussed the main challenges of CSHRO in the field of coordination, capacity building and advocacy. The representatives of the working groups presented their ideas about the key result areas on behalf of their working group. The results of the working group discussion are very useful and constructive for future activities of CSHRO. As a result or the discussion two additional key result areas were proposed to be included in the strategy of CSHRO, these were “Public awareness” and “Monitoring”. Participants of the seminar agreed on collaboration of the member organizations in the field of monitoring the human rights situation as well as the dissemination of information on human rights issues to the people of Afghanistan. Participants of the seminar strongly advised CSHRO to focus on monitoring the human rights situation…

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The summery of CSHRN report to the 6th General Assembly

By Naim Nazari Dear colleagues, participants of the sixth General Assembly of CSHRN! First of all I would like to welcome you to this important gathering. A year and four months ago the fifth General Assembly of CSHRN was conducted. During this period, CSHRN organized some useful and comprehensive programs in Kabul and provinces of Afghanistan. These programs brought us to some important achievements as well as some challenges. The secretariat of CSHRN, as executive machine of CSHRN would like to present some important activities to the respectful members of the current General Assembly. In the field of coordination: During the last year CSHRN expended its cooperation and collaboration with some national and international organization. I would like to mention some important issues as flowing; •  During the last year the office of CSHRN was opened officially in Bamyan province in the central region of Afghanistan . The office of Bamyan raptly recognized as an important address for human rights activist and civil society partners. •  During the last year all structures of CSHRN were democracy elected in Kabul as well as in the regions. •  During this period the secretariat of CSHRN organized meetings with 284 national and international organizations. During these meetings the executive secretariat explained the strategy, goals and programs of CSHRN to the international and national partners. •  In between fifth and sixth General Assembly representatives of CSHRN conducted 11 international missions. CSHRN missions celebrated with the civil society organizations of Nepal, India, the Netherlands, the Great Brighten, Italy and Tajikistan. •  CSHRN prepared and signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission and Afghanistan Civil Society Forum. These MoU support CSHRN to understand its own and its partners mandate and filed of activities. In the field of Capacity Building:…

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Report of CSHRO in Bamyan province to the 6th General Assembly of CSHRO

Civil Society and Human Rights Organization in Bamyan Report of CSHRO in Bamyan province to the 6th General Assembly of CSHRO January 2011 By Ismail Zaki CSHRO Central high land coordinator Dear colleagues, CSHRO office in Bamyan was officially opened on 15 th September 2009. Since 2009 CSHRO organized its programs according to strategy of CSHRO. I would like to inform you a summary of our activities in Bamyan. In the field of coordination: CSHRO office in Bamyan has created constructive and working communication with 27 civil society organizations in Bamyan and Daikondi provinces. Fives human rights civil society organizations became member of CSHRO. There are 17 other NGOs who applied for the membership of CSHRO. We have organized quarterly meeting with our national and international partners. We have organized two times our general assembly where the member organizations discussed the activities of CSHRO in Bamyan. In the field of capacity building: •  During the last year CSHRO office in Bamyan organized 12 workshops according to CSHRO educational manuals. We have trained 292 men and women of Bamyan citizens. •  We have organized 7 round tables and debates on human rights values. We discussed human rights values with 149 citizens. •  We organized 11 debates on cultural rights with young students in Bamyan University. The participants of these programs were 125 students. •  We have organized 5 workshops according to manual on conflict transformation and resolution. •  During the last year 213 persons mainly students used our library and resource center. •  We have organized workshops with close communication of UNAMA office in Daikondi province of Afghanistan. In the filed of advocacy: •  CSHRO office in Bamyan mediate the requirements of demonstrators about lack of electricity in Bamyan province •  We stopped two forced marriages cases in Painjob…

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Report of Civil Society and Human Rights Organization Office in the North and Northeast Region of Afghanistan about Access to Information to the 6 th General Assembly of CSHRO

January 2011 By Nasima Azkia CSHRO north-north east coordinator Dear colleagues participants of 6 th General Assembly of CSHRO Access to Information is one of the basic human rights issues of citizen. Each citizen has the right to information in order to organize his or her life in the society. The article 19 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights and article 50 th of Afghanistan Constitution provide legal condition for access to information for the citizens of Afghanistan. The Civil Society and Human Rights Organization organized the first debate on access to information in Afghanistan in 2006. A national seminar was organized in Afghanistan with the representation of 26 provinces in Kabul in 2006. During the seminar representative of civil society organization decided to work together for access to information strengthening in Afghanistan . At the end of 2006 the second national seminar was organized in Bamyan province of Afghanistan . During this seminar representatives of local government supported the idea of access to information in Afghanistan. In May 2009 the Civil Society and Human Rights Organization organized the analytical symposium on access to information in Mazahr-e- Sharef city of Balkh province. The goal of the symposium was to invite some academics, intellectuals and media representation to provide their articles about access to information. During this symposium 6 articles were presented. The articles dealt with main principals of access to information, challenges of implementation for access to information, democracy and access to information, access to information during the election, access to information media, election and organic collaboration, access to information and national and international legislation. The participants of the symposium decided the following elements: •  A working group should be designed in Mazahr-e- sharef to study the national and international legislation and to work for initial draft of…

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Report of CSHRO West Region to the General Assemble

January 2011 By Ms Aziza Khairandash CSHRO Coordinator in the West region of Afghanistan Dear colleagues participants of the 6 th General Assembly of CSHRO I would like to inform you about the main activities of CSHRO in the Western region of Afghanistan. My report is mainly focused on CSHRO strategic values. In the field of coordination: We have close coordination with the national and international human rights actors in the western region of Afghanistan. We had quarterly meeting with our partners, who work in the field of human rights in Herat city. We organized joint meeting with human rights section of UNAMA office in Herat. We had constant communication with the Afghan independent human rights commission in Herat city. We organized meeting with the Ministry of Women Affaires representation in the West region. We had close collaboration with police and invited them in our coordination meetings. We had close collaboration with the Ministry of Justice in Herat province. During our meetings with our partner organizations and state institutions in Herat we shared information and distributed human rights educational manuals and CSHRO other publications. As a civil society umbrella organization we have membership of following institution in Herat. •  We are member of the consultative committee of the provincial council •  We are member of advocacy group for women rights in Herat. •  We are member of the commission to support families. In the field of capacity building: Our office in Herat is the only civil society organization that organizes constantly human rights educational programs for civil society and some state institutions in Herat. •  Our office organized some important education programs about Islam, modernism, secularism, globalization, intellectuals and their role in promotion of human rights in Afghanistan, regions intellectual and their role in promotion of civil society…

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Report of CSHRO activity in the East Region to the General Assemble

January 2011 By Dr. Naimatullah Hamdard, Coordinator of CSHRO in the East region of Afghanistan Dear colleagues participants of the 6 th General Assembly of CSHRO Our office in the Eastern region works according to the platform, strategy, log frame and action plan of CSHRO. My report to you is based on these elements. Our office in Jalalabad, is a coordination center for human rights actors who works in Jalalabad city and other provinces in the East region. We have 5 member organizations. We meet with our member organizations constantly. We provide them educational manual and other facilities for promotion of human rights in our province. We have created focal point in Konar and Laghman provinces. Generally we work with 180 civil society organizations in our regions. To make our work sustainable, we focus a lot on trust building ellements amongst ourselves and other civil society organizations. We met constantly with them and discus our problems together. We have organized two general assemblies within our structures. During the general assemblies we elected members to the Board and Evaluation Committee. Today we work with three provinces in the East region and soon we will start our activities in Noorestan provinces. In the field of capacity building: We organized training for 10 trainers in the field of conflict transformation and conflict resolution. These trainers work with us in the field of capacity building in the East region. In the East office, we have organized a small resource center with a small library for our member organization. We have created a good relationship with the donors in the East region. We introduced the civil society organizations to the donors for their collaboration. In the field of coordination: We have created collaborative relationship with civil society organization, some state institutions and international…

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CSHRO mission in Herat met with the Governor of Herat about reduction of family violence in Herat province

By Ramin Ahamadi On 25th of January the Civil Society and Human Rights Organization mission to Herat together with CSHRO secretariat in the west region met with Dr. Dauod Saba the governor of Heart concerning reduction of domestic violence against women in Herat. Participants of the meeting Mr. Malek Sitez, the Program Manager of CSHRO, Mr. Naim Nazari, the Executive Secretariat of CSHRO, Mr. Wazir Ahmad Khorami, the Liaison Officer of CSHRO, Mrs. Aziza Khairandish, the Coordinator of CSHRO in the West, Mrs. Khalida Khorasnd, Program Adviser of CSHRO in the West and Mr. Ramin Ahmadi, Admin Officer of CSHRO in the west region, expressed their gratitude to the governor of Heart for the meeting. At the beginning of the meeting Mr. Malek Sitez, explained the overall programs of CSHRO. He informed the governor of Herat about CSHRO campaign of reduction of violence against women. On behalf of civil society organization and human rights activist Mr. Sitez expressed his support to the intelligent and value-based governor of Heart Mr. Daoud Sabah. Mr. Daoud Sabah the governor of Heart expressed his kind attitude and generally support to CSHRO programs concerning their campaign to decrease violence against women. Mrs. Aziza Khairandish, CSHRO, west coordinator submitted the analyze of CSHRO concerning reduction of violence against women. The analyze was made during the last year by a group of CSHRO researchers. According to the research a join coordinating committee will be formed by civil society and governmental bodies concerning family violence in Heart. The committee will work in a close collaboration with the governor of Herat. The committee consist of representatives of Governor, Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, Civil Society and Human Rights Organizations, Department of Ministry of Women Affairs in Herat, Department of Police in Herat, Department of Justice Ministry in…

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