The top United Nations refugee official Thursday 28 August wrapped up a three-day visit to Pakistan, during which the Government agreed to revise a plan for the repatriation of the nearly 2 million remaining Afghan refugees in the country that was due to end next year.
More than 3.4 million Afghans have returned home from Pakistan since 2002 with the help of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR leaving an estimated 1.8 million registered Afghans still living there today.
"Pakistan is UNHCR's biggest partner, hosting the world's largest refugee population for so many years," said UN High Commissioner António Guterres. "No other country has shown such generosity towards its neighbours, and it's important to mobilize more support amongst the international community for this great effort."
During his visit, Mr. Guterres met with top Pakistani officials, including Prime Minister Syed Yousef Raza Gilani and Minister of States and Frontier Regions Najmuddin Khan.
Mr. Guterres stressed that the situation of Afghan refugees in Pakistan is among his top priorities this year. "We are working on a comprehensive strategy that involves assisting the host communities in Pakistan, fully supporting voluntary repatriation and reintegration, while keeping in mind the challenges in Afghanistan," he said.
To assist Pakistan in its efforts to host the refugees, the High Commissioner presented a pilot project proposal for the refugee affected and hosting areas (RAHA) in Balochistan and North West Frontier Province.
"The UN team in Pakistan is fully committed to the RAHA initiative and will appeal for resources to support it," he said about the project, which will rehabilitate and upgrade infrastructure and services in the sectors of water, sanitation, health care, primary education, environment and livelihood.
Mr. Guterres also announced that an International Conference on Return and Reintegration will be held in the Afghan capital, Kabul, in mid-November to galvanize support for the refugees, returnees and internally displaced people (IDPs) in that country.
While in Pakistan, he also met with the UN country team and member countries of the Group of Eight and the European Union to mobilize support for the RAHA project proposal and the upcoming conference in Kabul.
zondag 31 augustus 2008
Efforts to bridge Afghanistan’s digital divide gets boost from UN
A new agreement between the United Nations and the Afghan Government will help boost efforts to narrow the gap between those in the South Asian nation who benefit from the use of information and communication technology (ICT) and those who do not.
The agreement marks the start of collaboration between Afghanistan's Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) and the UN Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and Communication Technology for Development (UN-APCICT), a subsidiary body of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
UN-APCICT is tasked with strengthening the efforts of ESCAP member countries to use digital technology in their socio-economic development by building up human and institutional capacity for ICT.
Friday’s signing, which took place at APCICT's office in Incheon, in the Republic of Korea, also marks the first time an agreement has been made to have the Institute's training curriculum - known as the Academy of ICT Essentials for Government Leaders Programme - implemented nationally.
In partnership with national organizations, the Institute seeks to use this training to strengthen a country's capacities in the field of ICT and provide the necessary knowledge and skills to fully leverage opportunities presented by ICTs to achieve national development goals.
The Academy programme will be customized to meet the needs of Afghanistan's policymakers and government leaders.
Similar efforts are being finalized to have the programme in Mongolia and the Philippines as well as in the Pacific Island countries.
The agreement marks the start of collaboration between Afghanistan's Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) and the UN Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and Communication Technology for Development (UN-APCICT), a subsidiary body of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
UN-APCICT is tasked with strengthening the efforts of ESCAP member countries to use digital technology in their socio-economic development by building up human and institutional capacity for ICT.
Friday’s signing, which took place at APCICT's office in Incheon, in the Republic of Korea, also marks the first time an agreement has been made to have the Institute's training curriculum - known as the Academy of ICT Essentials for Government Leaders Programme - implemented nationally.
In partnership with national organizations, the Institute seeks to use this training to strengthen a country's capacities in the field of ICT and provide the necessary knowledge and skills to fully leverage opportunities presented by ICTs to achieve national development goals.
The Academy programme will be customized to meet the needs of Afghanistan's policymakers and government leaders.
Similar efforts are being finalized to have the programme in Mongolia and the Philippines as well as in the Pacific Island countries.
woensdag 27 augustus 2008
Afghanistan: UN child rights official voices alarm at high civilian death toll
The United Nations envoy for children and armed conflict has strongly condemned the deaths of a large number of civilians, mostly children, as a result of recent military operations in Afghanistan.
Yesterday the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan UNAMA reported that an investigation by its human rights team found that some 90 civilians were killed, including 60 children, during operations carried out by international and Afghan military forces on 21 August in Shindand district in Afghanistan's western Herat province.
"I am really alarmed by the number of casualties caused by this air strike and other similar military operations," the Secretary-General's Special Representative, Radhika Coomaraswamy, said in a statement. "Children are bearing the brunt of this conflict and also experiencing physical and psychological trauma."
Echoing the call made yesterday by Kai Eide, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan, Ms. Coomaraswamy reminded the international and Afghan military forces that "they must review their operational procedures to avoid such tragic events from reoccurring."
Ms. Coomaraswamy raised the issue of civilian casualties with the leadership of the UN-mandated International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) and the United States-led Operation Enduring Freedom during a recent visit to Afghanistan, stressing to them the need to minimize collateral damage with clear directions and procedures.
"It is important to put in place measures to prevent the excesses, to have prompt investigations and where necessary to pay adequate compensation," she had stated at the end of that visit.
Yesterday the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan UNAMA reported that an investigation by its human rights team found that some 90 civilians were killed, including 60 children, during operations carried out by international and Afghan military forces on 21 August in Shindand district in Afghanistan's western Herat province.
"I am really alarmed by the number of casualties caused by this air strike and other similar military operations," the Secretary-General's Special Representative, Radhika Coomaraswamy, said in a statement. "Children are bearing the brunt of this conflict and also experiencing physical and psychological trauma."
Echoing the call made yesterday by Kai Eide, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan, Ms. Coomaraswamy reminded the international and Afghan military forces that "they must review their operational procedures to avoid such tragic events from reoccurring."
Ms. Coomaraswamy raised the issue of civilian casualties with the leadership of the UN-mandated International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) and the United States-led Operation Enduring Freedom during a recent visit to Afghanistan, stressing to them the need to minimize collateral damage with clear directions and procedures.
"It is important to put in place measures to prevent the excesses, to have prompt investigations and where necessary to pay adequate compensation," she had stated at the end of that visit.
dinsdag 26 augustus 2008
UN says “At least 90 civilians killed in recent military operations”
An investigation by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has found that some 90 civilians, including 60 children, were among those killed during military operations in the strife-torn nation's western Herat province last week.
A team of human rights officers from UNAMA went to Herat's Shindand district to investigate reports that large numbers of civilian casualties were sustained during operations conducted by foreign and Afghan military personnel around midnight on 21 August.
They found "convincing evidence, based on the testimony of eyewitnesses, and others," that some 90 civilians were killed - including 60 children, 15 women and 15 men - and another 15 villagers wounded.
"This is a matter of grave concern to the United Nations. I have repeatedly made clear that the safety and welfare of civilians must be considered above all else during the planning and conduct of all military operations," Kai Eide, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan, said in a statement issued Wednesday in Kabul.
According to the people interviewed by UNAMA, the military operations lasted several hours during which air strikes were called in. "The destruction from aerial bombardment was clearly evident with some 7-8 houses having been totally destroyed and serious damage to many others. Local residents were able to confirm the number of casualties, including names, age and gender of the victims," the mission said.
Mr. Eide called on the international and Afghan military forces to "thoroughly review" the conduct of the operation to ensure that it does not happen again.
"The impact of such operations undermines the trust and confidence of the Afghan people in efforts to build a just, peaceful, and law-abiding State," he stated, reminding all parties that the protection of civilians must be their primary concern.
They must respect their duties under international humanitarian and human rights law to protect the people we are here to serve," he added.
(Bron: UN)
A team of human rights officers from UNAMA went to Herat's Shindand district to investigate reports that large numbers of civilian casualties were sustained during operations conducted by foreign and Afghan military personnel around midnight on 21 August.
They found "convincing evidence, based on the testimony of eyewitnesses, and others," that some 90 civilians were killed - including 60 children, 15 women and 15 men - and another 15 villagers wounded.
"This is a matter of grave concern to the United Nations. I have repeatedly made clear that the safety and welfare of civilians must be considered above all else during the planning and conduct of all military operations," Kai Eide, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan, said in a statement issued Wednesday in Kabul.
According to the people interviewed by UNAMA, the military operations lasted several hours during which air strikes were called in. "The destruction from aerial bombardment was clearly evident with some 7-8 houses having been totally destroyed and serious damage to many others. Local residents were able to confirm the number of casualties, including names, age and gender of the victims," the mission said.
Mr. Eide called on the international and Afghan military forces to "thoroughly review" the conduct of the operation to ensure that it does not happen again.
"The impact of such operations undermines the trust and confidence of the Afghan people in efforts to build a just, peaceful, and law-abiding State," he stated, reminding all parties that the protection of civilians must be their primary concern.
They must respect their duties under international humanitarian and human rights law to protect the people we are here to serve," he added.
(Bron: UN)
Two individuals convicted in 2006 for the rape released early from detention
The head of UNAMA's human rights unit has expressed deep concern that two individuals convicted in 2006 for the rape of a woman in Samangan province in northern Afghanistan have been released early from detention.
"This sends the wrong message to other perpetrators of violent crimes against women, that they will not be held accountable for their actions," said Norah Niland, adding that "there can be no peace in Afghanistan without justice."
Ms. Niland noted that the 11-year prison sentence against the perpetrators was upheld by the Court of Appeal and confirmed by the Afghan Supreme Court.
However, the two men were subsequently released from incarceration after serving "a fraction of their sentence" and are now back in the neighbourhood where the crime was perpetrated and where the victim and her family continue to live.
"While there appears to be conflicting reports on the circumstances of the release of these prisoners, whatever the circumstances, this is clearly an injustice against the victim, the victims' family and all Afghan women," Ms. Niland stated. "Such injustice can only promote a culture of impunity for violence perpetrated against women."
She welcomed the intention by the Afghan authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the release and urged them take all appropriate measures to ensure that justice is done and the rights of Afghan women are protected.
"This sends the wrong message to other perpetrators of violent crimes against women, that they will not be held accountable for their actions," said Norah Niland, adding that "there can be no peace in Afghanistan without justice."
Ms. Niland noted that the 11-year prison sentence against the perpetrators was upheld by the Court of Appeal and confirmed by the Afghan Supreme Court.
However, the two men were subsequently released from incarceration after serving "a fraction of their sentence" and are now back in the neighbourhood where the crime was perpetrated and where the victim and her family continue to live.
"While there appears to be conflicting reports on the circumstances of the release of these prisoners, whatever the circumstances, this is clearly an injustice against the victim, the victims' family and all Afghan women," Ms. Niland stated. "Such injustice can only promote a culture of impunity for violence perpetrated against women."
She welcomed the intention by the Afghan authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the release and urged them take all appropriate measures to ensure that justice is done and the rights of Afghan women are protected.
UN survey finds “opium cultivation in Afghanistan drops by a fifth”
The cultivation of opium in Afghanistan has gone down by a fifth as compared to last year, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported Wednesday, attributing the decrease to good local leadership coupled with bad weather.
The Afghanistan Opium Survey 2008 showed a 19 per cent decrease in opium cultivation to 157,000 hectares, down from a record harvest of 193,000 in 2007, according to a news release issued by UNODC.
“Last year the world got hit by a heroin tsunami, almost 700 tons,” noted UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa. “This year the opium flood waters have started to recede.”
The survey also found that 18 of the country’s 34 provinces are now opium-free - up from 13 last year. In addition, cultivation now takes place “almost exclusively” in provinces affected by insurgency. Some 98 per cent of Afghanistan’s opium is grown in seven provinces in the southwest of the country - Helmand, Kandahar, Uruzgan, Farah, Nimroz, Daykundi and Zabul.
Helmand alone accounted for two thirds of the national total. “If Helmand were a country, it would once again be the world’s biggest producer of illicit drugs,” stated Mr. Costa.
“There is now a perfect overlap between zones of high risk and regions of high opium cultivation,” said Mr. Costa. “Since drugs are funding insurgency, and insurgency enables drug cultivation, insurgency and narcotics must be fought together,” he said.
At the other end of the spectrum is Nangarhar, which in 2007 was the country’s second highest opium-producing province and this year is opium-free.
UNODC attributed the drop in cultivation to good local leadership and the drought which has affected the north and northwest of the country. It said that strong leadership by some governors discouraged farmers from planting opium through campaigns against its cultivation, peer pressure and the promotion of alternative development.
While lauding the recent gains, UNODC is urging that everything be done to help the country continue to reduce opium cultivation, from providing farmers with viable alternatives to opium and closing heroin labs to going after drug traffickers and cracking down on corruption.
“Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world, and the latest food crisis has made farmers even more vulnerable,” noted Mr. Costa. “Opium is a seasonal plant. “It may be gone today, but back again tomorrow.”
(Source: UN)
The Afghanistan Opium Survey 2008 showed a 19 per cent decrease in opium cultivation to 157,000 hectares, down from a record harvest of 193,000 in 2007, according to a news release issued by UNODC.
“Last year the world got hit by a heroin tsunami, almost 700 tons,” noted UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa. “This year the opium flood waters have started to recede.”
The survey also found that 18 of the country’s 34 provinces are now opium-free - up from 13 last year. In addition, cultivation now takes place “almost exclusively” in provinces affected by insurgency. Some 98 per cent of Afghanistan’s opium is grown in seven provinces in the southwest of the country - Helmand, Kandahar, Uruzgan, Farah, Nimroz, Daykundi and Zabul.
Helmand alone accounted for two thirds of the national total. “If Helmand were a country, it would once again be the world’s biggest producer of illicit drugs,” stated Mr. Costa.
“There is now a perfect overlap between zones of high risk and regions of high opium cultivation,” said Mr. Costa. “Since drugs are funding insurgency, and insurgency enables drug cultivation, insurgency and narcotics must be fought together,” he said.
At the other end of the spectrum is Nangarhar, which in 2007 was the country’s second highest opium-producing province and this year is opium-free.
UNODC attributed the drop in cultivation to good local leadership and the drought which has affected the north and northwest of the country. It said that strong leadership by some governors discouraged farmers from planting opium through campaigns against its cultivation, peer pressure and the promotion of alternative development.
While lauding the recent gains, UNODC is urging that everything be done to help the country continue to reduce opium cultivation, from providing farmers with viable alternatives to opium and closing heroin labs to going after drug traffickers and cracking down on corruption.
“Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world, and the latest food crisis has made farmers even more vulnerable,” noted Mr. Costa. “Opium is a seasonal plant. “It may be gone today, but back again tomorrow.”
(Source: UN)
zondag 24 augustus 2008
UN calls for probe into reports of civilian casualties in military operation in Shindand
The top United Nations official in Afghanistan Saturday called for a thorough investigation of reports that large numbers of civilians were killed during an international military operation in the far west of the country.
Kai Eide, the Secretary-General's Special Representative, issued a statement in which he said he had learned late last night that civilians may have been killed during the operations, carried out in Shindand district of Herat province.
He stressed the importance of a thorough investigation to establish the facts "before we jump to any conclusions. The United Nations has always made clear that civilian casualties are unacceptable. They undermine the trust and confidence of the Afghan people."
Mr. Eide said he had instructed the Herat office of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) to help provincial authorities to establish and verify the facts.
"Any civilian casualty is one civilian casualty too many," he said. "And every effort that can be made must be made to ensure the safety and welfare of the civilian population where military operations are conducted."
Meanwhile, the Special Representative today told a conference for southern Afghan governors that partnerships with provincial and district authorities are central to improving the effectiveness of aid across the south, which remains the most unstable and violence-wracked region of the country.
Speaking in Kandahar, Mr. Eide noted that it was in the southern districts and provinces "that the lack of effectiveness is most acutely felt. It is here that the lack of coordination has the greatest impact."
He also urged the governors to combat corruption more vigorously, or risk undermining the confidence of Afghans in their State institutions and jeopardizing local security even further.
Kai Eide, the Secretary-General's Special Representative, issued a statement in which he said he had learned late last night that civilians may have been killed during the operations, carried out in Shindand district of Herat province.
He stressed the importance of a thorough investigation to establish the facts "before we jump to any conclusions. The United Nations has always made clear that civilian casualties are unacceptable. They undermine the trust and confidence of the Afghan people."
Mr. Eide said he had instructed the Herat office of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) to help provincial authorities to establish and verify the facts.
"Any civilian casualty is one civilian casualty too many," he said. "And every effort that can be made must be made to ensure the safety and welfare of the civilian population where military operations are conducted."
Meanwhile, the Special Representative today told a conference for southern Afghan governors that partnerships with provincial and district authorities are central to improving the effectiveness of aid across the south, which remains the most unstable and violence-wracked region of the country.
Speaking in Kandahar, Mr. Eide noted that it was in the southern districts and provinces "that the lack of effectiveness is most acutely felt. It is here that the lack of coordination has the greatest impact."
He also urged the governors to combat corruption more vigorously, or risk undermining the confidence of Afghans in their State institutions and jeopardizing local security even further.
vrijdag 15 augustus 2008
UN expert calls for end impunity for attacks on educators after Afghan ambush
The perpetrators of this week's brutal murder of four aid workers supporting education projects in Afghanistan must not go unpunished, an independent United Nations human rights expert said Friday.
“There must be an end to impunity for those who attack schools, students and educators," the Special Rapporteur on the right to education, Vernor Muñoz Villalobos, said in a statement issued in Geneva.
Three female international aid workers and their Afghan colleague were killed after their vehicle, belonging to the United States-based International Rescue Committee, was attacked by gunmen while travelling from Kabul to Logar.
Mr. Villalobos said the incident "highlights starkly the extreme risks faced by all those promoting the right to education in conflict areas and the urgent need for the international community, and all those involved in this and similar conflicts, to put a stop to such attacks."
The Taliban, which has claimed responsibility for the attack, "do not simply fail to value education: they deliberately target it," the Special Rapporteur noted.
"Their attacks on schools, teachers and others working on education are systematic, not random. They are part of a deliberate attack on human rights, on equality for women and on any attempt by their fellow citizens to control their own destiny," he stated.
Mr. Villalobos paid tribute to Jackie Kirk, whom he called "a friend, a colleague and a great champion of the right to education" and her IRC colleagues - Shirley Case, Nicole Dial and Mohammad Aimal - who were "dedicated human rights workers, trying to ensure that this generation of Afghan children would not be denied an education, like so many of their parents."
"The murder of Jackie Kirk and her colleagues is a crime, a tragedy and a terrible loss for Afghanistan," he stressed.
Wednesday's incident was the latest and most deadly single attack against the Afghan aid community this year, according to the UN. Already 19 aid workers have been killed in 2008, surpassing the total number of lives lost in 2007.
Kai Eide, the head of the United Nations UNAMA mission, Wednesday condemned in a statement the attack on the aid workers.
Top UN envoy speaks out after aid workers killed in Afghanistan
The top United Nations official in Afghanistan has voiced his outrage at the deaths of three female international aid workers and their Afghan colleague after their vehicle was attacked.
The vehicle, belonging to the United States-based International Rescue Committee, was travelling from Kabul to Logar when it was fired on by unknown gunmen this morning.
"I condemn this cowardly attack in the strongest possible terms and urge the authorities to leave no stone unturned in the search for the perpetrators," Kai Eide, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan, said in a statement.
"The IRC provides life saving humanitarian assistance to those most affected by the conflict and it is reprehensible that such selfless individuals working for the most vulnerable communities should be deliberately targeted in this way," he added.
Mr. Eide, who is also head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), pointed to a "growing humanitarian challenge" in the strife-torn nation, and urged all parties to recognise and respect the neutrality and independence of the humanitarian assistance being provided to the Afghan people.
Afghanistan this year has witnessed some of the worst violence since the ouster of the Taliban six years ago, with humanitarian aid workers and their vehicles coming under increasing attack.
Just last month, a UN World Food Programme (WFP) convoy transporting more than 320 tons of vital food aid was attacked in the western province of Farah. Two trucks were torched, and another eight were stolen.
“There must be an end to impunity for those who attack schools, students and educators," the Special Rapporteur on the right to education, Vernor Muñoz Villalobos, said in a statement issued in Geneva.
Three female international aid workers and their Afghan colleague were killed after their vehicle, belonging to the United States-based International Rescue Committee, was attacked by gunmen while travelling from Kabul to Logar.
Mr. Villalobos said the incident "highlights starkly the extreme risks faced by all those promoting the right to education in conflict areas and the urgent need for the international community, and all those involved in this and similar conflicts, to put a stop to such attacks."
The Taliban, which has claimed responsibility for the attack, "do not simply fail to value education: they deliberately target it," the Special Rapporteur noted.
"Their attacks on schools, teachers and others working on education are systematic, not random. They are part of a deliberate attack on human rights, on equality for women and on any attempt by their fellow citizens to control their own destiny," he stated.
Mr. Villalobos paid tribute to Jackie Kirk, whom he called "a friend, a colleague and a great champion of the right to education" and her IRC colleagues - Shirley Case, Nicole Dial and Mohammad Aimal - who were "dedicated human rights workers, trying to ensure that this generation of Afghan children would not be denied an education, like so many of their parents."
"The murder of Jackie Kirk and her colleagues is a crime, a tragedy and a terrible loss for Afghanistan," he stressed.
Wednesday's incident was the latest and most deadly single attack against the Afghan aid community this year, according to the UN. Already 19 aid workers have been killed in 2008, surpassing the total number of lives lost in 2007.
Kai Eide, the head of the United Nations UNAMA mission, Wednesday condemned in a statement the attack on the aid workers.
Top UN envoy speaks out after aid workers killed in Afghanistan
The top United Nations official in Afghanistan has voiced his outrage at the deaths of three female international aid workers and their Afghan colleague after their vehicle was attacked.
The vehicle, belonging to the United States-based International Rescue Committee, was travelling from Kabul to Logar when it was fired on by unknown gunmen this morning.
"I condemn this cowardly attack in the strongest possible terms and urge the authorities to leave no stone unturned in the search for the perpetrators," Kai Eide, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan, said in a statement.
"The IRC provides life saving humanitarian assistance to those most affected by the conflict and it is reprehensible that such selfless individuals working for the most vulnerable communities should be deliberately targeted in this way," he added.
Mr. Eide, who is also head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), pointed to a "growing humanitarian challenge" in the strife-torn nation, and urged all parties to recognise and respect the neutrality and independence of the humanitarian assistance being provided to the Afghan people.
Afghanistan this year has witnessed some of the worst violence since the ouster of the Taliban six years ago, with humanitarian aid workers and their vehicles coming under increasing attack.
Just last month, a UN World Food Programme (WFP) convoy transporting more than 320 tons of vital food aid was attacked in the western province of Farah. Two trucks were torched, and another eight were stolen.
woensdag 6 augustus 2008
UNODC: “Major stride of Afghan lawyers group for young democracy”
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has welcomed the newly-established Afghan Independent Bar Association, which it called an important step in promoting justice and due process in the fledgling democracy.
The UNODC Representative in Afghanistan, Christina Gynna Oguz, congratulated the authorities, in particular the Ministry of Justice, and the Afghan people for taking a major stride towards “promoting meaningful access to legal representation and justice for all persons regardless of their ethnic, economic or social condition.”
Ms. Oguz also urged the representatives of the newly-established body “to increase public understanding of and respect for the law, the legal process, and the role of the legal profession and to preserve the independence of the legal profession and the judiciary, which is fundamental to a democratic society.”
The Afghan Independent Bar Association has the distinction of being one of the only bar associations in the world with mandatory pro bono requirements for criminal cases and a quota for women on the leadership and all committees.
UNODC, in cooperation with the International Bar Association (IBA) and with the financial support of the Government of Italy, assisted the Afghan Ministry of Justice in organizing and hosting the group’s first General Assembly meeting in late July.
According to a statement of the UN, “the gathering brought together registered lawyers and advocates from all over the country and was tasked with adopting the by-laws and electing the President as well as other representatives of the Association.”
UNODC has also developed a database that will contain relevant information about registered lawyers in Afghanistan, and plans to conduct a training course on its use for the Association’s administrative staff.
The UNODC Representative in Afghanistan, Christina Gynna Oguz, congratulated the authorities, in particular the Ministry of Justice, and the Afghan people for taking a major stride towards “promoting meaningful access to legal representation and justice for all persons regardless of their ethnic, economic or social condition.”
Ms. Oguz also urged the representatives of the newly-established body “to increase public understanding of and respect for the law, the legal process, and the role of the legal profession and to preserve the independence of the legal profession and the judiciary, which is fundamental to a democratic society.”
The Afghan Independent Bar Association has the distinction of being one of the only bar associations in the world with mandatory pro bono requirements for criminal cases and a quota for women on the leadership and all committees.
UNODC, in cooperation with the International Bar Association (IBA) and with the financial support of the Government of Italy, assisted the Afghan Ministry of Justice in organizing and hosting the group’s first General Assembly meeting in late July.
According to a statement of the UN, “the gathering brought together registered lawyers and advocates from all over the country and was tasked with adopting the by-laws and electing the President as well as other representatives of the Association.”
UNODC has also developed a database that will contain relevant information about registered lawyers in Afghanistan, and plans to conduct a training course on its use for the Association’s administrative staff.
zondag 3 augustus 2008
UN emergency aid funds hands out 30 million dollar to projects in seven countries
The United Nations relief chief announced last week that the world body's Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has allocated $30 million to support UN agencies conducting vital aid work in seven countries.
Projects in Afghanistan, Burundi, Chad, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Iraq, Sri Lanka and Syria will all receive money as a result of the announcement, which marks the second round of allocations this year from CERF for under-funded emergencies.
Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes said funds given by CERF "are often the last source of hope" for people facing crises.
"Millions of people affected by some of the less visible crises around the world often have to endure great deprivation," said Mr. Holmes, who is also the Organization's Emergency Relief Coordinator.
The largest funding recipient will be UN agencies in Chad, where $6.8 million has been granted to help respond to the deteriorating humanitarian situation that has resulted from the worsening insecurity and an influx of fresh refugees from the neighbouring Darfur region of Sudan and the Central African Republic (CAR).
As many as 500,000 people, mostly in eastern Chad, now depend heavily on outside aid.
Iraq
UN agencies operating in Iraq will receive $5 million, while those working in Syria, which is now home to about 1.5 million increasingly impoverished Iraqi refugees, will be given $4 million from CERF to assist with food, health and other relief programmes.
Afghanistan
UN-backed programmes and projects in Afghanistan are slated to receive $4.6 million.
Sri Lanka
4 million dollar has been set aside for Sri Lanka, $3.6 million for Burundi and $2 million for the DPRK.
The funds go to UN aid agencies and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and then through them to partners in the field, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
The grants were selected according to the severity of needs, the availability of funding around the world and security constraints on aid delivery.
CERF was set up by the UN at the end of 2005 to provide a standby pool of funds so that more timely humanitarian assistance can be given when natural disasters, armed conflicts and other crises occur.
One-third of funds generated, from Member States, NGOs, local governments, the private sector and individual donors, are awarded to so-called "neglected crises."
Projects in Afghanistan, Burundi, Chad, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Iraq, Sri Lanka and Syria will all receive money as a result of the announcement, which marks the second round of allocations this year from CERF for under-funded emergencies.
Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes said funds given by CERF "are often the last source of hope" for people facing crises.
"Millions of people affected by some of the less visible crises around the world often have to endure great deprivation," said Mr. Holmes, who is also the Organization's Emergency Relief Coordinator.
The largest funding recipient will be UN agencies in Chad, where $6.8 million has been granted to help respond to the deteriorating humanitarian situation that has resulted from the worsening insecurity and an influx of fresh refugees from the neighbouring Darfur region of Sudan and the Central African Republic (CAR).
As many as 500,000 people, mostly in eastern Chad, now depend heavily on outside aid.
Iraq
UN agencies operating in Iraq will receive $5 million, while those working in Syria, which is now home to about 1.5 million increasingly impoverished Iraqi refugees, will be given $4 million from CERF to assist with food, health and other relief programmes.
Afghanistan
UN-backed programmes and projects in Afghanistan are slated to receive $4.6 million.
Sri Lanka
4 million dollar has been set aside for Sri Lanka, $3.6 million for Burundi and $2 million for the DPRK.
The funds go to UN aid agencies and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and then through them to partners in the field, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
The grants were selected according to the severity of needs, the availability of funding around the world and security constraints on aid delivery.
CERF was set up by the UN at the end of 2005 to provide a standby pool of funds so that more timely humanitarian assistance can be given when natural disasters, armed conflicts and other crises occur.
One-third of funds generated, from Member States, NGOs, local governments, the private sector and individual donors, are awarded to so-called "neglected crises."
vrijdag 1 augustus 2008
UN aims to have historical Afghan city Bamiyan in Afghanistan free of mines by October
The United Nations Mine Action Centre for Afghanistan (UNMACA) has announced plans to clear a total of 1,800,000 square metres of land in Bamiyan contaminated with mines and unexploded ordinance (UXOs) by October, according to a statement released on Tuesday by the UN.
The historic city of Bamiyan contains a number of Buddhist monastic ensembles and sanctuaries, as well as fortified edifices from the Islamic period. It is also where the Taliban destroyed two standing Buddha statues in March 2001.
The mine-clearance project will exclude four sites which have been declared as cultural heritage sites by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and need to be cleared with the cooperation of archaeologists.
Abdul Qader Qayoumi, the head of UNMACA in Bamiyan, said: “After receiving authorization from the Ministry of Information and Culture we will start clearing the four cultural heritage sites.”
Nearly 500 de-mining personnel, most of them from Afghan Technical Consultants (ATC), an Afghan non-governmental organization (NGO), are working to clear Bamiyan from landmines and UXOs, according to a spokesperson of the UN.
Since the beginning of April, already 104 anti-personnel mines and 169 UXOs have been found and destroyed.
Afghanistan is one of the most heavily mined countries in the world, and more than four million Afghans are living in mine-contaminated areas.
As a party to the global anti-landmine treaty, known as the Ottawa Convention, Afghanistan has committed itself to clear all of its landmines by 2013. With the help of the UN, some 65,361,363 square metres of land has already been cleared across the strife-torn nation.
Mr. Qayoumi said the Mine Action Programme for Afghanistan (MAPA), which comprises UNMACA and other partners, will start de-mining work in three other districts in Bamiyan province, namely Shibar, Saighan and Kahmard.
UNMACA
The Mine Action Centre for Afghanistan is responsible for the coordination of mine action activities in Afghanistan.
It operates under the auspices of the Relief, Recovery and Reconstruction Pillar of the UN Assistance Mission to Afghanistan, and is a programme of the UN Mine Action Service, implemented by the UN Office for Project Services.
The historic city of Bamiyan contains a number of Buddhist monastic ensembles and sanctuaries, as well as fortified edifices from the Islamic period. It is also where the Taliban destroyed two standing Buddha statues in March 2001.
The mine-clearance project will exclude four sites which have been declared as cultural heritage sites by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and need to be cleared with the cooperation of archaeologists.
Abdul Qader Qayoumi, the head of UNMACA in Bamiyan, said: “After receiving authorization from the Ministry of Information and Culture we will start clearing the four cultural heritage sites.”
Nearly 500 de-mining personnel, most of them from Afghan Technical Consultants (ATC), an Afghan non-governmental organization (NGO), are working to clear Bamiyan from landmines and UXOs, according to a spokesperson of the UN.
Since the beginning of April, already 104 anti-personnel mines and 169 UXOs have been found and destroyed.
Afghanistan is one of the most heavily mined countries in the world, and more than four million Afghans are living in mine-contaminated areas.
As a party to the global anti-landmine treaty, known as the Ottawa Convention, Afghanistan has committed itself to clear all of its landmines by 2013. With the help of the UN, some 65,361,363 square metres of land has already been cleared across the strife-torn nation.
Mr. Qayoumi said the Mine Action Programme for Afghanistan (MAPA), which comprises UNMACA and other partners, will start de-mining work in three other districts in Bamiyan province, namely Shibar, Saighan and Kahmard.
UNMACA
The Mine Action Centre for Afghanistan is responsible for the coordination of mine action activities in Afghanistan.
It operates under the auspices of the Relief, Recovery and Reconstruction Pillar of the UN Assistance Mission to Afghanistan, and is a programme of the UN Mine Action Service, implemented by the UN Office for Project Services.
Abonneren op:
Posts (Atom)