WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
Labor Spring Organization (LSO) sincerely appreciates UN Women’s generous funding commitment, which plays a pivotal role in advancing comprehensive, high-quality services for survivors of violence against women and girls. This invaluable support enables the provision of essential health services, access to quality education, and specialized skills development programs, all of which are crucial for empowering survivors, fostering their economic independence, and ensuring their long-term well-being. LSO remains dedicated to working collaboratively with UN Women and other stakeholders to strengthen sustainable support systems and enhance the resilience of those affected by gender-based violence.
EWAV: LSO has implemented a number of projects in gender equality and women empowerment in Afghanistan with more than USD 1.7 million since 2010. The projects included 1) operating Women Protection Center (WPC) in Bamyan and Daikundi provinces, 2) promote advocacy skills and capacity of Musharikat coalition, 3) Engage youth in elimination of violence against women and 4) handicraft (embroidery) training for widowed women. The purpose of this project was to expand access of VAW Survivors and those who were at risk of violence to life saving and appropriate legal, health and social services as per the WPC Regulation. Key results as result of intervention during project period are:
- Resolved and reintegrated more than 1,000 cases of violence against women and 155 accompanying children back to their communities/families through comprehensive legal aid, socio-counseling and mediation and other appropriate services as per regulation,
- Raised awareness of more than 10,000 individuals (6,500 female & 3500 male) through public awareness programs on women rights, gender equality, EVAW law and human rights,
- LSO’s advocacy resulted in stopping child marriage in a very remote part of Daikundi province where underage marriage was practiced in the past immensely,
- Supported implementation of WPC monthly coordination committee meetings with representation from 13 government and non-government partners including court, prosecutor office, police office, health, labor and social affairs, education, justice, Hajj and Religious Affair, AIHCR and AIBA.
Contributed in prevention of violence against women (VAW) through community outreach, LSO reached and enhanced awareness of more than 10,000 individuals (5870 female & 4130 male) through public awareness programs on women rights, gender equality, EVAW law and human rights; of individuals benefitted, 60 percent of them have indicated their support with concept of WPC and women rights.
WPC Services
- Accommodation: an appropriate living environment for the clients and possibly for the children who may accompany the client.
- Necessities of Life: Provision of appropriate food and drink, cleaning and hygiene supplies, dignity kit including feminine products, heating and other necessities.
- Literacy and Numeracy Classes: All clients or beneficiaries were provided literacy/numeracy classes of different levels, and as appropriate, enrolled into schools.
- Provision of library and sport/exercise facilities
- Awareness raising sessions: The clients or beneficiaries received sessions for basic health care, childcare, women’s rights, and law.
- Social work services: to cover the three shifts of services in WPCs. This was to secure reintegration options through mediation and family counselling.
- Legal assistance: Through a legal advisor with registered license from Ministry of Justice and Afghanistan Independent Bar Association, provided clients, legal aid and advice, and followed up legal cases. Defense lawyers and social workers provided legal assistance through counselling, accompanied the clients to court or used family mediation to solve their cases as per the wishes of the client and by keeping in mind the best interests of the client.
- Psycho-social counselling: Conducted weekly group sessions and daily individual sessions. Beneficiaries with critical psychological disorders were hospitalized for further care.
- Health care: did the daily check-up of the beneficiaries. Seriously ill patients were taken to the nearest health facility for proper treatment and medication.
- Vocational Training: Different vocational trainings were held for the beneficiaries to have some potential income generating skills to become self-reliant once they left WPCs. These vocational trainings were collaborated with the Livelihood resource centres, and other livelihood opportunities existing in the area. Other miscellaneous vocational trainings were organized within the WPCs to assist women with financial independence.
- Recording and Follow-up of the cases: Every client with its official letter from Gov.authorities entered the WPCs and their cases were registered in WPCs. Cases were registered within 24 hours with MoWA. The social worker followed up cases once clients left the WPC for reintegration into their families or living independently.
- Transportation Services: Vehicles transport residents and personnel such as pick and drop to/from MoWA, courts, attorney’s office, and hospital.
REALISE: Under Resilient Agriculture and Livelihoods Initiative for Socio-economic Empowerment (REALISE), LSO has been striving to build on the results of project, through supporting targeted group of households across 35 villages in Panjab and Yakawlang districts of Bamyan province since Jan, 2019. The project overall objective has been to develop the resilience of the 35 rural communities, participate meaningfully to increase their resilience to shocks and seasonal constraints to their food and livelihood security. The project efforts have attempted to contribute to women’s economic empowerment, and the gender balance in line with REALISE, including increasing women’s mobility, confidence, skills, ownership of assets, and vocational skills as well as supporting women’s leadership in improving family nutrition and incomes. The project was implemented in Bamyan province by LSO with funding from Action Aid Afghanistan from January 2019 to June, 2021. The project’s aimed to increase residents’ resilience to shock and seasonal constraints for their food and livelihood security. To reach this end the project supported 6599 (2849 male & 3750 female) across 35 villages in Yakawlang and Panjab districts in the form of beekeeping, para-vets, demo-farms, seed production, vocational training, value chain development and capacity building training. With aim to women empowerment this project resulted in:
- The women roles (35 Self Help Groups & 35 Reflect Circles) in social affair and community development have been accepted and recognized by target communities in 35 villages; as result, the women groups successfully managed awareness sessions on women rights, child rights and disability inclusion in their communities. The Self Help Groups (SHG) established a loan system collecting the money for an investment in their localities in condition of return after a specific period.
- 53 Women Headed Association (Potato growing association and beekeeping association) supported and improved a capacity to produce a significant portion of their family food, nutrition needs and market needs.
- Two associations have been supported and strengthened their capacity on potato and honey value chains. The licence of potato association has been renewed and obtained from ministry of justice. They have worked further on production and marketing, developed their business plans and strategies.
- Groups of farmers (Food Security Networks, FSNs), women (Self Help Group, SHG and Reflect Circles, RCs) have built on their capacity in multiple domains (example awareness of rights and women’s leaderships) so that they can engage more strongly in decisions, planning and policy making at community, district and other levels.
Project Impacts
The Honey Association by constructing of 1 building (3 rooms) for association office activities and market linkage purpose was established in 2019 with financial and technical support of Action Aid Afghanistan through REALISE project in Panjab district of Bamyan province. The Honey Association is a community based organization managed by a group of rural women’s honey producer (52 members) in suburb area of Panjab district of Bamyan province. Since then, LSO has been working to build capacity of the association around institutional capacity building, human resource capacity building, beekeeping value chain, business development and trainings (beekeeping, feeding, disease, process and marketing). During activity phase, the licence of potato association has been renewed and obtained from ministry of justice.
52 Bee hive boxes distributed to all members where during the process 3 boxed added per year which is now equal to 10 boxes. Each box produces 20 KG honey, which annually sums up to 200 KG honey product from each member of association. The sustainability of this project helped Honey Association members to receive an estimated amount of 160,000 Afghani from market sell annually, (each female member).
Vocational Trainings: The project established and equipped 1 tailoring training center in 2 CDCs of Yakawlang and Panjab districts of Bamyan province for duration of seven months each in 2019 – 2020. The project aim was to build capacity of vulnerable women and build capacity of local CDCs to manage the training centers for a durable income source in their respective communities. The project built capacity of 56 females through a seven month tailoring course and LSO provided sewing machines and tool kits to trainees to stay sustained on their own and live with dignity. By the time of receiving the tools, women started to earn money themselves and enabled them to generate income through their businesses locally in shops and houses. Earning 500 – 1000 Afg per cloth, assisted the female trainees to provide their house’s primary needs which is a huge and helpful financial source and income sustainability for those who already lost their jobs due to current banns.
Backyard Gardening:The Home Gardening Project successfully targeted and empowered a total of 350 disadvantaged women from selected REA areas, equipping them with essential knowledge, high-quality backyard gardening seeds, and comprehensive toolkits. Through a structured training program, these women enhanced their technical capacity in cultivation techniques, seedling management, and sustainable agricultural practices, enabling them to efficiently raise and maintain a variety of vegetable crops in their home gardens. As a direct result of this intervention, the participating women have successfully cultivated and continue to cultivate ten different types of nutrient-rich vegetables, significantly improving household food security. The produce obtained from these gardens not only fulfills the nutritional needs of their families and enhancing children’s dietary intake but also provides a modest yet reliable source of primary income through surplus sales in local markets. Furthermore, this initiative has played a crucial role in addressing micronutrient deficiencies and combating by ensuring a steady supply of fresh, diverse, and organic vegetables. The project’s impact extends beyond individual households, fostering resilience, economic empowerment, and sustainable food production.