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Background
After 23 years of war, Afghanistan is experiencing post-conflict
difficulties: infrastructure is inadequate, poverty is widespread and
state social protection is inexistent. Critical aspects of the social
welfare sector include:
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Endemic family poverty resulting in nutrition
deficiencies, high rate of infant, child and maternal mortality.
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High rate of youth
population: More than a half of the country’s population is less than 19
years old.
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Low level of education:
of about 10 million school-age children, 4.2 million children attended
school in 2004.
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High levels of family stress, erosion of family
support and safety nets due to harsh economic situation: a study carried
out by UNICEF in 2004 shows that placement of children in orphanages has
dramatically increased due to the erosion of community/family networks
and is used as a coping mechanism. Out of the 8,000 children living in
children’s institutions throughout the country, 1/3 do not need
long-term care by residential institutions and could be returned to
their family or extended family with minimal support.
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Increasing
number of street and working children particularly in the capital and
large provincial cities. Studies suggest that there has been an increase
in the numbers in Kabul, from approx 40,000, to 60,000 in 10 years,
mainly due to the returning refugee population from neighbouring
countries and the unaffordable cost of living in the capital.
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Widespread child abuse: More than half the number of
girls under 16 are forced into early marriages, physically abusive acts
are taking place every day and the sexual abuse of children is very
frequent.
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Emergence
of low-level street violence: with the alarming development of drug
production and trade, children are more and more likely to be used as
drug-dealers and exposed to drug-addiction.
 Increasing child kidnapping and abduction: In February 2004, the Afghan
Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) reported that human
trafficking particularly child kidnapping and abduction within, outside
and through the country were identified as one of the most serious
violations in recent months in Afghanistan. In the International
Organisation for Migrations’ report “Trafficking in Persons, An Analysis
of Afghanistan” released in January 2004, it is observed that the forms of
trafficking committed in Afghanistan and to Afghans in neighbouring
countries include the exploitation of prostitution, forced labour, slavery
and practises similar to slavery, servitude.
The work of the CRC
The CRC is the joint project of 5 national and international NGOs:
Aschiana, Afghanistan Demain (AD), Children in Crisis (CIC), Enfants du
Monde Droits de l'Homme (EMDH) and Terre des Hommes (Tdh), funded by the
European Commission to improve living conditions of street and working
children and their families with a view of reintegrating them in the
mainstream society, and to advocate for the Rights of the Child.
Coordinated and administered by Tdh, the CRC has been operating since June
2003 and has been providing basic services to street and working children
of Kabul city through day-care
centres and outreach activities, in
different districts of the city.
CRC
services towards street and working children consist in providing:
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Basic education
and progressive integration of children in the formal schools.
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Vocational
training for children who cannot be integrated in schools.
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Food,
health care, psychological care and referral to medical institutions.
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Recreational
/ psychosocial activities
(play, sports, music….), health education, mine-awareness education,
child rights education, civic education…. with a view of reintegrating
children in the mainstream society.
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Family counseling and support.
 Since June 2003,
CRC activities have benefited to 9,356 children (47% boys, 53% girls).
Thanks to the relations developed with the Ministry of Education and the
awareness carried out towards children’s families, the CRC has managed to
integrate more than 39% into the formal schools (51% of boys and 49% of
girls) and enroll 13% in vocational training.
Beside
these concrete services provided to the beneficiaries, the CRC has carried
out several activities aimed at strengthening the capacities of the CRC
and establishing it as a leading advocacy forum in Afghanistan:
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Training and capacity-building of the CRC staff are organised regularly
and are carried out by each CRC member according to its field of
expertise.
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The
CRC has established strong relations with Ministry of Labour and Social
Affairs (MoLSA): regular meetings, common events, participation of
MoLSA’s staff to CRC training sessions.
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The
CRC takes part in the elaboration and consultation process of national
policies towards children (i.e. : National Plan against Child
Trafficking, National Plan for Children at Risk).
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The
CRC organises advocacy actions to raise awareness on children in street
situation and other child protection related activities (i.e.: meetings
with professionals such as the police, organisation of gatherings to
promote child rights, participation to children meetings ….).
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The
CRC participates to regular meetings, national forum on child
protection, i.e.: the Child Protection Action Network (CPAN), the Global
Movement for Children (GMC)….
The CRC is engaged in networking activities with other organisations
helping street and working children in Afghanistan and in the region
(i.e.: exchanges with Tdh’s street and working children project in
Peshawar).
 The CRC’s strategy for
2006-2007
After 2 years of implementation, the CRC has now the experience
and expertise in the field of social work and child protection to increase
its support to street and working children and develop appropriate schemes
for other children at risk.
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The CRC’s objectives for 2006-2007 are.
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To continue to
reintegrate disadvantaged and marginalized boys and girls into
mainstream society.
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To continue to ensure the
good health and well being of disadvantaged and marginalized boys and
girls and families.
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To strengthen the Child
Rights Consortium (CRC) and establish it as a leading child rights forum
in Afghanistan.
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To influence the
development of child protection policy in Afghanistan.
Contact:
Fatma Boggio-Cosadia, CRC Coordinator
Terre des Hommes
E-mail:
fatma.cosadia@tdh.ch
Phone: + 93 70 277 225 |
