| Afghanistan 2012 |
| Appealing Agency | Afghanistan Center for Training and Development (ACTD) |
| Project Title | Prevention of gender-based violence (GBV) and provision of psychosocial support counseling |
| Project Code | AFG-12/P-HR-RL/45769 |
| Sector/Cluster | PROTECTION |
| Refugee Project | No |
| Objectives | The project objectives are to
• Reduce GBV incidences through awareness rising at the grassroots level, in Helmand and Uruzgan province by the end of 2012.
• Enhance the capacity of the healthcare providers at all levels of primary health care centers through training in GBV, psychosocial support in Helmand and Uruzgan Provinces by the end of 2012.
• Provide psychosocial counseling to 10,000 IDPs in Helmand |
| Beneficiaries | Total: 11,130 Total beneficiaries consist of women and girls in the two target areas of Hilmand and Uruzgan, male and female health workers, CDC and DDC members, CHWs heads of household (HOH), and community elders Female: 4,950 Other group: 6,180 CDC, DDC members, shura members, CHWs, HoHs midwives and community elders |
| Implementing Partners | N/A |
| Project Duration | Jan 2012 - Dec 2012 |
| Current Funds Requested | $252,450 |
| Location | Hilmand |
| Priority / Category | B. MEDIUM |
| Gender Marker Code | 2b - The principal purpose of the project is to advance gender equality |
| Subset of Appeal | |
| Contact Details | Abdurrahman Shahab, actd.hq@gmail.com, +93 799478615 |
| Enhanced Geographical Fields | | Southern - Uruzgan | | Southern - Hilmand |
|
| Cash Based Intervention | | Is any part of this project cash transfer programming (including vouchers)? | No | | Conditionality: | | | Restrictions: | | | Estimated percentage of project requirements to be used for cash/vouchers: | 0 |
|
Needs
Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a major social problem and is not going to go away. Although data available are neither complete nor accurate, definitive statistics are difficult, if not impossible, to find because VAWG is a crime that is believed to be grossly under-reported. It has been difficult to obtain a complete picture of VAWG in Afghanistan because it often remains hidden. There are many reasons why VAWG may remain hidden; because the abuser may manipulate, bribe, force or threaten the woman/girl to prevent them from telling anyone; women/girls may not be able to communicate what has happened to them, or they may fear they will not be believed; women/girls may fear that they will be removed from the home; they may feel ashamed and want to keep the violence (and related family problems) or suffer other consequences.
VAWG, especially in southwest provinces, is pervasive even in recent years: girls are prohibited from attending school; woman are wed without her consent/will; child marriage is a common issue and majority of marriages occurs at the age of 14 and below; marriages occur when a child is born; often killed by male members of their family, when women or girl violate the strict and stone-written principles of their tribe to restore family honor; domestic violence by husbands and in-laws, limited access of women to basic life needs such as utilization of health facilities even when they are pregnant or face other medical emergencies are factors that indicate different types of violence against women. For instance, based on a recent Public Opinion Research which was carried out by ACTD (under fund from Chemonics international) in August 2011, majority of male respondents were strict and harsh toward women. According to the responses, the vast majority (71.5%) of respondents said that they will not let the women to use market even if it would be an enclosed women-only market. Therefore, only few (10.1%) respondents said that they will let their women to use this market, while 18.4% of them did not respond to this question.
The other critical issue is that during the recent years of conflict most of people from these provinces are internally displaced from their villages which again had a negative impact on women and their children. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) confirmed that of the 3,800 families displaced from Nad Ali and Marjah districts during a major counterinsurgency operation in February 2010, about 900 (300 from Nad Ali and 600 from Marjah).
Despite government assurances about improved security and governance in Marjah and Nad Ali, IDPs believe insecurity was impeding their return. Anti-government insurgents harass and assassinate people who are deemed pro-government, launch hit-and-run attacks on Afghan and foreign troops and use improvised explosive devices which often inflict disproportionate harm on civilians.
The proposed project will contribute to reducing of VAWG incidents in Helmand and Uruzgan, with the highest level of VAWG. This project will envisage interventions to provide psychosocial counseling to survivors of violence, internally displaced people, build capacity of health service providers at different levels on GBV and psychosocial support, establish Survivor's Support Groups (SSGs) and community groups, and to spread awareness on the issue of VAWG for communities and the general public.
The beneficiaries are vulnerable, displaced and destitute women and girls of reproductive age in Helmand and Uruzgan provinces. The project will pay special attention to marginalized groups such as widowed, divorced, victims of violence and abandoned women.
Training of health workers on GBV and psychosocial support will enable the health workers to respond to GBV incidence, provide psychosocial support counseling and establish support groups as a next step.
Activities
The project comprises of these main activities
1. Focus Group Discussion to measure the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of front-line service providers in Helmand and Urozgan towards VAWG.
2. Provide psychosocial support counselling to 10,000 individuals internally displaced from their villages
3. Awareness–raising and education activities at community level on VAWG
4. Awareness raising through local media (TV, Radio and news papers)
5. Capacity building of healthcare providers on psychosocial support and VAWG with the aim to enable them to provide counseling and support to women/girls at risk of or experiencing violence against them.
6. Form Survivor's Support Groups (SSGs) and community groups that will intervene to prevent violence and to spread awareness on the issue of VAWG.
7. IEC/BCC materials will be developed, including posters and leaflet on VAWG, for different target groups
8. Coordination with district and provincial officials, community/religious leaders, members of community development Shura at districts and villages and civil society organisations for design, implementation and monitoring of project activities.
9. Community mobilisation at all stages of development programmes, which will increase population empowerment, as well as quality and sustainability of programmes. ACTD regards communities as a vital element in increasing success and sustainability, and improving quality of project achievements. Through community involvement, obstacles to access assistance (particularly for women) due to stigma can be overcome and psychosocial problem awareness improved.
10. National level advocacy with policy makers, the judiciary and local and national media.
Following is a summary of trainings activities and primary beneficiaries in Helmand province
• VAWG training of Shura members (women and men) in six districts (to 150 individuals).
• VAWG awareness workshop for Community Development Councils (CDC) in six districts (90 individuals)
• GBV awareness workshop for District Development Committee (DDC) in five districts (90 individuals)
• Psychosocial Training of doctors (male and female) in six districts (50 individuals)
• Psychosocial Training of midwives and nurses (male and female) in six districts (100 individuals)
• Psychosocial Training of CHW (male and female) in six districts (150 individuals)
• Awareness –raising campaigns at community level on GBV (500 individuals)
• Psychosocial support counseling to internally displaced people (10,000 individuals)
In all of these trainings and awareness activities, gender parity will be considered as will be providing equal opportunity for males and females. ACTD psychosocial and GBV/VAWG trainers will facilitate the trainings for 34 health facilities staff, develop massages appropriate to the community cultures and values; and will carry awareness campaigns at community level.
During the project, ACTD will establish a follow-up system for monitoring, support, feedback and supervision, as appropriate to the situation.
Outputs
1. The attitudinal change whereby health workers, districts authorities and community leaders (e.g. mullah, imams and traditional leaders) recognize the rights of women and girls and VAWG, and thereby change their behavior and practice in prevention, protections and response to GBV will be a key enduring legacy of the project.
2. The project will result in increased awareness of different stakeholders that VAWG is unacceptable, that women have the right to live without fear of violence or coercion and that the State has a responsibility to uphold these fundamental human rights.
3. Increased capacity of health workers in Helmand to identify women vulnerable to or experiencing violence, response and provide basic services including psychosocial support counseling.
4. Women and girls are empowered to advocate for their rights
5. Community members, Community Development Councils (CDC), and District Development committees are engaged to protect and uphold the women's rights and prevent GBV/VAWG at community level.
RPM Activities and Indicators
| Afghanistan Center for Training and Development (ACTD) |
| Original BUDGET items | $ |
| Staff and technical support | 62,400 |
| Training and workshops | 105,000 |
| Travel and transportation | 40,350 |
| Other Direct Cost (M&E, IEC/BCC material, stationary and FGD costs) | 28,700 |
| Administration cost | 16,000 |
| 0 |
| 0 |
|
| Total | 252,450 |
| Afghanistan Center for Training and Development(ACTD) |
| Current BUDGET items | $ |
| Staff and technical support | 62,400 |
| Training and workshops | 105,000 |
| Travel and transportation | 40,350 |
| Other Direct Cost (M&E, IEC/BCC material, stationary and FGD costs) | 28,700 |
| Administration cost | 16,000 |
| 0 |
| 0 |
|
| Total | 252,450 |
ACTIVITY DETAILS
NO