Past_Newsletter
The London Conference & A New Compact
.gif) In January of this year, an important donor conference was held in London as a follow-on to the previous ones held in Bonn (2001), Tokyo (2002), and Berlin (2004). As Afghanistan had once again slipped beneath most media radars, the conference was an opportunity for the international community (particularly donating members of that community) to assess its involvement and future responsibilities.
Afghanistan itself is contributing to this dialogue with what is known as The Afghanistan Compact, a plan worked out for the nation’s economic and social reconstruction over the next 5 years.
According to a piece written by Dr. Roashan titled “the Compact is a Contract with a Conscience,” this “...plan was overdue by at least two years...It was therefore apparent that the world needed the reassurance that the nation building reconstruction and success in war on terror needed established goals based on a time frame. The Compact therefore, was a necessity.”
The Compact addresses multiple development and reconstruction sectors which includes education, health, infrastructure, and judicial reform. The estimated financial resources need to fulfill The Compact’s 5-year plan stood at $20 billion. However, commitments at the London conference totaled at $10.5 billion; while a portion of that amount was old commitments . It is clear that The Compact is a right step, but it is also clear that there is still much work to be done well into the future. Stability in Afghanistan does not only affect its own citizens, but rather the global community would benefit as the country continues its march toward rehabilitation.
Environmental legislation in afghanistan
Excerpt from: Press Release - United Nations Environment Programme
Jan. 3 2006
.gif) Kabul – Laws aimed at protecting the natural resources and environment of Afghanistan have been developed by the Government with assistance from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
The Framework Legislation is believed to be the first legislation in Afghanistan designed to conserve and protect the country’s wildlife, waterways and forests up to the air and soil.
Klaus Toepfer, UNEP’s Executive Director, said “Without laws, environmental treaties and agreements are mere paper tigers.
So the Environment Act is the cornerstone for the development of an effective and integrated environmental management regime that secures environmentally sound sustainable development and use of natural resources, while still promoting economic and social well-being and development.".gif)
“If we are to help deliver a stable future for this country and for countries across the globe, the environment must be factored into rehabilitation and future planning. For the environment is not a luxury but the basis for economic development and livelihoods. Poverty cannot be defeated and prosperity realized without this pillar of sustainable development being b and viable,” he said. Studies indicate that over 80 per cent of Afghanistan’s population relies directly on the natural resource base to meet its daily needs.
The development of this important legislation is one component of a three year programme for capacity building and institutional development for environmental management, which was initiated at the request of the government of Afghanistan, in October 2003. It is being implemented by UNEP’s Post Conflict Branch and funded by the European Commission, the Government of Finland and the Global Environment Facility.
HTAC Teacher Training - A Brief Glimpse
Our teacher training program occupies a central position in our educational intervention strategy in Afghanistan. We believe that in order to establish a healthy, vibrant and successful educational system in Afghanistan we must have caring and competent teachers in every classroom.
Currently, 90 percent of teachers in Afghanistan have not received any teacher preparation. In fact, 60 percent of teachers do not have a high school diploma. Our teacher training program is a multi-method 2 year professional development program for primary and secondary teachers in Afghanistan. To ensure that the teachers master 11 critical competencies essential for establishing productive and nurturing
learning environments we use a cascade model where knowledge is transferred from our core group of teacher educators to the school teachers through a multi-method approach, consisting of teacher training seminars, modeling, co-teaching, and coaching.
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