Civil Discourse in Afghanistan and South Korea

Maryland Social Studies ConferenceOctober 15, 2013

Ellen Georgi

“Civil discourse is discourse that supports, rather than undermines, the societal good. It demands that democratic participants respect each other, even when that respect is hard to give or to earn. Democratic societies must be societies where arguments are tolerated and encouraged, but this is not always easy.” Teaching Tolerance

Communication and Democracy

• Society’s goal is to “create civil environments for discussion of current political or social topics and increase civic engagement.”

Goal• To advance the understanding and practice of

civil discourse to strengthen our democratic traditions and improve governance and public decision making.

Afghanistan’s need for civil discourse

The years 2013 2015 will see ” significant ‐transition for Afghanistan. Presidential and parliamentary elections will be held in 2014 and 2015 respectively, and the international presence in Afghanistan will be revised to reflect the withdrawal of the International Security Force in 2014.

Afghanistan civil society

• While the Tokyo Conference (2012) reaffirmed the support of the international community for Afghanistan during its Transformation Decade (2015‐2024), the next few years are likely to see rapid changes and developments in both domestic and international policy.” Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit

The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

(Ratified) January 26, 2004

In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficient, the Most Merciful

ContentsPreamble Chapter One: State (21 articles) Chapter Two: Fundamental Rights and Duties of Citizens (38 articles) Chapter Three: The President (11 articles) Chapter Four: Government (10 articles) Chapter Five: National Assembly (29 articles) Chapter Six: Loya Jirga (6 articles) Chapter Seven: The Judiciary (20 articles) Chapter Eight: Administration (7 articles) Chapter Nine: State of Emergency (6 articles) Chapter Ten: Amendments (2 articles) Chapter Eleven: Miscellaneous Provisions (7 articles) Chapter Twelve: Transitional Provisions (5 articles)

Afghan Ministry of EducationThe Education System in 1393 (2014)• 10 million students will be enrolled in General Education Schools and the number of schools will reach 16,500. The net

enrolment rate of girls and boys in Basic Education will increase to 60% and 75% and gross enrollment to 72% and 90%, respectively.

• The number of students in Islamic schools and Dar-ul-Ulums ( advanced madrassas) will increase to approximately 200,000 and the number of schools will reach 1,000.

• Access to technical and vocational education will increase by expanding TVET regional institutes from 16 to 32; TVET provincial schools from 32 to 102; and establishing 364 TVET district schools. The number of students in technical and vocational education will increase to 150,000 with 30 % female students.

• Literacy courses provided for 3.6 million literacy learners (of whom 60% will be women), with an emphasis on rural areas and increased attention to the needs of adult people with disabilities and special needs.

• The curriculum, syllabi and textbooks of General and Islamic Education will be updated to meet the developing needs.• At least 80% of teachers will have passed the national competency test.• Seventy-five percent of general and Islamic schools, 100% of technical and vocational schools, 75% of TTCs will have useable

buildings.• Sufficient ordinary and development budget will be provided for all education programs with a ratio of 75% for salaries and

25% for non-salary costs.• The new Structure “Tashkil” will be implemented based on public administration reforms at central, provincial and district

levels.• A comprehensive EMIS system will be functional at central, provincial and district level and will facilitate informed decision

making, transparency and accountability of education services being provided.

“Afghanistan must work to solve its illiteracy problem before it can introduce civics into schools.” Mr. Ahmad Farid Haidari, Cultural Attaché, Embassy of Afghanistan in

Washington, D.C., May 4, 2013 interview

Non Government Organizations

• There are many NGOs delivering programs to Afghans all trying to be part of civil discourse

• There are many Afghan assistance organizations AREU Contacts Directory

1. International Organizations• International Organization for

Migration• World Health Organization• UN Food and Agriculture Organ

ization• UN Assistance Mission in Afgha

nistan• World Bank• Afghanistan Information Mana

gement Service Joint project of UNDP and UNOCHA

• World Food Programme

• UNHCR (The UN Refugee Agency)

• UN Habitat• UN Environment Programme• EU-Afghanistan• UNESCO• United Nations Human Rights• United Nations Development F

und for Women• UN Development Programme• UNDP Elect• International Federation of Red

Cross and Red Crescent Societies

• The Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) conducts research on the conditions for peaceful relations between states, groups and people http://www.prio.no/

2. NGO Coordination Bodies

• Afghan NGO Coordination Bureau• British Agencies Afghan Group• AIMS• Afghan Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief• Afghan NGO Security Office• Microfinance Investment Support Facility for A

fghanistan• European Network of NGOs in Afghanistan

3. Foreign non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)

• Afghans for Civil Society Based in USA• Islamic Relief (UK)• Afghan Relief International (Canada)• Food for the Hungry (USA)• Food for the Hungry (Canada)• Land Mine Awareness Education• Help Afghanistan (USA)• MEDAIR (Switzerland)• Terres des Hommes (Switzerland)• Swedish Committee for Afghanistan• CARE (USA)• Afghan Relief Organization (USA)• Red Cross• Humanity International for Peace and Prosperity (USA)• Afghan Welfare (Pakistan)• Dutch Committee for Afghanistan Veterinary Programmes• Shuhada (Pakistan)• DACAAR (Danish Committee to Aid the Afghan Refugees)• DAARTT (Danish Assistance to Afghan Rehabilitation and T

echnical Training)• PARSA (USA)• International Medical Corps (USA)• Swedish Committee for Afghanistan• USAID (US Agency for International Development) (USA

Government)• REACH (Rural Expansion of Afghanistan’s Community-base

d Healthcare) (USA)

• Institute for Media, Policy and Society (Canada)• GlobalRights (USA)• Physicians for Human Rights (USA)• Mercy Corps (USA and UK)• Oxfam• Actionaid (UK and South Africa)• Afghan Connection (UK)• Christian Aid (UK and Ireland)• Concern Worldwide (Ireland)• Learning for Life (UK)

• Ockenden (UK)• Trocaire (Ireland)• ADRA (Germany)• ADSI• ACTED (France)• AGEF (Germany)• Aga Khan Development Network• Ansar Relief Institute• Caritas (Germany)• CHF (USA)• COOPI (Italy)• Catholic Relief Services (USA)• Church World Services (Pakistan)• Welt Hunger Hilfe (Germany)• Global Rights (USA)• Global Hope Network (USA and Switzerland)• Global Partnership for Afghanistan (USA)• International Assistance Mission (USA)• IFES (USA)• INTERSOS (Italy)• International Rescue Committee• MERLIN (UK)• Muslim Hands (UK)• Medical Refresher Course for Afghans (France)• Norwegian Afghanistan Committee• Norwegian Refugee Council• QSI International School of Kabul• Shelter for Life• Solidarites (France)• World Vision International (USA and Switzerland)• Yamana (France)• ZOA Refugee Care (Netherlands)• Creating Hope International (USA)• International Relief and Development (USA)• Society of Afghan Engineers (USA)• Afghan-American Chamber of Commerce• UMCOR (USA)

• Afghanistan America Foundation• Turquoise Mountain• Jahan (USA)• Internews (USA)• Afghanistan Demain (France)• International Orphan Care (USA)• Afghanistan Resolution (USA)• Solace International (USA)• AfghanMark (USA and Afghanistan)• Disabled Afghans (USA)• The Afghan Music Project (USA)• Initiative Afghanistan (Germany)• Afghan Communicator (USA)• Afghans4Tomorrow (USA)• Nooristan Foundation (USA)• Terra Institute (USA)• Afghan Schools (UK)• Kinderhilfe (Germany)• Arkandi School• Initiative Afghanistan (Germany)• Afghanistan Schulen (Germany)• Afghanaid (UK)• SAVS (USA/Japan)• Peace Dividend Trust• Rights & Democracy (Canada)• Bildung fur Afganistan (Germany)• Darul-Aman (Germany)• MADERA (France)• Japan Center for Conflict Prevention• Fab Lab Afghanistan (USA)• American Councils• Dupree Foundation• School of Leadership (USA)• Marigold Fund (USA)• Central Asia Institute (USA)• Afghanistan libre (France)• GERES (France)

4. Afghan NGOs

• Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commision

• Human Rights Research and Advocacy Consortium

• Afghan Health and Development Services

• Afghan Technical Consultants

• Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance

• Partners in Revitalization and Building

• Center of Art and Culture in Afghanistan

• Bureau for Reconstruction and Development

• Abdul Haq Foundation• Afghans 4 Tomorrow • Nai• Committee for Rehabilitati

on Aid to Afghanistan (CRAA)

• AfghanMark• Tribal Liason Office• List of Afghan NGOs (The

Afghan Women’s Network has compiled a list of Afghan NGOs, many of which have no website)

5. NGOs focusing on Women

• Afghan Women’s Mission (USA)• Revolutionary Association of the Women

of Afghanistan• Afghan Women’s Network• Afghan Gender Cafe• Afghanistan Women Council• Afghanistan Women’s Education Center• Canadian Women for Women in Afghanist

an• Feminist Majority Foundation (USA)• Global Fund for Women (USA)• Medica Mondiale (Germany)• Refugee Women in Development (USA)• Womankind Worldwide (UK)• Women for Afghan Women (USA)

• FemAid (France)• Help Afghanistan Women (USA)• Humanitarian Assistance for the Women a

nd Children of Afghanistan• PARWAZ• Voice of Women Organization• Shuhada• Women’s Alliance for Peace and Human Ri

ghts in Afghanistan (USA)

• Kabultec (USA)• Institute for Economic Empowerment of

Women• Initiative to Educate Afghan Women (USA)• Afghanistan Midwifery Project (USA)• Noori Foundation• AIPDO• British Afghan Women’s Society• Mahboba’s Promise (Australia

6. NGOs focusing on Children

• Help the Afghan Children (USA)

• The Children of War (USA)• Child Light Foundation (USA)• Children in Crisis (UK)• Help Afghan School Children

(Austria)• UNICEF• Khorasan Home for Children

(UK)• Save the Children (UK)

• Warchild (UK)• Save the Children (USA)• ASCHIANA• Humanitarian Assistance for

the Women and Children of Afghanistan

• QSI International School – Kabul

• Shuhada• Afghan Mini Mobile Circus fo

r Children (Denmark)

• Kids 4 Afghan Kids• American Medical Overseas

Relief

NGOsmsEstablished in 2007, the Louis and Nancy Hatch Dupree Foundation is organized exclusively for charitable, education and scientific purposes which will: • raise awareness and broaden knowledge about the history and

culture of the people of Afghanistan throughout the United States;• support the cultural heritage preservation and research efforts of

the Afghanistan Centre at Kabul University; and• support the information-sharing objectives of the Afghanistan

Centre at Kabul University.

• http://www.dupreefoundation.org/index.htm

The National Endowment for Democracy (NED)

• Congress gives funding to NED to supply grants such as• To educate Afghan citizens about their political rights and

obligations, and to strengthen dialogue between local leaders and government. AYNSO will hold symposiums on governance and political processes for community leaders, teachers, and students in all districts of the Herat province. Participants will transfer the acquired knowledge to their respective communities. AYNSO will also hold dialogue assemblies through district advocacy teams, which will represent their communities' needs to government officials.

Civic Education and Democratic Change in Afghanistan: The Story of the Kabul-based

Marefat High School

• Through small grants to Afghan civil society organizations, DI is supporting a series of advocacy training and electoral education campaigns that target remote areas normally inaccessible to such efforts. The local civil society groups selected to receive the small grants help DI achieve one of its primary goals in Afghanistan: facilitating Afghan-led electoral reform to strengthen democracy and foster innovations in governance.

• DI conducted a survey to understand citizens’ perceptions on ongoing electoral reform efforts and how Afghans receive information about elections. The findings can help inform future civic education efforts in Afghanistan and provide both Afghan policy-makers and the international community critical information related to Afghan governance and international assistance for democratic strengthening.

Korea Society

Civil Discourse in South Korea in 1987

• June Democracy movement