NGO Coordination Meeting on Sept 12th, 2004
on Tue, 28/09/2004 - 09:12 Text | Afghanistan | Co-ordination & Networking | English | Kabul
 Chairperson: Associate Professor Sarwar Mamound, Coordinator, APDA Minutes: Sayed Shafiq Ahmad Multimedia Operator, APDA Venue: Afghan Peace and Democracy Act (APDA) Meeting Room, Kabul The meeting commenced at 02:10 pm with round table introduction at the APDA meeting room in Kabul and the participants were welcomed. Copy of the agenda was distributed around the table. Approval of the agendaThe following agenda along were unanimously approved.
Chairperson briefly presented activity of APDA as following: APDA from its establishing conducted several workshops, seminars in different fields regarding the new Afghan Constitution ,Do No Harm Peace Building, capacity building of civil society organizations, human rights especially raising overall awareness of NGOs activists students unions about child and women rights., computer trainings for the new staff of member NGOs,girls schools teachers and for some poor girls high schools students according to an agreement with the ministry of education.,APDA has close relations with the Kabul University students and we have trained a number of these students in computer programs, photography and video film production through the APDA multi media center Mr. Dominic from Alternatives Canada who is a film maker and specialist of photography has trained 90 trainees from APDA member NGOs and other organizations in filming and editing film in Final Cut pro Program and also some the produced films were released in Canadian Film website. APDA paved way for Afghan delegation to Participate in WSF for the first time in Mombay and this project was funded by NOVIB through Alternatives Canada. He also added beside of the project which was given by CIDA trough Alternatives, APDA also implemented a country wide research survey on “ Inter Action between Internal and External Actors” supported by World Support International organization based in Geneva Swiss. Mamound has briefed the participants regarding the APDA newsletter and APDA’s web portal which reflect and publish the APDA member NGOs fresh activities in the national and international level. Mr. Sayed Shafiq Ahmad added APDA trained Staff of SDF, AWEC, teachers and students of senior classes of Malalai , New Project Khair Khana, Zarghona, Mano Chihri girls High Schools and also some other student Introduced by the Ministry of Education to APDA. Mr. Dalili Executive Director, SDF:First of all he thanked APDA for lending its Editing unit and Film Camera to SDF for producing film of Ugliness of Fight and Beauty of Peace which was showed in Ariana Cinema recently.This film has attracted a huge number of visitors. Mr. Dalili has briefed the participants regarding the NGOs current identity and its status recognition by the government authorities. He urged the participants that the negative propaganda against all NGOs and civil society organizations will create misunderstanding amongst the Afghan population which could cause serious consequences for th security NGOs work in the country. Recently we were witness of the attacks on NGOs worker who working for the welfare of Afghans. Those NGOs which are not working according to their mandates and misuse funds should be differentiated from those working with very good performances. The NGOs and civil society organizations law should be passed as soon as possible. He informed the participants about his contacts with the high authorities on this regard. Mr. Dalili called the participants of the coordination meeting to work for the joint forum of NGOs and civil society organizations where a statement should be passed regarding the status of NGOs and its crucial role in peace building, reconstruction of the country and welfare of common Afghans. Abdul Wakil Sediqi Director ARRAO Advisor in MRRDThe statements against NGOs are an act against the current policies of the government. As you know the government is following the reasonable privatization of many sectors where the role of NGOs is very crucial. Without NGOs and civil society organizations how these policies will be implemented? Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai has announced that the private sector will play great and decisive role in the future socio-economical development of Afghanistan. We know that in the future socio-economical structure of the country the role of NGOs and civil society organizations will be very high. He added that he will contribute in the preparation of the joint statement of the NGOs forum. Mr. Hamed from Afghan Study Center added for issuing this statement as soon as possible. For the adoption of the statement we should encourage all NGOs and civil society organizations to take active part in the NGOs forum. Mr. Mamound urged the participants of the coordination meeting to actively prepare themselves for the joint NGOs forum. It should be very diversified and mostly authorized and representative forum or general gathering which could have influence on the government attitude regarding the NGOs. If we involve the majority active NGOs in the forum and through the national and international media make its coverage it will be an effective action from the NGOs side. We will start our work on the statement and make necessary arrangements for the coming NGOs forum. Ms. Aziza Jan from AWRC has expressed her pint of views regarding the women NGOs work and urged the participants that we have international support to defend our NGOs position in future. She urged the participants that her organization will take active part in the joint NGOs forum because work for the recognition of the national NGOs status and adoption of the drafted law should be expedited. Regarding the second item of the coordination meeting agenda the participants had the following discussion: Mr. Mamound has briefed that according to the Afghan delegates contacts with civil society organizations in India this was decided that the activists of the civil society organization “BGVS” which is mostly working for literacy on community base will have some trainings in Afghanistan. The BGVGS group will come on October 15, 2004 to Kabul to share their experience with Afghan Social Activists and will conduct some workshops for the capacity building of member NGOs and Governmental agencies. This group activities will be joined by Mr. Feroz Mehdi from Alternatives Canada as well who will come on the same dates to Kabul. Follow up of WSF programs:The chair briefed the participants:It was the first time that delegation of Afghanistan participated in WSF where thousands and thousands of delegates from world wide. Afghanistan was included for first time and more then 24 delegates gained huge experience during this forum. The participation of Afghan delegates was supported and funded by NOVIB through Alternatives Canada and Action Aid Afghanistan. We are now in the follow up stage of the WSF and some activities should be carried out regarding that forum. The follow up activities are the following “Follow up activities for the WSF held in Mumbai India January 2004
Strengthening Afghanistan’s social movements through regional experience sharing:
Marina Nawabi from Action Aid : “it is difficult to collect the delegates from our side because they are working in different areas in Afghanistan. We tried in past to have a general gathering with them but no one was available in the meeting”. Ms. Smurti from AAA has asked about the meeting agenda and its participants. She was of the opinion that this meeting should be not only for delegates of WSF but other people also should be invited to the meeting and they will share their experience which they have learned during the WSF. The Chair said that I will try to call all the delegates who were organized by APDA to participate in WSF. Also we will tray to make contacts with those delegates who were organized by AAA and went to WSF in January 2004. Mr. Dalili : “for the first time we didn’t know more about WSF and it was our first time experience which is very important. For the next time if we get the opportunity to participate we could make documentary films and other materials and make active participation”. The chair urged that the members NGOs are in the picture of the APDA activities because they can easily open the APDA’s website and get information about APDA activates. They APDA portal should be fed by the members’ activities and new contributions will enrich this portal. He also urged the members to send their monthly publications to APDA’s Documentation Center. The APDA multi media and documentation centers are ready for the member NGOs usage accordingly. The participants asked the chairperson to send list of the materials of Multimedia center and list of Books of documentation center again to the collective. Mr. Dalalili added that APDA’s representative should contact Asia Foundation to enrich the documentation center of APDA
The chair asked the members if they agree on having new members for APDA and contacting schools to introduce their students to the computer classes. He also discussed about the new groups to be added to the portal. Ms. Smruti Arvind from AAA has announced if the member NGOs agree we could work jointly for the elaborating joint stand regarding PRSP implementation and the policies of WB and IMF because these kind policies will affect the masses for whom the Afghan NGOs and civil society should have its concrete stand and position. She urged the participants that collaboration of national and International NGOs will enhance our position in issues which affect the common people life .Ms.Smruti Arvind said that she will prepare strategy paper for this purpose and will send it to the members of the coordination meeting. Ms. Smruti also announced about the fellowship programs which have been conducted by AAA .These fellowships are in the shape of trainings which include six Modules for two months research and one month field work. The participants of these fellowships have been paid by AAA..She welcomed the APDA member participation in these programs. Decisions of the coordination meeting:
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