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PROGRESS IN AFGHANISTAN Progress to date: Examples |  | A new Afghan constitution has restored the rule of law and respect for the human rights of every Afghan citizen |  | Two national elections have been held (presidential and parliamentary) 
UNAMA | | | The Afghan economy has tripled since 2001; per capita income has doubled | | | More than 7 million children have been vaccinated against polio; more than 4 million against childhood diseases 
Pedram Pirnia/CIDA | | | 2,500 villages have electricity for the first time | | | 300,000 Afghans (72% women) have received microfinance business loans 
Roger Lemoyne/CIDA | | | The Afghan National Forces and Afghan National Police are receiving training and working alongside NATO military forces to provide security | | | Over five million children (one third girls) now go to school compared to 700,000 (no girls) in 2001 
Roger Lemoyne/CIDA | | | 4,000 houses and shelters have been rebuilt | | | 190,000 land mines have been defused and removed 
Pedram Pirnia/CIDA | | | Local governance has been strengthened through the election of 16,000 Community Development Councils in rural villages | | | 6,000 kilometres of roads have been built and repaired 
Roger Lemoyne/CIDA | | | 4.6 million refugees have returned to Afghanistan |
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Canada’s mission in Afghanistan is an integrated approach which includes security, development and governance. The following are examples of progress made in these areas by Afghanistan, Canada and its international partners: Women Education Health Economic and social development Assistance and community-led development Security Clearance of mines Women Through the National Solidarity Program, created by the Government of Afghanistan to encourage rural development, women sit on Community Development Councils in some 17,000 villages throughout the country – roughly half of all Afghan villages. Five years ago women had no voice in public life. A new Canadian-led project is enabling 1,500 women to develop home-based fruit and vegetable gardens to supplement family diets and generate income. Education Over five million children (one-third girls) now go to school compared to 700,000 (no girls) in 2001, while 363,000 teachers have been provided with teaching material. Since 85% of women and 57% of men lack basic reading and writing skills the Government of Afghanistan has launched a literacy program. Through UNICEF, Canada is supporting programs towards basic reading, writing and arithmetic skills for 4,600 Afghans in Kandahar. Led by the Afghan Ministry of Education, Canada is helping to implement a girls’ education project which will establish up to 4,000 community-based schools, after-school learning programs and provide training for 9,000 new female school teachers. In 11 of the 34 provinces, 120,000 schoolchildren (85% are girls) are benefiting from these programs. Health Canada has assisted in the immunization of more than seven million Afghan children. As part of a polio eradication initiative, millions have already been vaccinated. A $5 million contribution made in October 2006 is supporting the immunization of 350,000 children in Kandahar province. Women’s Wellness Diagnostic Kits were distributed to Kandahar University’s Medical Program. The PRT also donated medical supplies and linens to the Afghan National Police hospital in Kandahar. Economic and social development Microfinance programs have allowed more than 300,000 Afghans (72% women) to start their own businesses such as tailor shops, grocery stores, or buy land and animals to better support themselves and their families. Canada is the leading donor country to this initiative, having contributed $40 million since the program began in 2003. Assistance and community-led development
Along with international partners and the Afghanistan government, our contribution has helped Afghans elect 16,000 community-led development councils. More than 22,000 community improvement projects have been completed or are in progress. The Canadian Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) supports the 470 Kandahar Community Development Councils. The Canadian PRT in Kandahar is providing assistance in a number of areas, including: Kandahar Emergency food and non-food aid ($13.4 million) and Village medical outreach clinics; Province-wide community development projects in all 17 Kandahar Province districts ($200,000 per district); Integrated Alternative Livelihoods Programs; Kandahar City Street light project (188 lights); Four large water reservoirs supplying much needed water to the area and residents, another 55 pipe schemes of water networks have been constructed benefiting 1.3 million Afghans; 100 km of irrigation canals have been rehabilitated; A network of provincial roads and electrical grids have been repaired, resulting in 150 km of new roads and bridges, 50 km of electricity lines, 10 transformers, and 42 generators. In Kandahar, more than $12,000 in “cash for work” projects to clear irrigation canals and pick up rubble and garbage, has been provided as temporary relief for those who have had their livelihoods disrupted. Security Canada is investing $10 million to help pay the salaries of Afghan National Police officers. In Kandahar, for example, 470 sets of body armour and 1,500 work uniforms, winter coats and boots, flashlights, belts and gloves have been distributed to police officers allowing them to be readily identified by the public. Efforts have been dedicated to build or renovate provincial police headquarters, police stations, and highway check-points. Twelve new Toyota pick-up trucks were donated to the Afghan National Police (ANP). Military Police assisted ANP leadership in developing their policing capacity in order to establish good governance, security and stability and strategic reconstruction in Kandahar. Working closely with Afghan Security Forces, the PRT has dispatched its Quick Reaction Force more than 40 times since February 2006 in reaction to sensitive situations and incidents or when Coalition Forces requested its assistance. Clearance of mines
Despite progress made over the past 15 years, Afghanistan is heavily contaminated with explosive remnants. The goal of making Afghanistan free of mines and unexploded ordnance takes on greater significance considering an average of 60 Afghans are killed or injured by mines every month - half of those victims are under the age of 18. Demining activities such as minefield survey and clearance, stockpile destruction, mine risk education, victim assistance and capacity building, are ongoing. This is happening in Kandahar Province and across Afghanistan to open up more land for agriculture, pasture and housing. The objective is to reduce by 70 percent the land area contaminated by mines and unexploded ordnance - estimated at 720 million square metres - by the end of 2010. Along with our international partners, Canada assisted with the opening of a new Ammunition Technician Officer School. The school, which opened in August, involves the control and management of ammunition depots and facilities. The PRT has also developed a small rewards program which encourages the local population to turn in ammunition so it can be disposed of properly. |
