Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-06-13-Speech-3-207"
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"en.20010613.7.3-207"2
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". – The Commission wishes to underline its concern for the suffering of the entire civilian population of Afghanistan, as a direct consequence of the ongoing conflict and the current drought. In this respect, ECHO has this year already allocated EUR 15.5 million for humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. ECHO is focusing particularly attention to vulnerable groups: internally displaced people (of which there are more than half a million), the disabled, women – particularly widows – and children.
The needs of women and children are specifically addressed in mother-and-child health programmes. Projects are being implemented by
s
of Belgium;
of the Netherlands; and from France
and
. All aim to treat malnutrition among children under five years of age, as well as monitoring the health status of women, in particular nursing mothers and pregnant women. Usually, NGOs also provide their female patients with elementary hygiene education. These projects are implemented in areas where internally displaced people have settled. Currently, there are medical projects in the Panjsher Valley, Herat, Kandahar, Kabul, Mazar-e-Sharif and Hazarajad.
NGOs have access to all beneficiaries, women included, and can employ women as local NGO personnel in medical programmes, in spite of the fact that separation between the sexes has to be strictly observed. For instance, ACF employs between 55 and 65 per cent of women in its medical programmes. Medical NGOs play an important role in the professional training of women. They organise medical training sessions for small groups of women in cooperation with the Taleban Ministry of Health. We also carry out Food-for-Work projects. Income-generating activities for women, which encourage self-sufficiency, are increasingly supported by ECHO. Since 1999, ECHO has financed Food-for-Work projects in Kabul for men and women through German Agro Action and Medair from Switzerland.
While men are occupied in land recovery works and city drain cleaning, women are given raw materials and knitted quilts and sweaters, to be distributed to other beneficiaries. This kind of programme entails the participation of women from a variety of socio-economic classes, from educated to illiterate women, each using their knowledge and/or all manual abilities. They are paid a fixed rate in wheat seed every two weeks. This pilot project in Kabul was subject to an independent evaluation, which proved to be very positive.
MEDAIR is in the process of implementing a second phase. Similar operations are now funded by ECHO in Mazar, Kandahar, Herat, Kabul and Faizabad, through UN Habitat and various NGOs. On other types of project, I can inform you that NGOs, with the support of ECHO, try whenever possible to have women involved in each project. Even in shelter programmes women are involved. Female health monitors go from house to house visiting women in order to provide them with basic information on hygiene, primary health care and conservation of water and food.
Operational partners such as NGOs, international organisations and Red Cross, family and UN agencies closely monitor all operations through expatriates and local staff present in the field. All ECHO partners are bound by a framework partnership agreement, which obliges them to be present and, in relation to us, to present financial and operational reports of their activities on a regular basis. Furthermore, ECHO has field experts, who also follow the ongoing projects very closely to ensure correct delivery of aid.
Recently, following UN sanctions and meetings in Europe with General Massud, the Northern Alliance commander, meetings in Europe, the hardliners within the Taleban movement seem to be gaining the upper hand, as reflected in the hardening of their position against work by women. Unfortunately, this general state of affairs is escalating, as we can read in press reports now.
However, in conclusion we can say that, despite the difficulties, NGOs in Afghanistan are doing their best as our partners to alleviate the suffering of women in the country. ECHO is not carrying out development cooperation as such, but is delivering humanitarian aid. Clearly, for many Afghans – women and men, educated and uneducated – the activities we support are a valuable, and by and large the only, form of assistance. Maintaining access for this humanitarian aid is crucial, and we will continue our work, even if the circumstances are difficult and appear to be worsening at present. I am planning to visit Afghanistan in September with a view to stepping up this effort."@en1
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"Action contre la Faim, Aid Médicale Internationale"1
"Fronti"1
"Médecins San"1
"Médecins Sans Fronti"1
"res"1
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