Frequently Asked Questions
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What is UNIFEM?
UNIFEM is the women's fund at the United Nations. It provides financial and technical assistance to innovative programmes and strategies to foster women's empowerment and gender equality. Placing the advancement of women's human rights at the centre of all of its efforts, UNIFEM focuses its activities on four strategic areas: (1) reducing feminized poverty, (2) ending violence against women, (3) reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS among women and girls, and (4) achieving gender equality in democratic governance in times of peace as well as war. read more on the UNIFEM International site »
What does UNIFEM do in Afghanistan?
Following the collapse of the Taliban in 2002, UNIFEM established a permanent office in the city of Kabul. Since then UNIFEM has been consulting with Afghan women to formulate its strategy for Afghanistan based on the needs identified by Afghan women and in the context of the country’s history and culture.
UNIFEM’s goal in Afghanistan is to increase options and opportunities for women through programme activities that transform the overall development of Afghanistan. We support the long term goal of Afghan women to realize their human rights as enshrined in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). read more »
What is a Jirga?
A jirga is a traditional mechanism of conflict resolution in Afghanistan whereby elders or other decision-makers come together to resolve disputes and/or cases among community members.
The Wolesi Jirga is the "people’s representation" in the Lower House of the Afghan Parliament.
The Meshrano Jirga is the "elder's representation" in the Upper House of Afghan Parliament.
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