Annual Report- 2012

Empowerment Center for Women

Executive Director Forward

Empowerment Center for Women- ECW has had a busy year in 2012. In one hand ECW has been busy with its internal program and operation system revision through its strategic plan on the other hand the organization was very busy implementing programs, projects and working with other civil society actors advocating, coordinating womens issues at the national level. The program and project activities carried out by ECW during the year has been compiled in close cooperation and assistance with all the departments of ECW which can be attributed to extensive efforts made by the field team members in all over the country in the year 2012 whose contributions to compiling this report is noteworthy and appreciated. In addition, the cooperation by ECWs Main Office is also praiseworthy and ECW is thankful of their utmost assistance and collaboration. ECW would also like the opportunity to thank and appreciate the financial and technical assistance provided to the organization by partners and donors. The achievements we have today are the result of joint work and continuous support. We look forward to the similar joint efforts in the coming years. Best regards, Malika Qanih Executive Director Empowerment Center for Women- ECW

Outline
I. II. III. IV. V. VI. Introduction Empowerment Center for Women (ECW) Background ECW Strategic Plan ECW in 2012 ECW Advocacy and Coordination Next Steps

Contact: www.ecw-af.org [email protected] [email protected] +93(0)700276065 +93(0)797538875

I. Introduction
Empowerment Center for the Women (ECW) has introduced the annual reporting systems to ensure recording of the organizations activities, achievements as well as discussing its future plans. The ECW Annual Report is also an important means of sharing information with the organizations beneficiaries and stakeholders. Through the Annual Report, ECW tries to ensure the organization is accountable towards the donors, supporters and beneficiaries as well as the information sharing is transparent and up to date. Through the Annual Report 2012, ECW will highlight its key initiatives and achievements. For example, ECW went througha transition process in coordination with its Executive Board Members and core team members to bring a shift in ECWs work from service delivery to more right based approach. In this report, ECW will also highlight its key achievements by implementing number of strategic projects as per ECWs priority goals. ECW will also share its future plan and area of focus for the year 2013. ECW would like to thank the organizations donor agencies that financed the organization for implementation of very important projects. ECW would also like to thank the Executive Board Members who have supported ECWs work throughout the period since establishment as well as during the year 2012. ECW also appreciate the hard work and dedication of ECW staff members and look forward to their similar contribution in the coming years.

II. ECW Background

A. Background The worst hit of the situation were on women and girls where even their movement was adversely limited along with deprivation from all the basic human rights. To contribute in the reduction of the misery of the girls and women a group of the committed and devoted Afghan women took the initiative of establishing Educational Training Center for poor Women and girls of Afghanistan (ECW) in October 1997. Engaging ECW Executive Board Members, Core Staff and Ministry of Economy changed Educational Training Center for Poor Women and Girls of Afghanistan (ECW) name to Empowerment Center for Women (ECW) with a transition in organizations strategic objectives through range of consultations, participations and final approval process in the year 2012. The Empowerment Center for women (ECW) was established with the aim of providing resources to Afghan women and girls to help them to be empowered, economically independent, and socially active. Since its establishment continuously expanded its services to different parts of the country. B. Vision Empowering Afghan women. C. Mission To support the expansion of assets and capabilities of Afghan women to participate in, negotiate with, influence, control, and hold accountable institutions that affect their lives. D. Core Values In establishing the organization values ECW intends to set the highest values for the organization staff that they can integrate within a working environment. From the other hand ECW have designed its program procedures and directive as such that it mainstreams the implementation of the values defined and provide tangible output. 1. GENDER SENSITIVITY Equality for inclusion and participation 2. TRANSPARENCY & ACCOUNTABILITY Respecting the highest interest of our beneficiaries and stakeholders 3. RESPECT AT WORK Respecting dignity for each other 4. PROFESSIONALISM

Bringing standard at work and practice 5. NON -DISCRIMINATION No one is excluded on the basis of disability, race, gender and other human diversities E. Area of Coverage Central Zone Northeast Zone North Zone East Zone Kabul, Panjsher, Parwan, Kapisa, Ghazni, Bamyan Kunduz, Takhar, Baghlan, Badakhshan Balkh, Faryab, Jawzjan, Samangan Nangarhar, Laghman, Kunar

III. ECW Strategic Plan

During the year 2012, ECW, its Executive Board Members, Core Staff, relevant stakeholders and partners carried out massive discussions and consultations to revise ECWs Strategic Plan. The purpose of this initiative was to ensure that there is a shift in ECWs work from service delivery to right based approach. During this period, ECW also carried out a SWOT analysis for the organization to identify the gaps, areas of focus and the improvements that are needed for the organizations better performance. The result of this exercise was a transition in overall organizations area of focus, name, logo as well as strategic priorities. The 2013-2015 Strategic Plan for ECW has the below Strategic Goals: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Gender Development Access to Justice Investing in People Peace Building Good Governance Organizational Development

Under each strategic goal, ECW has identified strategic objectives that will help the organization plan activities, raise funding, and design projects. The new ECW Strategic Plan enables ECWs focus in the areas of annual work planning, monitoring and evaluation and external audit. ECW will also use the mentioned tools in order to successfully implement its strategic plan.

IV. ECW in 2012

A. Summary This compiled report covers all the activities carried out by ECW during the year 2012 for perusal by donor agencies, governmental sectors, NGOs, project beneficiaries and other interested stakeholders. Through this report ECW aims to increase its outreach to the various actors and stakeholders regarding its work and activities to ensure the information sharing and transparency.
S.No. 1 Project Title

Donor Agency

Implementation Places

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3

Internship, Computer USAID-RAMP Trainings and Sport UP East Programs for Youths Institutional Support Grant Counterpart International Womens Access to Justice Model Community Program

Parwan, Panjshir

Kapisa

Beneficiaries Men Women 1245 69

Total 1314

Public Awareness-Raising on EVAW Law

Civic Education through Regional Radio and Theater performance

Study Grant Grand Total

Kunduz, Takhar, Baghlan, Badakshan Asia Foundation Kunduz Center, Ali Abad, Khan Abad, Imam Sahib,Qala-e-Zal districts National Kunduz Center, 3716 Endowment for Khan Abad, Democracy Imam sahib (NED) Districts Takhar Center, GulfiganFarkha r Districts Baghlans Center, Dushi, Baghlanha Districts Afghan Kunduz City, 40 Education Imam Sahib, Program (AEP) Khan Abad, Ali Abad Districts Kabul Ariana Foundation
20 Districts of five provinces 5001

200

200

3701

7417

40

80

4010

9011

B. Outcomes: 8

9011 individuals have benefited and participated in ECW Projects during the 2012 including 5001 males and 4010 females. Around20 districts in five provinces of the country have been covered by ECWs projects during the year 2012. Nine trainings on basic report-writing, basic management, basic communication, leadership, planning, dispute resolution, CV writing and Interview were conducted for 18 internees including 9 males and 9 females in covered provinces by the project including Panjshir, Parwan and Kapisa within six months of the project Technical assistance in terms of writing project proposal, support in generating narrative reports, gender mainstreaming as well as technicalassistance in accounting and financial management has been provided for CSSCs and CSOs. ToTs trainings were conducted for trainers in terms of engagement and marriage, importance of marriage and birth registration, dowry (Mahr) maintenance, polygamy, wife and husbands relationship, and childs guardianship.

C. Projects Details 1. Gender Development Projects Title Projects Goal Projects Duration Covered Areas Donor Projects Aim: The projectWomens Access to Justice Model Community Program was an awareness-raising project focusing on womens rights and increasing their access to justice. This project was implemented in Kunduz province covering Kunduz Center, Ali Abad, Khan Abad, Imam Sahib and Qala-e-Zal districts. The project aim was increasing womens awareness about their rights organizing series of training sessions. Projects Achievements: Training of Trainers (TOT) trainings regarding relevant legal terms and topics such as engagement and marriage, importance of marriage and birth registration, dowry (Mahr) upholding, polygamy, wife and husbands relationship, childs guardianship. 9 Womens Access to Justice Model Community Program To improve access to justice for women in Kunduz province 25/11/2011-24/11/2012 Kunduz Center, Ali Abad, Khan Abad, Imam Sahib and Qala-e-Zal districts Asia Foundation

 Most of the trainings targeted housewives and unemployed women to raise their awareness on their legal rights. Throughout the project meetings among CDGs members were held to discuss challenges faced by women and find way to tackle them. Projects Beneficiaries: The total number of projects beneficiaries was up to 200 women. 2. Access to Justice Public Awareness-Raising on EVAW Law To advocate protection of womens rights and struggle on violence against women within Afghan Law. 01/06/2012-30/12/2012 Kunduz Center, Khan Abad and Imam sahib Districts Takhar Center, Gulfigan and Farkhar Districts Baghlans Center, Dushi and Baghlanha Districts National Endowment for Democracy (NED)

Projects Title Projects Goal Projects Duration Covered Areas Donor Projects Aim:

The Project Public Awareness-Raising on EVAW Law was implemented by ECW in Northeastern zone of Afghanistan covering Kunduz, Takhar, Baghlan provinces. The project aimedwas public awareness and enlightening peoples minds on EVAW Law, ending violence against women, supporting women victims and raising voices over the cases of violence against women. The project objective was also to establish an advocacy group to advocate for EVAW law implementation in Kunduz, Takhar and Baghlan provinces, organize training workshops and conduct awareness raising sessions. Projects Achievements: Nine trainings for 3 established Advocacy-groups members on communication, generalities of management and leadership to improve their leadership and communicative skills in the covered provinces by the project were conducted during the project period. 11 Advocacy-groups internal meetings were organized in the mentioned provined to discuss ways advocating for ending violence against women, raising awareness and asking for EVAW law implementation. 12 Advocacy-groups external meetings with governmental local offices in the mentioned provinces.

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348 public awareness sessions on EVAW Law in three provinces throughout the project.

Projects Beneficiaries: Number of the total beneficiaries of the project reaches to 7417 people out of which 3716 people are males and 3701 are females. 3. Investing in People Internship, Computer Trainings and Sport Programs for Youths To create employment opportunity and initiate peace campaign for youths by providing a component of capacity-building through internship, computer trainings and sport tournaments during one year time period of project 01/01/2012-31/12/2012 Parwan, Kapisa and Panjshir provinces USAID-RAMP UP East

Projects Title Projects Goal

Projects Duration Covered Areas Donor Projects Aim:

The project entitled as Internship, computer Trainings and Sport Programs for Youths was a capacity-development and recreational initiative. This was an attempt to improve employment opportunities through trainings on computer programs, internship and providing recreational and sport facilities for Afghan youths both males and females. The aim behind implementation of this project was improving youths skills and knowledge in computer programs and through providing internship opportunities as well as providing a recreational space through conduction of numerous sports tournaments in three provinces including Parwan, Kapisa and Panjshir provinces. Projects Achievements: Nine trainings on basic report-writing, basic management, basic communication, leadership, planning, dispute resolution, CV writing and Interview were conducted for 18 internees including 9 males and 9 females in covered provinces by the project including Panjshir, Parwan and Kapisa within six months of the project Five computer training courses were conducted for 120 youths including 60 males and 60 females surrounding Windows, MS Word, MS Excel, MS, PowerPoint, MS Access within six months of the project in the covered provinces stated as above. 14 sports tournaments were conducted for 1176 youths in three covered provinces of the project. 11

Good relationships were established with line departments in three provinces covered by the project Number of qualified workforce has increased in covered provinces through implementation of this project. Projects internship and computer trainings beneficiaries will be hired by governmental and non-governmental administrations as qualified workforce of the market in three covered provinces by the project who will economically help their families as active members of their households. Covered youths by the project tournaments in three provinces were Number of qualified female workforce was increased in the labor market of three provinces covered by the project

Projects Beneficiaries: The total number of the beneficiaries of this project reached to 1314 youths in three covered provinces by the project out of which 69 were females. 4. Good Governance Civic Education through Regional Radio and Theater performance To use radio programming in order to provide messaging and information on civic education issues in particular the duties of government and rights of citizens. May/2012-June/2014 Kunduz City, Imam Sahib, Khan Abad and Ali Abad Districts Afghan Education Program (AEP)

Projects Title Projects Goal

Projects Duration Covered Areas Donor Projects Aim:

The project Civic Education through Regional Radio and Theater Performance is a civic education project. This project aims at peoples awareness raisingregarding good governance, civic rights, civic educations, rights of citizens and the role of the government. The areas which are covered by the project are consisted in; Kunduz City, Ali Abad, Khan Abad and Imam Sahib districts. Accomplished Tasks: Approximately 12 listening sessions were conducted for the projects beneficiaries within this phase of the project, out of which 4 listening sessions were conducted for males and 8 for females. Projects Beneficiaries:

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Totally, 80 people were benefitted from this phase of the project, out of which 40 were males and 40 were females. 5. Organizational Development Institutional Support Grant To Enable Afghan Citizens to more effectively participate in the political process, solve community problems, and demand good governance from their leaders. 01/10/2011-30/09/2012 Kunduz, Takhar, Baghlan and Badakshan Counterpart International

Projects Title Projects Goal Projects Duration Covered Areas Donor Projects Aims:

The Institutional Support Grant was a capacity-building project implemented in north zone of the country covering Kunduz, Takhar, Baghlan and Badakshan provincesaimedonECW capacity-building as well as CSSCs and CSOs partners considering their needs and requirements. Through this project ECW has launched a series of trainings and provided technical assistance as well as built networking among the partners and stakeholders for the purpose of developing skills and capacities of both ECW and the partner CSSCs and CSOs. Projects Achievements: Provision of technical assistance in terms of writing project proposal, support in generating narrative reports, gender mainstreaming as well as technical assistance in accounting and financial management has been provided for CSSCs and CSOs through this project. Capacity of CSSCs and CSOs were built by the project implementation through conducting series of training workshops in terms of budgetary process, citizen report card and social audits, civil society and community, need assessment of community, role and functions of gender focal-point, M&E, gender awareness and mainstreaming and so on. Through implementation of this project, number of targeted CSOs reached to 20 Civil Society organizations. Community was mobilized through conduction of dialogue sessions with the aim of engaging people in community problems identification, prioritization and policy reform. Functionality of Resource Center was strengthened for provision of better services for client CSO

Projects Beneficiaries: 13

ECW staff ECWs targeted CSSCs in Takhar and Badakshan provinces ECWs targeted CSOs in Kunduz province Community people including both males and females in Khan Abad, Ali Abad and Imam Sahib Districts for dialogue sessions.

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V. Advocacy and Coordination

ECW has also been very active in working together with other civil society organizations and partners for improving coordination and networking. As one of the active members of Afghan Womens Network, the only largest civil society organization focusing on womens empowerment in Afghanistan, ECW has organized number of consultations and advocacy meetings on behalf of AWN in the Northeast zone. A. Consultation for International Conference on Afghanistan in Tokyo In 2012, on the occasion of International Conference on Afghanistan in Tokyo, Japan, ECW organized one-day consultation with 60 women from 8 provinces in Kunduz province. The purpose of this consultation was to share the first draft of AWNs position paper for the Tokyo conference, update them on the process and seek them to share their concrete recommendations to finalize the position paper. B. AWN Quick Response ECW Kunduz office has also support AWN in terms of provision of facilities for AWNs staff member/ focal point that work on the Quick Response Initiative Project. This project focuses on the ways to support women victims of violence. ECW as an active member of AWN also provides information to the focal point as and when possible. C. CEDAW Shadow Report ECW has also assisted AWN in terms of data gathering, research and consultation to review the first draft of CEDAW Shadow Report prepared by AWN. For this activity ECW interviewed many people from different organization in the Northeast zone to find the gaps and challenges towards implementation of CEDAW in Afghanistan. ECW also organized one-day consultation meeting with women from around 8 provinces to present the first draft of CEDAW Shadow Report and get further feed back and suggestions from women leaders. The finding of the research as well as consultation is integrated in the second draft of CEDAW Shadow Report.

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VI. Next Steps

ECW has planned number of key initiatives and activities for the year 2013. The purpose of these activities are to further improve the work machine in ECW internally, find better ways to implement the organizations Strategic Plan 2013-2015 and to use right based approach advocacy, awareness raising and capacity building tools work towards its vision Empowering Women. Some of the activities, ECW would be focusing in the year 2013 are as follows: ECW Organizational Development i. ii. iii. iv. v. Revising ECWs Communication Strategy/ Policy to increase the sharing of information and public outreach Revising ECWs Website Opening ECWs Facebook Page and Twitter Revising ECWs logo etc Staff Capacity Building

As per ECWs Strategic Goals: vi. Working towards designing programs as per strategic goals vii. Womens economical empowerment viii. Civic education ix. Media awareness, x. CSOs Capacity development xi. Access to Justice and Rule of Law xii. Peace Building

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VII. Audit Report 2012

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VIII. ECW staff & BoDs

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IX. Acknowledgment

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