Combating Family Based violence in Afghanistan

European Union Funded Project:

This 3-year project, funded by the European Union, was launched in January 2006. The project is implemented in Kabul city and the estimated direct beneficiaries are 384,750 women and 9,000 children.

The project aims to combat the physical, sexual and psycho-social aspects of Family Based Violence (FBV) and contributes to the promotion of social cohesion in Afghanistan by improving the care and support of victims of FBV – particularly women and children – and changing public perception of FBV and early marriage.

Project objectives:

To improve the care and support of victims of FBV – particularly women and children – in Kabul.
To change public perception of FBV and early marriage.

Key project activities:

Operating 12 Family Welfare Centres offering integrated FBV and reproductive health services.
Promoting a culture of non-violence through community mobilization activities, including working with community stakeholders like religious leaders, police and legal practitioners, and building capacity of service providers.
Increasing and sharing knowledge about family-based violence by undertaking research and disseminating the findings.
Developing strategic alliances and partnerships.

Family Welfare Resource Center

In the context of EU funded project, AFGA has established a Family Welfare Resource Centre in the Directorate of Women Affairs of Kabul city.

AFGA has signed an MoU with Ministry of Women Affairs (MoWA) on establishment of Family Welfare Resource Center (FWRC) at Directorate of Women Affairs of Kabul city during the first week of June. The Ministry of women affairs agrees to provide AFGA two rooms in the main building of mentioned directorate for operation of the FWRC. AFGA has renovated the rooms, equip and furnish it with required supplies. The staff including FWRC manager/teacher and one female cleaner hired for the Center. The Center inaugurated through an opening ceremony that EC delegation, MoWA representative, FBV implementing partners, representatives of NGOs and media were present. The EC delegation delivered opening remarks and took part in cutting the ribbon during opening of the center.

Opening of Family Welfare Resource Center:

The Resource Centre is open to all women and they will have access to awareness raising and training materials on women Health, Right and Family Based Violence. In addition the centre is the location of training of Family Welfare Promoters and Family based violence project related trainings and meetings.

AFGA abled to collect around 400 books and newsletter on women health , women rights , situation of women in Afghanistan and child rights for the Center . The books are donated by different partner organisations especially Cooperation Center for Afghanistan( CCA) and Right and Democracy organisations.

The Family Welfare Resource Centre was functional during the reporting period.
Totally 17 women borrow the books available (400 books on women health, women rights, situation of women in Afghanistan and child rights) in the resource centers during the reporting period.
Totally 836 (371 male and 465 female) different following categories of community members and AFGA staff attended in one- day sensitization training in the Center:

*Total*	*Female*	*Male*	*Participants*
92	92		Women Representatives
*118*	39	79	Police
*267*	230	37	School Teachers
*209*	21	188	Religious Leaders
*121*	54	67	Legal Practioner
29	29	0	AFGA Staff
836	465	371	Grand Total

The objectives of the sensitization were to enable the participants to define and understand key concept of Family- Based Violence, explain types, causes and consequences of Family-Based Violence and identify their role in the community for reducing violence.