Advocacy:
LSO is committed to advocate for key issues related to gender, women rights in order to end violence/discrimination against women and girls in Afghanistan. LSO advocacy initiative is to build advocacy capability of youth and CSOs networks at grassroots level, training them to develop and conduct advocacy activities, upholding women rights and better implementation of legislative support including EVAW Law to increase women and girls affected violence access to justice.
To date, LSO conducted a two day training to enhance advocacy skills among 576 youth (333 male and 243 female) as well as raising awareness on women rights and gender equality. Of the trained beneficiaries, LSO established 4 VAW advocacy committees which formed of 24 members in Daikundi Province. The advocacy committee consists of the head, deputy and members responsible to advocate women and girls who are at risk/ survivor of violence and refer their cases to WPC as well as conduct public outreach on women rights and gender.
So far, the advocacy committees advocated and resolved 72 cases of VAW and conducted 32 public awareness sessions on women rights in four target districts. Out of 72 cases, the advocacy committee referred 1 case to LSO WPC and 71 cases handled by the committee at their hometown. You can check at success story 3, please also see a brief story of one of LSO client as below:
Success story:
A Victim of Violence from Shahristan District, Daikundi Province-Brief Story
Gul Chaman, a 20 year old woman was lacerated by her husband on nose in the basement of her house on Sep, 14, 2014. She was from Shahristan District, Daikundi province of Afghanistan. LSO in consultation with DoWA and AIHRC saved her and provided her with legal assistance and justice, and took her to provincial hospital (PH).
LSO organization also seeks to advocate about development projects which is the primary necessity for people who are marginalized and live in rural areas under coverage. Through advocacy events in Yakawlang and Panjab districts of Bamyan Province since 2019 to 2020, LSO could proceed the necessary development issues of targeted CDCs of mentioned districts in district, provincial and ministry level successfully, with promising process in near future. The advocacy procedure report is as below:
- Advocacy for construction of Qala-e-Safid bridge in Panjab district
According to Survey of LSO organization findings, problems noted as below made it compulsory to construct the Qala-e-Safed Bridge for the Tagab Barg residents:
- There are 5,000 people who are regularly crossing this place,
- During the rainy season and floods, this area gets block for commuting of residents,
- The centers like clinics, Madrasas, and schools are the places that people need to cross this bridge to reach,
- There are still casualties and financial losses due to the lack of cooperation of the government in relation to the construction of this bridge over the people of these areas.
The advocacy;
On December, 2019 a series of advocacy event was conducted about construction of the Qala-e-Safed Bridge that more than 100 people were attended from councils and governmental departments, a proposal was prepared and sealed by the respected participants and was given to the honorable governor of district.
But unfortunately the district governor made false promises and no action has been taken upon since the day of the advocacy; so LSO organization and the council members as selected group had decided to proceed the issue through a new proposal which was prepared and signed by council.
Through a written letter, one member from LSO organization with five members of the selected councils processed the request in provincial sector department of Bamyan, the issue was addressed to Department of Rural Rehabilitation and Development of Bamyan, and according to urgent needs of people for construction of the bridge, the DRRD office of Bamyan province sent the proposal to the ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development in Kabul.
To proceed the proposal in Kabul, the CDCs representatives along with one member of LSO organization conducted meetings with the parliamentarians members to nominate the proposal into year 1400(HS), as the result the minister of MRRD sent the order of inclusion of constructing the Qala-e-Safed bridge of Tagab Barg to the department of Rural Road Constructions through a signed and official document. (Images are available in gallery)
- Advocacy for Drinking water and Telecommunication Antenna in Yakawlang district
LSO and four Seya-Dara CDCs representatives from Yakawlang district, proceed both proposals which was issued through an official approved letter by governor to the provincial department. Sharing the challenges and problems of mentioned district, the honorable governor of Bamayan province (Mr. Rahmati) approved the issues as compulsory needs of Siah Dara, referring the existing problems to the provincial sector services department, he guided the related department to proceed the proposal through an official letter in DRRD & Telecommunication and Technology Department.
In addition to that, Checking the needs and proposals, the head of the Rural Rehabilitation & Development Department said that in 1400(HS), he will consider the establishment of drinking water source as part of coming year’s work plan but also he suggested that for 100% confirmation the advocacy team must collect MRRD from Kabul regarding the budgeting of the project. Fortunately, with the help of a parliamentarian member the advocacy team could receive the budgeting order from ministry of RRD and will proceed the proposals for upcoming year.
LSO also advocates to improve government accountability and transparency and eliminate corruption in public services delivery. LSO is a led advocacy group affiliated with civil society network aims to conduct joint monitoring and advocacy initiatives from process of government services delivery to community. The projects and initiatives implemented to contribute to this goal is as below:
- Promote Government Accountability and Transparency and Elimination of Corruption.
Labor Spring Organization works with civil society activist and youth to promote government accountability and transparency and fight corruption. With this goal in mind, LSO established a civil society watchdog to oversee public services delivery and judicial system. For this network, LSO provided training, advocacy meetings and radio round tables on corruptions, and its negative effects and method of fighting it. The direct beneficiaries were about 700 participants from civil society activists and youth. As they showed interests on fighting corruption and promoting government accountability and transparency, they said that eradication of this phenomenon is the key to improve economy and assure transparency in public services delivery.
This project funded by Counterpart International, partner of USAID in Shahristan, Nili and Meramoor Districts of Daikundi province for the period of 7 months (July 1st, 2015- Jan 31st, 2016).
- Engaging Civil Society for Improved and Accountable Local Service Delivery
The project aims to enhance government accountability and transparency from Sep, 1st, 2016- Dec, 31st, 2016. LSO conducted a 5 day training for 5 local CSOs on Public Planning, Budgeting, Monitoring and Advocacy. LSO and 4 CSOs developed advocacy plan and met with Daikundi governor office, district governor office, and municipality to discuss public services delivery and inform them for oversight and monitoring the services.
