Current Activities
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Overview
Strategy review: The CEED programme is currently in the process of reviewing its strategies in order to better serve the women of Afghanistan. The unit is focused on building Afghan women’s capacity so that they can effectively participate in the social, economic and political processes of their country.
Increasing livilihoods: The programme will use evidence-based data in order to promote women's development by emphasizing the role of productive livilihoods in their ability to participate in society.
Integrated services at all levels: The programme's strategy will include a package of integrated services, including:
- market outlets;
- business development services;
- vocational skills development;
- access to financial services;
- adult literacy;
- health programmes and;
- access to legal rights.
These services will address a combination of interventions, ranging from institutional development to individual capacity building at all levels of the state and society.
Outreach to women’s economic security in the provinces
Increasing women's economic security is especially important in rural provinces, where women have little or no access to professional development opportunities.
Adult literacy: In 2007, eight NGOs received funding to implement gender focused livelihood projects that offer adult literacy programmes in order to strengthen women’s economic rights as entrepreneurs and/or home-based producers.
Computer literacy: UNIFEM has also transferred computers to Departments of Women's Affairs (DoWAs) in Herat and Parwan provinces, allowing them to conduct computer literacy classes for girls in resource and referral centres.
A total of 1,330 women will benefit from these projects, which will also include bee-keeping, poultry practices, goat distribution and tailoring.
Strengthening coordination with other organizations
Coordinating for efficiency: UNIFEM actively coordinates with organizations throughout the country in order to maximize the use of available gender resources and expertise. This coordination also helps to avoid overlaps in programming and programme funding, ensuring that women receive streamlined assistance using best practices.
Relationships for women's economic empowerment: UNIFEM is currently building its relationships with relevant ministries and individuals involved in economic policy reform. The goal is to ensure that economic processes, as well as the Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS), are gender-sensitive and work to promote women's economic empowerment.
Field Coordinators: UNIFEM is also working to strengthen Afghan Field Coordinators' ability to establish coordination mechanisms with other organizations throughout the provinces.
UNIFEM