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By Meera Thoompail and Jake Tacchi

"The doctors wanted to discharge me...I begged them to keep me in longer."

These are the words of Faridon, a 40-year-old man from Afghanistan's Baghlan Province, who was held in a hospital for mental health issues for just over one week. But Faridon's desperation to receive help is indicative of a much wider problem in Afghanistan. There is a psychological epidemic plaguing the Afghani people, and it is fast becoming increasingly apparent that it is largely a result of forty years of uninterrupted war there.

Afghanistan continually ranks among the most dangerous places in the world to be a civilian, with casualties caused by explosive violence rising from 4,268 in 2018 to 4,630 in 2019. 2020 so far has been no different. Afghanistan was the country worst impacted by explosive weapons in August 2020, with 353 civilian casualties recorded by AOAV. And although peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban commenced last month, explosive violence in the country shows no sign of abating.

The impact of this violence on the population's mental health is becoming shockingly clear. There has been a surge in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other psychological conditions linked to armed conflict throughout the country, with the International Psychosocial Organisation (IPSO) estimating that 70% of Afghanistan's 37 million people are in need of psychological support. Afghanistan has been called a 'trauma state'; according to this theory, trauma caused by war fuels more war, in turn causing more trauma--and the cycle continues.

One study, conducted following the Soviet occupation and subsequent years of violence in Afghanistan, found that the most common trauma events experienced by nondisabled respondents triggering the onset of mental health problems included shelling or rocket attacks (40.8%), and bombardments by Coalition forces (34.9%). This study revealed that out of the 699 nondisabled respondents in the survey, 67.7% had symptoms of depression, 72.2% had symptoms of anxiety, and 42% suffered from PTSD.

This brief report by AOAV seeks to sheds light on the scale of mental health impacts triggered by armed violence in Afghanistan. It examines how the nation is currently handling this widespread issue with regards to its healthcare resources and social contexts as well as the consequences this issue has on some of the nation's most vulnerable groups.

**Lack of medical infrastructure and social awareness **There is a significant lack throughout Afghanistan's medical infrastructure in terms of psychological support. The World Health Organisation estimates that per 100,000 people in Afghanistan there are only 0.23 and 0.30 psychiatrists and psychologists, respectively. The 2019-2023 National Mental Health Strategy concluded that less than 10% of the population is getting the medical services necessary to treat their psychological disorders.

Jonathan Pedneault, conflict and crisis researcher at Human Rights Watch, has argued that "there is an urgent need for expanded psychosocial services to support Afghans exposed to violence, suicide bombings, and airstrikes, and prevent the long-term effects that can be debilitating to survivors, families, and entire communities."

The result of this shortage of resources and infrastructure is that Afghanis either don't seek the help they need, or they are simply sent home with a prescription for psychotropic drugs. This is done in order to keep the 320 hospital beds available for mental health patients free for the most serious cases. In addition, a lack of mental health literacy among the population at large helps fuel the use of psychologically harmful illicit drugs in a country with the highest number of opiate users in the world.

The stigma associated with mental health in Afghanistan has reportedly prevented many Afghanis from seeking medical help for psychological issues. Common pseudo-therapies include being chained inside religious shrines for extended periods of time in the hope that divine intervention will cure conditions. Clearly, this method of treatment endangers exacerbating psychological conditions and reinforcing the stigma associated with mental health issues.

The impact on childrenChildren are disproportionately affected by explosive devices, particularly in terms of psychological effects. According to a study by the United Nations, in 2017, 81% of casualties arising from the explosive remnants of war were children. Injuries caused by blasts and bullets resulted in the most common form of trauma for children in Afghanistan, with the effects leaving a lasting impact on their livelihoods.

Children who have been exposed to armed violence are more likely to experience depression, night terrors, difficulty concentrating, aggressive behaviour, muteness and even sleepwalking. A 2019 report by Save the Children in Afghanistan showed that 73% of parents interviewed stated that their children experienced fearfulness and anxiety as a result of conflict and 38% reported that their children self-harm.

The impact on women

Alongside children, women are also at a higher risk of experiencing mental health issues stemming from conflict. One study found that one in five women out of 1,463 in the trial had been exposed to a traumatic event by witnessing an armed attack. These women were found to be more likely to develop depressive and PTSD symptoms.

The trauma experienced by women in conflict is exacerbated further by intimate partner violence (IPV) that occurs in domestic settings. IPV has been shown to increase in conflict and post-conflict periods, with domestic violence against women often arising out of the trauma suffered by men. According to the same study, women who experience both war trauma and IPV are shown to be more likely to engage in domestic violence towards their own children, which consequently contributes to the low psychological wellbeing in children, creating a cycle of cross-generational mental health problems.

Women also face greater difficulty in accessing mental health services in Afghanistan, as a joint report from AOAV and Chatham House has shown. Often this is the result of cultural factors, where women are highly unlikely to accept treatment from male doctors. This creates particular problems in rural areas, where a lack of freedom of movement prevents women from travelling to districts where female practitioners are available. Furthermore, the country's patriarchal society often requires women to seek permission from a male family member to access health services.

Conclusion

This brief report highlights that the psychological impacts of armed violence are very evident in Afghanistan, a society experiencing the effects of decades of violence. As this report shows, conflict and explosive violence not only increase the prevalence of mental health conditions in a population but also serve to damage and destroy health infrastructure designed to treat such conditions. It is clear that efforts must be made to improve mental health services and awareness of these issues so as to treat victims effectively and tackle stigma.

The Afghan Ministry of Public Health's 'National Strategy for Mental Health' sets out ambitious targets to strengthen leadership and governance in mental health, as well as information systems, evidence and research. However, these efforts will not be sustainable if there is no end to violence and the use of explosive weapons in the country. The on-going talks between the government and the Taliban will prove crucial to the long-term mental and physical wellbeing of this country's civilian population.

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The impact of the conflict in Afghanistan on civilian mental health - Afghanistan - ReliefWeb

Afghanistan, a country reputed for following a highly conservative form of Islam, has recently opened a can of worms with the rising awareness on rampant child sex slavery practised by the warlords and influential men in the middle eastern country.

Baccha Bazi or Child play is a practice in which young (and often pre-pubescent) boys are made to dress like girls and dance erotically in front of middle-aged Afghan men (thus called dancing boys). The boys are referred to as baccha bareesh whereas the men are called Baccha Baz. Often, the victims are brought into the profession through human trafficking syndicates or by kidnapping.

The practise of Baccha Bazi is a result of deep rooted pedophilia present in the Afghan society.

The victims of this pedophile-flesh trade syndicate are often considered as outcasts by the society. The Daily Mail says that even if the victims wanted to marry, it had to be done in a discreet fashion due to the social stigma against the Baccha Bareesh. On the other hand, Afghan warlords who participate in the Baccha Baz tradition are often considered to be powerful and host such parties to show off their power and wealth. (www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3384027/amp/Women-children-boys-pleasure-secret-shame-Afghanistan-s-bacha-bazi-dancing-boys-dress-like-little-girls-make-skirts-abused-paedophiles.html)

Usually, the horror begins after the party ends, when the middle-aged guests of the warlord take the child to hotel rooms and mercilessly rape them.

Interestingly, homosexuality is believed to be a sin according to mainstream Islam. During the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan, participating in Baccha Bazi was a crime punishable by death. However, after the fall of the Islamic terror outfit, there has been an increase of Baccha Bazi in the country.

The Afghan warlords argue that Baccha Bazi is a loophole to the Islamic practises since they merely lust for the child and dont exactly love them, and are therefore not committing the Islamic sin of Homosexuality.

During the Afghanistan war, NATO forces were surprised to see middle-aged men going to parties with prepubescent boys hand-in-hand. However, they were asked to see the other way and not interfere in the local tradition.

The Daily Mail says that 2/5th of the Baccha Bareesh victims were between the ages 13 and 15. Several victims of the heinous act are said to have taken to drugs like heroin to cope with the repeated sexual abuse.

Once I grow up, I will be an owner and I will have my own boys, a then-17 year old Ahmad told Reuters in 2007.

The boys who were brought into the system usually carried the tradition forward by becoming masters and bringing another set of pre-pubescent boys into the tradition.

Until recently, when a law by the Afghanistan government banned Baccha Bazi, police officers also participated in the tradition and sat as audiences in the parties.

According to Dr. Sobhrang, who was then the woman commissioner of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission(AIHRC), the tradition puts victims under psychological trauma, who cannot cope and are forced into narcotics. Usually, a warlord has about 10 Baccha Bareeshs, who pass it on from one generation to the other.

The problem of Baccha Bazi still persists in Afghanistan, but the new laws introduced by the Afghanistan legislation aim to end this barbaric practice and free victims.

Continue reading here:
The dancing boys of Afghanistan: A report on the rising baccha bazi in the country - OpIndia

The web of those exposed by President Donald Trumps coronavirus diagnosis reads like a whos who of his peripatetic campaign: his campaign manager, the chair of the Republican National Committee, the leader of the House GOPs campaign arm, and several high-profile members of Congress.

Now, those officialsnot to mention countless supporters of the presidenthave either contracted COVID-19 or are at high risk for it after a week in which an infected Trump has criss-crossed the country. It also means a wide swath of the GOPs formal campaign apparatus could be sidelined a month before a pivotal election in which the party is losing ground in its efforts to hold onto the White House, keep the Senate, and recapture the House.

Last Friday, the president had a packed day on the campaign trail, with events in Miami, Atlanta, and Virginia, with a stop in between at his hotel in Washington for a roundtable with supporters. Somewhere along the way, Ronna McDaniel, the RNC chair, was with Trump. It was reported on Friday morning that she had contracted the coronavirus. An RNC spokesperson said that McDaniel had tested for COVID-19 after a member of her family had contracted the virus, and said shed been at home in Michigan since Saturday.

Over the weekend, Trump traveled to Pennsylvania for a rally, and held a White House event with many notable GOP officials to honor Judge Amy Coney Barrett, his nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) was in attendance; video taken of the event by a CNN reporter shows him hugging and greeting other attendees without wearing a mask. He announced Friday that hed tested positive for COVID-19.

Then, on Tuesday, much of the Trump campaign team, along with a top ally, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), traveled on Air Force One to Cleveland, where they shared a debate hall with Democratic nominee former Vice President Joe Biden and his staff, supporters, and family.

The day after, Trump traveled to Minnesota for a campaign rally, bringing along his top campaign aides as well as Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN), chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, on Air Force One. The president held a private fundraiser beforehand that attracted GOP Reps. Jim Hagedorn and Pete Stauber of Minnesota, as well as Jason Lewis, the GOP nominee in the U.S. Senate race, and a number of key donors and GOP officials in the state. Later, an evening rally outside the Twin Cities featured a speech from Trump that was half his normal length; aides reportedly sensed he was tired.

On Wednesday, Lara Trump, the presidents daughter-in-law, posted photos to social media showing herself mingling with various Trumpworld figures at a campaign event at Trumps hotel in Washington; she and others were not wearing masks. The day before, she had traveled to the debate in Cleveland on Air Force One with her family.

Many of those who work for Trump or accompanied him during his aggressive week of campaign travel announced on Friday their plans to get tested or that theyd already received a negative result.

But the unprecedented situation has complicated life for a much broader group of peopleincluding Barrett, who Senate Republicans are aiming to confirm to the court within a historically tight timeframe. After she and her family attended the Rose Garden event on Saturday, Barrett met with dozens of U.S. senators on Capitol Hill for closed-door meetingsincluding with Lee. Photos of their meeting show Lee and Barrett posing with and without face masks.

On Friday, White House spokesperson Judd Deere said that Barrett had tested negative for COVID-19, but said she was following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for social distancing and mask-wearing for those exposed. He did not mention if Barrett would be quarantining for 14 days from exposure to someone with the virusa practice that is, in fact, CDC guidance. Barrett had been scheduled to meet with more lawmakers in the coming days; its unclear if those plans will continue, though Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said on Friday morning that he did not see the brewing COVID outbreak as an obstacle to the speedy confirmation process theyve outlined for Barrett.

Beyond Barrett and the Senate, the House of Representatives has things to worry about, too. After traveling with Trump this week, several Republican lawmakers returned to Washington for multiple votes on the floor of the House. Emmer said on Friday morning that he was not exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms but had gotten a test that morning. Jordan, meanwhile, announced that hed gotten a test, but planned to work in isolation in his Capitol Hill office until he received a result. And Hagedorns office said he planned to continue his official dutiessuch as voting on the House flooruntil he gets a negative COVID-19 result back.

I think people are a bit rattled, a House GOP aide told The Daily Beast on Friday morning, as lawmakers headed again to the floor for votes. Things have been a little bit more back to normal the last two weeks, so I think this snaps everyone out of that complacency.

See more here:
Entire Top of the Republican Party Has Been Exposed to COVID - The Daily Beast

As US President Donald Trump and his fellow Republicans' behavior over the past four years has made abundantly clear, American democracy itself is on the line in this year's election. Without an overwhelming victory for Democrats at all levels, Republican minority rule will be locked in indefinitely.

NEW YORK Whereas Nero famously fiddled while Rome burned, US President Donald Trump has famously hit the links at his money-losing golf courses while California burns and as more than 200,000 Americans have died of COVID-19 for which he himself has now tested positive. Like Nero, Trump will undoubtedly be remembered as an exceptionally cruel, inhumane, and possibly mad political figure.

Until recently, most people around the world had been exposed to this American tragedy in small doses, through short clips of Trump spouting lies and nonsense on the evening news or social media. But in late September, tens of millions of people endured a 90-minute spectacle, billed as a presidential debate, in which Trump demonstrated unequivocally that he is not presidential and why so many people question his mental health.

To be sure, over the past four years, the world has watched this pathological liar set new records logging some 20,000 falsehoods or misleading statements as of mid-July, by the Washington Postscount. What kind of debate can there be when one of the two candidates has no credibility, and is not even there to debate?

When asked about the recent New York Times expos showing that he had paid just $750 in US federal income tax in 2016 and 2017 and nothing for many years before that Trump hesitated and then claimed without evidence that he had paid millions. He was clearly offering whatever answer he thought would move things along to a more comfortable topic, and there is no good reason why anyone should believe him.

Even more disturbing was his refusal to denounce white supremacists and violent extremist groups like the Proud Boys, whom he instructed to stand back and stand by. Combined with his refusal to commit to a peaceful transition of power and persistent efforts to delegitimize the voting process, Trumps behavior in the run-up to the election has increasingly posed a direct threat to American democracy.

When I was a child growing up in Gary, Indiana, we learned about the virtues of the US Constitution from the independent judiciary and the separation of powers to the importance of properly functioning checks and balances. Our forefathers appeared to have created a set of great institutions (though they were also guilty of hypocrisy in declaring that all people are created equal so long as they are not women or people of color). When I served as chief economist at the World Bank in the late 1990s, we would travel the world lecturing others about good governance and good institutions, and the United States was often held up as the exemplar of these concepts.

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Not anymore. Trump and his fellow Republicans have cast a shadow on the American project, reminding us just how fragile some might say flawed our institutions and constitutional order are. We are a country of laws, but it is the political norms that make the system work. Norms are flexible, but they are also fragile. George Washington, Americas first president, decided that he would serve only two terms, and that created a norm that would not be broken until the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt. After that, a constitutional amendment codified the two-term limit.

Over the past four years, Trump and his fellow Republicans have taken norm-shattering to a new level, disgracing themselves and undermining the institutions they are supposed to defend. As a candidate in 2016, Trump refused to release his tax returns. And while in office, he has fired inspectors general for doing their jobs, repeatedly ignored conflicts of interest and profited from his office, undermined independent scientists and critical agencies, attempted outright voter suppression, and extorted foreign governments in an effort to defame his political opponents.

For good reason, we Americans are now wondering if our democracy can survive. One of the greatest worries of the founders, after all, was that a demagogue might emerge and destroy the system from within. That is partly why they settled on a structure of indirect representative democracy, with the Electoral College and a system of what were supposed to be robust checks and balances. But after 233 years, that institutional structure is no longer robust enough. The GOP, particularly its representatives in the Senate, has failed utterly in its responsibility to check a dangerous and erratic executive as he openly wages war on the US constitutional order and electoral process.

There is a daunting task ahead. In addition to addressing an out-of-control pandemic, rising inequality, and the climate crisis, there is also an urgent need to rescue American democracy. With Republicans having long since neglected their oaths of office, democratic norms will have to be replaced with laws. But this will not be easy. When they are observed, norms are often preferable to laws, because they can be more easily adapted to future circumstances. Especially in Americas litigious society, there will always be those willing to circumvent laws by honoring their letter while violating their spirit.

But when one side no longer plays by the rules, stronger guardrails must be introduced. The good news is that we already have a roadmap. The For the People Act of 2019, which was adopted by the US House of Representatives early last year, set out an agenda to expand voting rights, limit partisan gerrymandering, strengthen ethics rules, and limit the influence of private donor money in politics. The bad news is that Republicans know they are increasingly in the minority on most of the critical issues in todays politics. Americans want stronger gun control, a higher minimum wage, sensible environmental and financial regulations, affordable health insurance, expanded funding for preschool education, improved access to college, and greater limitations on money in politics.

The clearly expressed will of the majority puts the GOP in an impossible position: The party cannot simultaneously pursue its unpopular agenda and also endorse honest, transparent, democratic governance. That is why it is now openly waging war on American democracy, doubling down on efforts to disenfranchise voters, politicize the judiciary and the federal bureaucracy, and lock in minority rule permanently through tactics like partisan gerrymandering.

Since the GOP has already made its deal with the devil, there is no reason to expect its members to support any effort to renew and protect American democracy. The only option left for Americans is to deliver an overwhelming victory for Democrats at all levels in next months election. Americas democracy hangs in the balance. If it falls, democracys enemies around the world will win.

The rest is here:
The Republican Threat to the Republic by Joseph E. Stiglitz - Project Syndicate

The Senate Leadership Fund, a Republican super PAC, plans to spend $10 million in South Carolina, hoping to boost Sen. Lindsey Graham's re-election campaign as the race has tightened considerably, McClatchy reports.

Why it matters: The campaign has become unexpectedly competitive, with Graham's Democratic opponent, Jaime Harrison, having a massive financial advantage. Harrison was once thought to be a long shot against Graham in the typically Republican state, but the two are now tied 48%-48% according to a recent Quinnipiac poll.

The state of play: Harrison's fundraising has surged through small-dollar online donations, and now a Democratic super PAC is dropping an additional $6.5 million. "Harrisons campaign had reserved more than $15 million in ads in October and November, according to a GOP source tracking the ad data, compared with just over $6 million in reservations for Graham and his Republican allies," per McClatchy.

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GOP super PAC will spend $10 million to help Lindsey Graham in South Carolina - Axios