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September 16, 2020

By Sandy Feinzig

This weekthe Taliban and the Afghan government beganpeace talksin Qatar with the goal of shaping a power-sharing government to end decades of war. One issue at the heart of those talks is whether Afghanistan will hold on to the gains women have made in the past two decades. Another issue is the economy, decimated by the ongoing war, and a population 90 percent of whom live below the poverty line.

Against this daunting backdrop, Covid-19 in Afghanistan continues to have serious consequences for this struggling country. While just 37,676 cases have been officially reported in a population of approximately 37 million, international aid groups report that at least 80 percent of infections nationwide are likely going untested. The fragile healthcare system, the devastated economy, and the legacy of decades of conflict leave Afghanistan uniquely unprepared for a deadly pandemic, and a national lockdown in the initial months of the outbreak was quickly loosened when the economy went into free fall.

The economic consequences of the pandemic may be more severe than the public health crisis. The World Bank has projected an economic contraction of 5.5 to 7.4 percent in 2020, which could push the poverty rate as high as 72 percent by the end of the year and trigger a sharp decline in government revenues. Restricted imports, falling customs revenues, and the ripple effects on the manufacturing, construction, and service sectors are further stressing the brittle economy. Households that rely on daily labor for their livelihoods are among the most economically vulnerable. The World Bank has committed $380 million in support for Afghanistan, including food distribution programs, although desperate households might prefer cash subsidies to more flexibly meet their own needs.

For Afghan women and children, poverty, home confinement, lack of healthcare, and high levels of domestic violence are additional burdens. The incidence of violence has been on the rise as children have stayed home from school, and lost livelihoods and worsening poverty have exacerbated household tensions.

Unfortunately, women and girls have not had equal access to healthcare during this time of crisis. Afghanistans Ministry of Public Health reported in July that fewer than one-third of confirmed cases of Covid-19 were women, a perplexing figure that officials attribute to womens lack of access to healthcare in a deeply conservative society.

Afghan women and girls have continued during the pandemic to suffer from some of the worlds highest rates of gender-based violence, which affects a reported 87 percent of the female population, making Afghanistan one of the most dangerous countries for women and girls in the world.

Women who work outside the home have also faced disproportionate economic struggles. Confined to their houses at the beginning of the pandemic, many seeking to return to work are now finding that their jobs have disappeared in the ailing economy. Women entrepreneurs are also finding it difficult to reactivate their businesses in the face of the same obstacles as their male counterparts: lack of customers, closed borders, suspension of transportation, and lack of resources. Nearly half of the female-owned businesses in Balkh Province, which previously employed more than 2,000 women, were still shuttered weeks after coronavirus restrictions were lifted. Those that have reopened are operating at a fraction of their previous level, and many women have simply lost their livelihoods.

More research and data are needed. The Asia Foundation is now in the process of conducting a series of surveys, the Flash Surveys on Perceptions of Peace, the Economy, and Covid-19 in Afghanistan, which will make quarterly assessments of the rolling crisis and guide the humanitarian response. The Foundation will also be conducting a study on the effects of Covid-19 on vulnerable groups in Afghanistans border areas. Since the early 2000s, The Asia Foundation has conducted the annual Survey of the Afghan People, with in-person polling in all 34 provinces. The global health crisis has made that impossible this year, but the Flash Surveys will be stepping into the breach.

As we await the data, and the insights that will be gleaned from these surveys, there are some actions to take now, particularly for Afghan women. Afghanistan has been unable to effectively combat gender-based violence in the past, and the hardships and dislocations of the pandemic have made the situation of women and girls even more challenging. Civil society must mobilize to direct resources to women-led organizations, which have developed local networks and mechanisms to provide services such as womens support centers and shelters. Donors must connect with these civil society groups to address womens special needs and concerns. Stakeholders should identify what has been effective so far in helping women and girls during this crisis. The Asia Foundation has already identified several smaller, local organizations that have mobilized quickly and effectively to provide relief, and our implementing partners have identified others. This information should be shared with all stakeholders.

When supporting community-based interventions, international organizations must avoid approaches that may look great on paper but require technology or connectivity that are just not available, or that may run afoul of Afghan social norms.

Jails and prisons have been hotbeds of Covid-19 around the world, and many women and girls convicted of moral crimes continue to be imprisoned under deplorable conditions. Turning our backs on this population means giving tacit support to a system that perpetuates gender-based violence, and international organizations should work with legal-aid groups and the Afghanistan Independent Bar Association to petition the Presidents Office on their behalf. Efforts should be made to identify women who can safely be released, either to homes, halfway houses, or shelters.

There are some institutions, such as the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, headed by a woman, that can be effective partners to help mobilize civil society and coordinate with local government.

To move forward collaboratively, we must identify and empower more Afghan women who can lead the wayand they are out there! This global tragedy represents a singular opportunity for women to stand up and become agents of changeto be leaders as well as followers. Afghan women can rise to the occasion, but they must have the space and the place to do so, and the resources and support of the international development and humanitarian communities.

Sandy Feinzig is The Asia Foundations deputy country representative in Afghanistan. She can be reached at sandra.feinzig@asiafoundation.org. The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author, not those of The Asia Foundation.

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Afghanistan Flash Surveys to Glean Data on Perceptions of Women, Peace, the Economy, and Covid-19 - The Asia Foundation - In Asia

That said, the right question, now as always, is: Whats next?

As the need for U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan declines, they should be redeployed for other missions. Because America is a global power with global interests and responsibilities, there is plenty of other work on the to-do list. Moreover, the military has to train and prepare for future missions.

What is key is that the withdrawal of U.S. forces has to be based on real-world conditions, not managed by the calendar. The Trump administration has taken that approach. In both Iraq and Afghanistan, the United States has consulted with the host nations, which have agreed that the troop drawdowns make sense.

In neither case is the United States abandoning our friends or responsibilities. This is important in Afghanistan, where the United States has made clear to the Taliban that the future of American troop levels will be determined by progress in the talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government. The Taliban are dead wrong if they think the United States simply will forget the Afghan people and walk away.

Likewise, the United States has no interest in ceding ground in the Middle East to Iran. The United States will continue to partner with the Iraqi people to continue strengthening both their security and economy.

Indeed, the next steps for really advancing U.S. interests and regional peace in the Middle East and South Asia will not be focused on the size of U.S. forces in the regions.

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JAMES JAY CARAFANO: U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq and Afghanistan show progress in resolving endless wars - SCNow

Rashid Khan has made a name for himself due to his consistent performances in the shortest format of the game. He plays in almost every T20 league around the world and is one of the first names on the team sheet. Even in the Indian Premier League, Sunrisers Hyderabad shelled out big bucks for him and they havent been disappointed. He has always helped raise the profile of cricket in Afghanistan.

The nation now has a full-fledged cricket team that often challenges the top teams in the world. Rashid along with Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, and Gulbadin Naib have made the team a fighting outfit who regularly play in ICC tournaments.

Also read:Five penalty runs will stop teams from Mankading, says Muttiah Muralitharan

However, Rashid doesnt just want to play the ICC tournaments. He wants to win them for his country. Rashid believes Afghanistan has the talent and skills to achieve the feat and only needs regular cricket against top nations to get there.

I think the biggest achievement (for Afghanistan) should be, right now, what the team is looking for, what the country is expecting is, to win the T20 World Cup, Khan, the countrys biggest cricketer, said.

The leg-break bowler was speaking to Ravichandran Ashwin during the show, DRS with Ash, hosted by the India off-spinner.

We have all the skills, talent, and we just need to have that belief in ourselves that we can do it. Talent-wise we are so good, we have the spinners, we have the fast bowlers, we have the batting skills as well. But what took us down in that Test (against India) was our experience against big teams, because we didnt play enough cricket with them.

Afghanistan became part of the ICC 16 years ago, produced some fine wins in limited-overs cricket, and won two of the four-Test matches they have played so far. One of the Test wins came against a far more experienced Bangladesh team.

Also read:Five penalty runs will stop teams from Mankading, says Muttiah Muralitharan

A little more than two years ago, in their first-ever Test outing, India beat Afghanistan by an innings and 262 runs at the Chinnaswami Stadium in Bengaluru. Recalling their maiden Test match, the Afghanistan captain said,

The biggest dream of the whole country was to be called a Full Member team and to play a Test game.

When we were playing against you guys in our first Test game, we didnt know what we were doing. Everyone was just counting - Im going to be the first one to hit a four, the first one to hit a six, the first one to take a single. It wasnt the best game for us, but there were so many things we learned.

He said the country needs to play more against bigger teams to become better.

The moment we play more series with them, we can become a better team. We are very famous for T20 players, but inshallah, that is a dream of mine and a dream of the country that one day we will win the T20 title and that will be the biggest achievement for Afghanistan cricket and for us as well, Khan said.

(with PTI inputs)

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A dream of the country: Rashid Khan explains what will be Afghanistan Crickets biggest achieveme... - Hindustan Times

Mohammad Akbar, known as Afghanistans saffron father, died on September 14 at the age of 83 in his home province of Herat in the countrys west.

Akbar was one of the first Afghan farmers to pioneer the cultivation of saffron in the country and was later dubbed the saffron father by former Afghan President Hamid Karzai for his lifelong efforts in growing and promoting the aromatic spice extracted from flowers.

In March 2009, he received the medal of Wazir Mohammad Akbar Khan, Afghanistans highest governmental award, for his service and contribution to agriculture.

Akbar spent his life in Herats central Pashtun Zarghun district. He began cultivating saffron in 1993 in the Golmir area, where fertile soil, mild winters, and dry summers favored the crop.

His eldest son, Jalil Ahmad, says his father dedicated his entire life to farming. Ahmad tells Radio Free Afghanistan, My father spent nearly two decades in the cultivation and production of saffron. Sadly, he died of a stroke last night.

Akbar was known for encouraging farmers to plant saffron, a lucrative crop, as he anticipated its major role on the global market years later.

Saffron is the worlds most expensive spice, sometimes called red gold for its high value. On Western markets, it has the potential to sell up to $1,500 a kilogram. The spice is used in many ways including traditional medicines, food, tea, and infused in perfumes and toiletries.

Many farmers and business owners in Afghanistan see the benefits of investing in the versatile crop, an alternative to producing opium poppy, which is used to produce much of the worlds heroin.

The Kabul government and international aid organizations are supporting saffron production through financial assistance programs, and its production has been beneficial for Afghan women, who are the main harvesters of the flower.

The labor-intensive process of harvesting saffron begins in October and early November in Afghanistan. The provinces of Herat, Kandahar, Sar-e-Pol, and Balkh are home to some of the most saffron farmlands in the country.

Nilly Kohzad wrote this story based on Shapoor Sabers reporting from Herat, Afghanistan.

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Afghanistan Bids Farewell To Saffron Father - Gandhara

KABUL - The 2020 Afghanistan Conference scheduled for 23-24 November 2020 in Geneva is a milestone event in Afghanistans journey to peace, prosperity and self-reliance.

The quadrennial ministerial level pledging conference is jointly organized by the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the Government of Finland and the United Nations.

The aim of the conference is to renew international and Afghan commitments to the development and stability of Afghanistan, to agree to joint development goals for 2021-24 and to coordinate development cooperation regarding financial support for Afghanistan.

The conference takes place at a historic moment. The commencement of Afghanistan Peace Negotiations affords new opportunities for development. Strengthened partnership and sustained international support are pivotal as Afghanistan and the Afghan people take on the challenging task of building and sustaining peace after four decades of war and suffering.

Afghanistan is at a critical juncture. On peace, we have moved from desirability to feasibility and credibility due, largely, to the sacrifices made by the Afghan people and the unmatched confidence building measures taken by the Afghan government. When we look into the future, we must remain united in our vision and ambition to realize a progressive, prosperous, democratic, free and stable Afghanistan in peace with itself, its neighbors and the world. On development, while maintaining emphasis on high-level planning, the focus must shift to delivery and implementation. The Afghan government and its international development partners must work together on a vision for demonstrable reduction in poverty that is realistic and well-targeted. Investment in peace and development must provide sufficient guarantees for gender equity, protection of human rights, womens rights and the rights of minorities as well as democratic principles. The Republic is a true embodiment of Afghanistans diversity and must be strengthened. Corruption, which drains Afghanistans valuable resources and interrupts the process of realizing self-reliance, must be fought in all its forms, said Afghanistans Acting Minister of Finance, H.E. Abdul Hadi Arghandiwal.

For the first time in decades there is a real chance for peace. Finland stands firmly with other development partners in supporting Afghanistan and the Afghan people towards sustainable development, prosperity and a lasting peace. Inclusivity and women's meaningful participation at all stages of the peace process are vital for peace and development, states Pekka Haavisto, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland.

Progress since 2001 has improved the political, social and economic outlook in Afghanistan. Yet decisive efforts are required for Afghanistan to reach its potential as a stable, peaceful and self-reliant society during the last years of its Transformation Decade (2015-2024).

This is a critical moment for Afghanistan, as it embarks upon Afghanistan Peace Negotiations to end the decades-long conflict. I hope the international community uses this occasion in Geneva to reaffirm its steadfast support to Afghanistan's development, in parallel with the peace process. The UN is committed to working with the Afghan Government, Finland, and the donor community to deliver the best possible outcome for the benefit of all Afghans, said Deborah Lyons, the UN Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Afghanistan.

Finland is looking forward to co-hosting the pledging conference together with the Government of Afghanistan and the UN. Solving the complex challenges in Afghanistan require joint efforts and long-term commitment from Afghanistan and the international community. Together with our partners we are committed to reshaping the aid architecture while ensuring that it will preserve the progress achieved over the past decades and strengthen the further realization of human rights and democratic principles, said Ville Skinnari, Finlands Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade.

The event will take place at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, in a hybrid format where delegates may also participate virtually. More than 70 countries, international organizations and Afghan Government officials, as well as civil society representatives are expected to participate in the conference.

In view of ongoing travel and gathering restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, further information about Conference logistics and the agenda will be made available closer to the date of the event.

Media accreditation to the Conference will start in late October. More information on the format of media events will be announced in due course.

Questions on technical preparations for the conference can be directed to the Finnish 2020 Afghanistan Conference Task Force.

Contacts:

Shamroz Khan, Director of Communications & Spokesperson, Ministry of Finance of Afghanistan, shamroz.masjidi@mof.gov.af, tel. +93 (0) 797 332 334

Liam McDowall, Director of Strategic Communications, United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), mcdowalll@un.org, tel. +93 (0) 728 426 195

Johanna Kaprio, Communications Coordinator, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland,johanna.kaprio@formin.fi, tel. +358 50 522 8916

Excerpt from:
2020 Afghanistan conference and the path to peace, prosperity and self-reliance - Afghanistan - ReliefWeb