Empowering Women with disAbilities

ALSO has extended its initiative in empowering women with disabilities in Afghanistan. Last year over 200 women with disabilities including landmine survivors and several family members of them were provided with tailored trainings to enable them to actively participate in society. Last year’s graduates with continued support of ALSO have created a Women with disAbility Advocacy Committee (WAAC). The primary aim of WAAC is to advocate for rights of all women with disabilities in Afghanistan.

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In 2012 ALSO is providing trainings to over 100 women with disabilities and refresher and advanced trainings to those who were trained last year. ALSO will build advocacy and technical skills and capacity of members of WAAC so that they are able to undertake effective advocacy activities in Kabul.  

Meanwhile, ALSO hand in hand with other civil society organizations is encouraging and working with government to reform the National Law for the Rights and Benefits of Persons with Disabilities as it is not in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 

Thanks to the Open Society Institute for its vital supports for making this initiative possible.

Celebration of April 4 and Lend Your Leg Campaign in Kabul

Afghan Landmine Survivors’ Organization (ALSO) celebrated the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance for Mine Action by organizing a survivors’ photo exhibition and lending legs at Kabul University.

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Over 70 people participated including many leaders including Dr. Abdullah Abdullah Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, former presidential candidate and chairman of biggest opposition party (Hope and Change Party), members of parliament, deputy minister, Chancellor of Kabul University, persons with disabilities, representatives of civil society organizations, mine operators and media.

In lead up to April 4, ALSO advocated for enhanced rights for persons with disabilities (including explosive remnants of war survivors) by urging the Government of Afghanistan to adopt national legislation for mine action to sustain and localize the Mine Ban Treaty and the Convention on Cluster Munitions. We also called on Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to ratify the CRPD without further delay and speed up reforming the national disability law as it’s not in standard with the CRPD’s principles.  

The Deputy Minister of Disability and Martyrs of MOLSAMD once again promised to speed up reforming of the disability law and called on parliamentarians to support her to pass the law once it was submitted to parliament.

Dr. Abdullah called on government of Afghanistan to do more for to address rights anDr._Abdullah_Abdullah_Speaks_at_ALSO__s_Ceremony_April_4_2012d needs of landmine victims. He highlighted the fact that government didn’t do enough to change behaviors towards persons with disabilities landmine survivors.

Watch a report about this cremoney by BBC english & farsi.

Sayed Alami Balkhi Head of Martyrs and Disability Commission in the upper house of parliament spoke on behalf of MPs, he said parliament stands with victims and extend any support they can. He said that he will follow with MFA minister regarding ratification of the UNCRPD as parliament approved it long ago.

Dr. Sadiq Mohibi who spoke on behalf of Person with Disability Advocacy Committee urged the government to: joining the UNCRPD without delay and consider recommendations made by civil society organizations and person with disabilities for amendment of disability law.

The speeches followed by Mine Risk Education Drama by Mobile Mini-Circus for Children (MMCC) and opening of photo exhibition. At the end of ceremony all participants lent their legs by rolling up sleeves and pants’ leg.

We also issued a press release on April 3rd, through which we conveyed our messages. We have got good media coverage by TVs, newspapers and radios.

More pictures of photo exhibition and 'lend your leg' campaign are available on ALSO's flicker. http://www.flickr.com/photos/httpwwwafghanlandminesurvivorsorg/

 ALSO Promotes Collaboration Between Kabul and Dushanbe People with disAbilities

For the first time a group of six survivors and disability practitioners from Tajikistan are invited by the Afghan Landmine Survivors Organization for one week exchange visit from ALSO’s and other disability programs in Kabul. The exchange program aims to promote collaboration between ALSO and the organizations of people with disabilities and landmine survivors in Dushanbe while ultimate goal of the exchange program is to promote better and quality services for Afghans and Tajiks with disabilities including landmine and explosive remnants of war survivors.

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On 20 September 2011, during a reception organized by ALSO, H.E Soraya Paikan the Deputy Minister of Ministry of Labour Social Affairs, Martyrs and Disabled (MOLSAMD) welcomed the Tajik fellows and noted importance of such initiative and collaboration between Dushanbe and Kabul to promote rights of people with disabilities. ALSO_Director_Present_ALSO__s_Activities

One of the main topics of the exchange visit is “peer to peer support” as there are no peer support services in Tajikistan. ALSO is going to share its experiences and materials with the Tajik delegation so that they can replicate peer support program in Tajikistan. 

The Tajik fellows will visit from variety of services provided by ALSO including mainstream centers, peer support projects, physical accessibility activities as well as advocacy activities.

The Tajik delegate will also visit  and meet Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, Clear Path International and other organizations in Kabul.

Afghanistan Ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions

Afghan Landmine Survivors' Organization extend its thanks to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan for ratifying the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM). Afghanistan ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) on 8 September 2011 atUnited Nations Head Quarters in New York. The Convention will inter into force for Afghanistan on 1 March 2012.Afghanistan_delegation_and_Afghan_campaigners_in_Oslo_2008

Over 30 years of conflict, cluster munitions have been extensively and indiscriminately used by various actors, maiming and killing hundreds of civilians during and long after the fighting, and impeding the reconstruction and development of the country. Soviet forces from 1979 to 1989 then non-state armed groups during the conflict in the 1990s used cluster munitions. Between October 2001 and early 2002 alone, US aircraft dropped 1,228 cluster bombs containing 248,056 submunitions in 232 strikes on locations throughout the country. According to Cluster Munition Monitor, at least 771 casualties from cluster munitions have been recorded in Afghanistan.

The Convention on Cluster Munitions sets the highest standard to date in International Law for assistance to victims and their communities. The Convention prohibits all use, stockpiling, production and transfer of Cluster Munitions and obliges nations to destroy all stockpiles and to clear contaminated lands. By ratifying the Convention on September 8, 2011, Afghanistan is legally bound by all of its provisions.
ALSO urges the Government of Afghanistan to take action to begin implementation of the Convention.

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