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June 2010

Setting the Right Priorities:

Protecting Children Affected by Armed Conflict in Afghanistan

Watchlist Mission StatementThe Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict strives to end violations against children in armed conflicts and to guarantee their rights. As a global network, Watchlist builds partnerships among local, national and international nongovernmental organizations, enhancing mutual capacities and strengths. Working together, we strategically collect and disseminate information on violations against children in conflicts in order to influence key decision makers to create and implement programs and policies that effectively protect children.

Watchlist works within the framework of the provisions adopted in UN Security Council Resolutions 1261, 1314, 1379, 1460, 1539, 1612, 1882, the principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its protocols and other internationally adopted human rights and humanitarian standards.

General supervision of Watchlist is provided by a Steering Committee of international nongovernmental organizations known for their work with children and human rights. The views presented in this report do not represent the views of any one organization in the network or the Steering Committee.

For further information about Watchlist or specific reports, or to share information about children in a particular conflict situation, please contact:

[email protected] www.watchlist.org

Photo CreditsCover Photo: Mats Lignell/Save the Children

Please Note: The people represented in the photos in this report are not necessarily themselves victims or survivors of human rights violations or other abuses.

June 2010

Setting the Right Priorities:

Protecting Children Affected by Armed Conflict in Afghanistan

Setting the Right Priorities: Protecting Children Affected by Armed Conflict in Afghanistanii

Notes on Methodology. InformationcontainedinthisreportiscurrentthroughMarch1,2010.. Thisreportprimarilyreflectsinformationdrawnfromsecondarysourcesavailableinthepublic

domain.Informationiscollectedthroughanextensivenetworkoforganizationsthatworkwithchildrenaroundtheworld.Analysisisprovidedbyamultidisciplinaryteamofpeoplewithexpertiseand/orexperienceintheparticularcontext.Somesourcesareconfidentialandarenotlistedtoprotecttheirsafety.Whencitingthisreport,informationshouldbeattributedtotheoriginalsourcetotheextentpossible.. Duetoinsecurityandaccessrestrictions,thereislimitedinformationonthehumanrightsandhumanitariansituationintheareasofongoingarmedconflict.. ThereportdealsmainlywithAfghanistanbutmanyoftheprotectionconcernsareinfactoccurringalongtheAfghanistan-Pakistanborderanddemandacross-borderorregionalapproach.Informationonthesecross-borderconcernsislimitedduetoaccessrestrictions.

Notes on Terminology. ThereportfollowstheUNdefinitionofeightregionsinAfghanistan:centralhighlands,eastern,

southeastern,southern,western,northern,andnortheastern,andthecapitalregionaroundKabul.. AfghanistanusesthePersiancalendarwhosedatesdonotcorrespondtotheGregoriancalendar,theinternationallyacceptedcivilcalendar.ThisreportusestheGregoriancalendardatesandalsoincludesthePersiancalendardatesiftheywereprovidedintheoriginalsourcepublication,e.g.1387(2008-2009).. AfghanSecurityForcescomprisethearmy,thearmyaircorpsandthenationalpolice.

Important Updates. OnMarch22,2010,theUNSecurityCouncil,initsResolution1917,extendedthemandateofthe

UnitedNationsAssistanceMissioninAfghanistan(UNAMA)foroneyearthroughMarch23,2011.ThenewmandaterepeatedtheCouncil’scallfortheimplementationofSecurityCouncilResolutions(SCR)1612(2005)andSCR1882(2009)onchildrenandarmedconflictanditsrequesttotheSecretary-GeneraltofurtherstrengthenthechildprotectioncomponentofUNAMA,inparticularthroughtheappointmentofchildprotectionadvisors.. TheMarjahoffensive,ajointAfghan-NATOmilitaryoperationthattookplaceinFebruary2010,wasintendedtoserveasatestingcaseforNATO’snewstrategytofocusonprotectingciviliansincounterinsurgencyefforts.Despitetheseefforts,TheAfghanRedCrescentSociety(ARCS)estimatedthat35 civilianshaddiedandanadditional37wereinjuredduringthemilitaryoperation.Surveysamong400menfromMarjah,LashkarGahandKandaharalsoindicatethattheoffensivenegativelyimpactedlocalperceptionsofNATOforces,accordingtotheInternationalCouncilonSecurityandDevelopment(ICOS).. WatchlistreportnotesthattherehadbeenareductionofciviliancasualtiesbyinternationalmilitaryforcesinAfghanistanfrom2008to2009.OnMay12,2010,theU.S.DepartmentofDefenseannouncedthatthenumberofcivilianskilledbyU.S.andNATOforceshadincreasedby76percent(to90reportedciviliandeaths)fromJanuarytoApril2010comparedtothesameperiodin2009(51deaths).TheU.S.governmentattributesthisrisetothestepped-upeffortsinthewaragainsttheTaliban,accordingtoReuters,“CiviliansCasualtiesRisinginAfghanistan,”May12,2010.TheU.S.DepartmentofDefensedidnotcommentonthepercentageofchildrenkilledbyinternationalmilitaryforces.

Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflictiii

Table of ContentsList of Acronyms ............................................................................................. 1

Indicators ........................................................................................................ 3

International Standards ................................................................................. 4

Executive Summary ........................................................................................ 5

Context ............................................................................................................ 8

Major Armed Conflicts ................................................................................................... 8

International Efforts for Peace and Security ............................................................ 8

The Return to Violence................................................................................................... 8

Rebuilding the Country ................................................................................................. 9

Humanitarian Access .................................................................................... 11

Deterioration of Humanitarian Access ....................................................................11

Violating Humanitarian Principles ...........................................................................11

Killing and Maiming ..................................................................................... 13

Military and Other Attacks .........................................................................................13

Assistance to Survivors and Impunity for Perpetrators .......................................13

Children Living with Disabilities ...............................................................................14

Refugees and IDPs ........................................................................................ 16

Internally Displaced Persons ......................................................................................16

Refugees ..........................................................................................................................16

Health ............................................................................................................ 19

Access to Services..........................................................................................................19

Maternal Death and Reproductive Health .............................................................20

Infectious Diseases .......................................................................................................20

Malnutrition ...................................................................................................................21

Water and Sanitation ..................................................................................................21

Drug Addiction ..............................................................................................................21

Psycho-Social Disorders ..............................................................................................21

HIV/AIDS ........................................................................................................ 23

The Spread of HIV/AIDS ...............................................................................................23

Treatment and Care .....................................................................................................23

Education ...................................................................................................... 24

School Enrollment and Attendance .........................................................................24

Monitoring and Reporting on Attacks ....................................................................24

Attacks against Schools, School Children and Teachers .....................................24

Protecting Schools from Attacks ...............................................................................25

Conflict-Related Barriers to Education ....................................................................25

Abduction ..................................................................................................... 28

Setting the Right Priorities: Protecting Children Affected by Armed Conflict in Afghanistaniv

Gender-Based Violence ................................................................................ 29

Prevalence of Gender-Based Violence .....................................................................29

Silence and Impunity ...................................................................................................29

Lack of Services for GBV Survivors ............................................................................29

Child Soldiers ................................................................................................ 32

Recruitment by Afghan Security Forces ..................................................................32

Recruitment by Private and Auxiliary Forces .........................................................32

Recruitment by the Taliban and Other Armed Opposition Groups ..................32

Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration for Children .......................33

Detention of Children Formerly Associated with Armed Groups ......................33

Small Arms .................................................................................................... 35

Scope of the Problem ...................................................................................................35

Disarmament Efforts ...................................................................................................35

Landmines and Explosive Remnants of War .............................................. 37

Scale of Contamination and Impacts ......................................................................37

Demining and Mine Risk Education .........................................................................37

Other Violations and Vulnerabilities ........................................................... 39

Child Labor .....................................................................................................................39

Exploitation and Trafficking ......................................................................................39

Illegal and Arbitrary Arrest of Children....................................................................40

UN Security Council Actions ........................................................................ 41

UNSC Resolutions on Children and Armed Conflict .............................................41

UNSC Actions on Afghanistan ...................................................................................41

Implementation of UNSC Resolutions on Children and Armed Conflict in Afghanistan .........................................................................41

The UN Security Council Working Group on CAC .................................................42

Endnotes ....................................................................................................... 45

Sources .......................................................................................................... 50

Map of Afghanistan ...................................................................................... 53

Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict1

List of AcronymsAI AmnestyInternationalACBAR AgencyCoordinatingBodyforAfghanReliefAIHRC AfghanIndependentHumanRightsCommissionANDS AfghanistanNationalDevelopmentStrategyANSO AfghanistanNGOSafetyOfficeAREU AfghanistanResearchandEvaluationUnitARV AntiretroviralTreatmentBPHS BasicPackagesofHealthServicesCAC ChildrenandArmedConflictCAAC ChildrenaffectedbyArmedConflictCEDAW UNCommitteeontheEliminationofDiscriminationAgainstWomenCIVIC CampaignforInnocentVictimsinConflictCPA ChildProtectionAdvisorCPAN ChildProtectionActionNetworkCTFMRM CountryTaskForceontheMonitoringandReportingMechanismDIAG DisbandmentofIllegalArmedGroupERW ExplosiveRemnantsofWarFATA FederallyAdministeredTribalAreasFRU FamilyResponseUnitGBV Gender-BasedViolenceGOA GovernmentofAfghanistanHAP HumanitarianActionPlanforAfghanistanHRW HumanRightsWatchICG InternationalCrisisGroupICRC InternationalCommitteeoftheRedCrossIDMC InternalDisplacementMonitoringCentreIDPs InternallyDisplacedPersonsIEC IndependentElectionCommissionIED ImprovisedExplosiveDeviceILO InternationalLabourOrganizationINGO InternationalNongovernmentalOrganizationISAF InternationalSecurityAssistanceForceMACCA MineActionCoordinationCentreofAfghanistanMoU MemorandumofUnderstandingMRE MineRiskEducationMRM MonitoringandReportingMechanismMSF MédecinsSansFrontièresNATO NorthAtlanticTreatyOrganizationNDS NationalDirectorateforSecurityNGO NongovernmentalOrganizationNLD NationalLeagueforDemocracyNSAG Non-StateArmedGroupsNWFP NorthWestFrontierProvinceOCHA UNOfficefortheCoordinationofHumanitarianAffairsOEF OperationEnduringFreedomOHCHR OfficeoftheHighCommissionerforHumanRightsPRT ProvincialReconstructionTeamsRI RefugeesInternationalSCR UNSecurityCouncilResolutionSCWG-CAC UNSecurityCouncilWorkingGrouponChildrenandArmedConflictSOP StandardOperatingProcedureSRSG SpecialRepresentativeoftheSecretary-GeneralSRSG-CAC SpecialRepresentativeonChildrenandArmedConflictUN UnitedNations

Setting the Right Priorities: Protecting Children Affected by Armed Conflict in Afghanistan2

UNAMA UNAssistanceMissioninAfghanistanUNDP UNDevelopmentProgrammeUNDSS UNDepartmentofSafetyandSecurityUNHCR UNHighCommissionerforRefugeesUNICEF UNChildren’sFundUNIFEM UNDevelopmentFundforWomenUNODC UNOfficeonDrugsandCrimeUNSC UNSecurityCouncilUSDA UnionSolidarityandDevelopmentAssociationUSFOR-A U.S.ForcesAfghanistanUSDOS U.S.DepartmentofStateUXO UnexplodedOrdnanceWHO WorldHealthOrganization


IndicatorsINDICATORS Afghanistan

Population 23.8millionpeoplein2005;1asof2008,46.5%wereyoungerthan142

Gross National Income (GNI) per Capita

US$466in2008(UNStatisticsDivision)

Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)

AsoftheendofDecember2009,anestimated297,000IDPsinAfghanistan,including161,000childrenAsofJanuary2010,approximately1.6millionregisteredrefugeesinPakistan,includingabout1.18millionchildren,andapproximately1millionregisteredrefugeesinIran,including345,000children3

Infant Mortality 165/1,000in20084

HIV/AIDS Afghanistan’sNationalAIDSControlProgramregistered559casesasofNovember2009;UNAIDSandWHOputthenumberofreportedcasesmuchhigherat1,000to2,000.5

Education Estimated74%nationalnetenrollmentrateforboysand46%forgirls6;only11%ofboysand5%ofgirlsenrolledinprimaryschoolcontinueontograde12.7

Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Rapeisa“widespreadphenomenon”thataffectswomen,boysandgirls.Actsofsexualviolencearecommittedbyarmedgroupsorcriminalgangsaswellasfamilymembers,guardiansorcaretakers.Asaresultofthetaboosurroundingtheissue,therearefewpubliclyreportedcasesandnocomprehensiveorofficialdataavailableonrapeandgender-basedviolence.8

Childmarriageisalsocommon,withnearlyhalfofallmarriagesinvolvingboysandgirlsundertheageof18.9

Trafficking TraffickingofchildrenwithinthecountryandintoPakistanandIranisaseriousconcern;somechildrenareexploitedbyarmedgroupsorcriminalgangstocarryoutillegalactivitiessuchassmuggling.10

Landmines and Explosive Remnants of War (ERW)

AsofDecember2009,therewere630km2ofmine-affectedland;734recordedinstancesofchildreninjuredorkilledbylandminesandotherexplosivesin2008and2009;626weremalesand105females.11

Small Arms Estimatesfornumbersofsmallarmsrangefrom1.5millionto10million;12nostatisticaldataisavailableonchildreninjuredorkilledbysmallarms.

Child Soldiers AfghanSecurityForcesandarmedoppositiongroupshaverecruitedanunknownnumberofchildrenthroughoutthecountry.Mostofthereportedcasesofchildrecruitmentinnationalsecurityforceswereduetopoorbirthregistrationsystems,weakageverification,andtherisingdemandforpoliceandsoldiers.Armedgroupshaverecruitedchildrentobeusedasfighters,campguardsorsuicidebombers,particularlyalongtheAfghanistan-Pakistanborder.13

Abductions and Disappearances

Mostcasesofabductionanddisappearancearerelatedtotraffickingbycriminalnetworks;thereissomeconfirmedinformationofchildrenabductedortransferredtoPakistanwheretheyhavereceivedmilitarytraining.14

Attacks on Humanitarian and Human Rights Workers

Afghanistanrepresentsoneofthemostviolentenvironmentsforaidworkers,especiallynationalstaff,worldwide.15Areported19NGOstaffandatleast11UNstaffwerekilledin2009.16

Please note: DuetoextremelylimitedaccesstocertainareasofAfghanistan,especiallywhereactivefightingistakingplace,thereisaseveregapinreliablenationwidedata.Thegenerallackofsocio-economicanddemographicdataisfurthercompoundedbyweakinstitutionalandtechnicalcapacitiestoproduceinformation.


International Treaties Signed (S)/ Ratified (R)/ Acceded (A) (Year)

International Treaties Not Signed

•ConventionontheRightsoftheChild(R,1994)

•OptionalProtocoltotheConventionontheRightsoftheChildontheinvolvementofchildreninarmedconflict(A,2003)

•OptionalProtocoltotheConventionontheRightsoftheChildonthesaleofchildren,childprostitutionandchildpornography(A,2002)

•TheGenevaConventionsI,II,IIIandIVof1949(R,1956)

•ProtocolIoftheGenevaConventions,RelatingtotheProtectionofVictimsofInternationalConflicts(A,2009)

•ProtocolIIoftheGenevaConventions,relatingtotheProtectionofVictimsofNon-InternationalArmedConflicts(A,2009).

•ConventiononthePreventionandPunishmentoftheCrimeofGenocide(A,1956)

•ConventionontheEliminationofAllFormsofDiscriminationagainstWomen(R,2003)

•InternationalCovenantonEconomic,SocialandCulturalRights(A,1983)

•ConventionagainstTortureandOtherCruel,InhumanorDegradingTreatmentorPunishment(R,1987)

•InternationalCovenantonCivilandPoliticalRights(A,1983)

•ConventionRelatingtotheStatusofRefugees(A,2005)

•ProtocolRelatingtotheStatusofRefugees(A,2005)

•ConventionontheProhibitionoftheUse,Stockpiling,ProductionandTransferofAnti-PersonnelMinesandontheirDestruction(A2002)

•ConventiononClusterMunitions(S,2008)

•RomeStatuteoftheInternationalCriminalCourt(A,2003)

•ProtocolIIIoftheGenevaConventions,relatingtotheAdoptionofanAdditionalDistinctiveEmblem

•ILOConvention182ontheWorstFormsofChildLabor

•ProtocolagainsttheIllicitManufacturingofandTraffickinginFirearms,TheirPartsandComponentsandAmmunition,supplementingtheUnitedNationsConventionagainstTransnationalOrganizedCrime

•OptionalProtocoltotheConventionagainstTortureandOtherCruel,InhumanorDegradingTreatmentorPunishment

•InternationalLabourOrganization(ILO)Convention29onForcedLabor

•ILOConvention87onFreedomofAssociationandRighttoOrganize

•ProtocoltoPrevent,SuppressandPunishTraffickinginPersons,EspeciallyWomenandChildren,supplementingtheUnitedNationsConventionagainstTransnationalOrganizedCrime

UN Security Council Actions Relating to Children and Armed Conflict in Afghanistan

UNSecurityCouncilResolutionsonAfghanistan TheUNSecurityCouncilpassed27resolutionsonAfghanistanbetween2001andMarch1,2010ofwhichsixspecificallyreferredtochildren.Theseare1419(2002),1833(2008),1806(2008),1868(2009),1890(2009)

UNSecurityCouncilResolutionsonChildrenandArmedConflict(CAC)

1882(August2009);1612(July2005),1539(April2004),1460(January2003),1379(November2001),1314(August2000),1261(August1999)

UNSecurityCouncilWorkingGroupConclusionsonCACinAfghanistan

S/AC.51/2009/1(July2009)

International Standards17


Executive Summary

Children bear the brunt of the ongoing armed conflict in Afghanistan. In2009,atleast346childrenwerekilledinaerialstrikesandsearch-and-raidoperationsbyinternationalspecialforcesaswellasbyassassinationsandsuicidebombingsbyanti-governmentelements.Inaddition,landmines,explosiveremnantsofwarandotherexplosiveshavekilledorseverelyinjuredhundredsofchildren,particularlyboyswhoplayoutside,tendanimals,orcollectfood,waterorwood.Armedgroupshavealsodamagedanddestroyedschools,targetingstudents(especiallygirls),teachersandotherswhoareseenassupportiveofAfghanistan’seducationsystem.

ThousandsofAfghanfamilieshavebeenforcedtofleetheirhomesduetoarmedconflictandeconomichard-ships.Morethanhalfofthecountry’sinternallydisplaced–approximately161,000people–arechildren;anaddi-tional1.5millionchildrenarerefugeesinPakistanandIran.

Despitesomeprogressinexpandingbasichealthservicestoawidepopulation,infantandmaternalmortalityisalarminglyhigh.Afghanistanremainstheworstplaceintheworldforanewbornchild,accordingtochildprotectionagencies.

Current strategies of the Afghan government and its international supporters – though aimed at protecting civilians - have largely neglected the specific needs of children affected by armed conflict. Thisreluctancetocommittotheprotectionofchildrenisreflectedinpolicyandfundingdecisions.TheLondonConference18communiquéofJanuary2010whichservedasthe“roadmap”toaddresssecurity,governanceandeconomicconcernsinAfghanistanoverthenextfiveyears,didnotrefertochildren’sneedsdespitethesevereimpactthatitsdecisions,suchasplannedoffersofamnestyto

Talibansoldiers,willhaveontheirsecurity.OnlyonechildprotectionadvisorhasbeenstationedattheUnited NationsAssistanceMissioninAfghanistan(UNAMA),despiterepeatedcallsbytheUNSecurityCounciltoallocatemoreresourcestobolsterUNAMA’schildprotectioncapacity.

Keydecisionmakershavealsoneglectedtheadviceofchildprotectionagencies.Duringthe2009presidentialelectionforinstance,Afghanistan’sIndependentElectionCommissionignoredrepeatedwarningsofUNagencies,nongovernmentalorganizationsandsomegovernmentalagenciesnottousehealthfacilitiesandschoolbuildingsaspollingstations.Thisdisregardultimatelyresultedinmultipleattacksonschoolsandhospitals.

The protection of children’s rights should not be limited to “safe“ areas, or stop at Afghanistan’s borders. In2009,approximately43percentofthecountrywascutofffromhumanitarianassistance,particularlyintheconflict-affectedsouth,southeastandpartsofthewest.Limitedaccessresultedinthousandsofchildrenmissingoutonurgentlyrequiredservicesofferedvianationalhealthandeducationcampaigns.

ThelackofaccessduetoinsecurityhasalsoseverelyhamperedtheworkoftheUN-ledMonitoringandReportingMechanism(MRM)inAfghanistanwhichwassetuptoaddressthesixgraveviolationsagainstChildrenandArmedConflict(CAC)inaccordancewithUNSecurityCouncilResolutions1612and1882,whichincludekillingormaimingofchildren,abductions,recruitmentoruseofchildsoldiers,attacksagainstschoolsandhospitals,rapeorothergravesexualviolenceagainstchildren,andthedenialofhumanitarianaccesstochildren.

Inaddition,thereisinsufficientinformationavailableontheextentofviolationsthatarecross-borderinnature,includingchildrecruitmentortraffickingandtheexploita-tionofchildrentosmuggledrugsorillegalgoods.Inordertoholdperpetratorsoftheseviolationsaccountableandto


providemoresystematicresponsestochildren,protectionactorsshouldmakeaconcertedefforttoengagewithallpartiestoconflict,concernedgovernmentsandlocalcommunities.

Theprotectionofwar-affectedchildrenmeritsspecialattentionandmustbemadeastrategicpriorityastheAfghangovernment,withsupportfromtheinternationalcommunity,laysoutplanstobringlastingpeaceandstabilitytothecountry.

ThefollowingarekeyrecommendationsfromWatchlist’sreport:

1. Ensure that the protection of children from conflict-related violence becomes a top priority in policy and funding decisions on Afghanistan

The Government of Afghanistan (GoA) and its international supportersshouldsetspecificbenchmarksonchildprotectionagainstwhichprogresscanbemeasured.Thiscouldincludedevelopingan“AgendaforChildrenAffectedbyArmedConflict”alongthelinesoftheAfghanistanCompact,whichsetsoutspecificgoalsforthenextfiveyearsandestablishesacoordinationmechanismtoensureimplementationandmonitoringofthisplan.

The UN Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict (SCWG-CAC)shouldensurethatcoreconcernsrelatingtochildrenaffectedbyarmedconflictarereflectedinthetermsofreferenceoftheupcomingSecurityCouncilfieldvisitplannedformid-2010.ThisincludesfollowinguponthecommitmentsmadebytheGoAandinternationalmilitaryforcestotheSpecialRepresentativeonChildrenandArmedConflict(SRSG-CAC)duringherrecentvisit.

The UN Secretary-GeneralshouldensuretheimmediatedeploymentofadditionalchildprotectionadvisersthroughoutthecountryinanefforttostrengthenthechildprotectioncomponentofUNAMA,asrecommendedbytheUNSecurityCouncil.

The SCWG-CAC and relevant donorsshouldrequestaninformationalbriefingwithchildprotectionactorsandcivilsocietyrepresentativesinordertobetterunderstandtheroleofcommunity-basedmecha-nismsinAfghanistantopreventattacksagainstschools,andhowtobettersupporttheseinitiatives.

The SCWG-CACshouldrequestanindependentassessmentoftheimpactofprojectsthatarefundedoroperatedbyProvincialReconstructionTeams(PRTs)onthesecurityandwell-beingofchildreninAfghanistan.TheassessmentshouldexplorealternativewaystoassistchildrenlivinginareasthatarenotaccessiblebyUNagenciesorNGOs.

DonorsshouldfollowtheGoodHumanitarianDonorshipPrinciplessothatfundingisallocatedinproportiontotheneedsofthemostvulnerablepopulations,includingchildren,andnottofurtherpoliticalgoals.

2. Take effective measures to prevent violations against children in armed conflict and end impunity for perpetrators

Non-state armed groupsshouldimmediatelyhaltallviolationsperpetratedagainstthesecurityandrightsofAfghanchildren.

Haltallsuicideandimprovisedexplosivedevice(IED)attacksonciviliantargets.

Refrainfromattacksandthreatsofattacksagainstschools,teachers,educationstaff,studentsandparentsatthelocalandnationallevel.

Stopoperatingoutofschoolsandothercivilianfacilities,andendtheuseofhumansasshields.

The GoA and international military forcesshouldensurethatsystemsforinvestigatingallegedviolationsagainstciviliansaretransparent,timelyandindependentlymonitored.Theresultsoftheseinvestigationsshouldbepubliclysharedandincludedatadisaggregatedbyageoncombatantandciviliancasualties.

All parties to the conflictshouldfullycooperatewiththeCountryTaskForceontheMonitoringandReportingMechanism(CTFMRM)toprepareandimplementactionplanstoendtherecruitmentanduseofchildsoldiers,rapeandothergraveactsofsexualviolenceandkillingandmaimingofchildreninlinewithUNSecurityCouncilResolutions1540,1612and1882.Commandersshouldequallyworktowardshaltingallviolationsagainstchildren.


The GoAshouldrepealthereconciliationandgeneralamnestylawandholdallperpetratorsofviolationsagainstcivilians,includingchildren,accountableinaccordancewithnationalandinternationallaw.

The GoAshouldunderallcircumstancesavoidtheuseofeducationandhealthfacilitiesintheupcomingelectionsandforotherpoliticalpurposes.

The GoAshouldadapttheEliminationofViolenceagainstWomenActtoincludeadefinitionofrapethatcomplieswithinternationalstandardsandbringsperpetratorstojusticeinaccordancewithUNSecurityCouncilResolutions1820and1888.

The GoAshouldcriminalizechildrecruitmentandtheuseofchildsoldiers,andactivelyprosecutethosewhoexploitchildrenassoldiers.TheGoAshouldworkcloselywithUNagenciestorefineagedeterminationproceduresandgrantfullaccesstoalltraininganddetentionfacilities,includingthoseoftheNationalDirectorateofSecurity(NDS),formonitoringpurposes.

3. Strengthen monitoring, reporting and response on all violations committed against children, including those committed in Afghanistan’s conflict zones and across its borders

The UN Country Team in Afghanistan,underthededicatedleadershipoftheSpecialRepresentativeoftheSecretary-GeneralforAfghanistan(SRSG),shouldcommitstaffandresourcestoprioritizechildprotectionwithintheirrespectiveagencies,includingthefullimplementationofSecurityCouncilResolutions1612and1882throughoutthecountry.

The Country Task Force on the Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism (CTFMRM)shouldworkwithallpartiestotheconflicttocapturecriticalinforma-tionthatcouldpreventviolationsagainstchildrenandmoreeffectivelyassistsurvivors,includingmonitoringearlywarningsignsaswellasthecircumstancessurroundingtheattacksandtheirimpact.Quarterlyreportsfromtheirevaluationsshouldbeusedtotracktrendsandinformevidence-basedadvocacy.

DonorsshouldsupportstrengtheningthecapacityofChildProtectionActionNetworks(CPAN),whichconsistofgovernmentalandnongovernmentalorganizationsinAfghanistan,torespondmoreeffectivelytoviolationsagainstchildren.

The SCWG-CACshouldrequesttheUNHighCommissionerforRefugees(UNHCR)and/ortheRepresentativeoftheSecretary-Generalonthehumanrightsofinternallydisplacedpersons(IDPs)toleadastudytodeterminevulnerabilitiesandrisksfordisplacedandrefugeechildrenfromAfghanistan.Thestudy’sfindingswouldbethefirststeptowardsenactingacomprehensiveactionplantofinddurablesolutionsfordisplacedchildrenfromAfghanistan.

The Government of PakistanshouldinvitetheSpecialRepresentativeonChildrenandArmedConflict(SRSG-CAC)toconductamissioninPakistantoidentifypotentialwaystoimprovecoordinationinending“cross-borderviolations”thatimpactchildrenaffectedbyarmedconflictsuchasthedrugtrade,traffickingandsmallarmstrade.

The Secretary-GeneralshouldrequesttheUNCountryTeamsinAfghanistanandPakistan,undertheleadershipoftheSRSG-CAC,toestablishaUNregionalstrategytocontributeactivelytotheprotectionofchildrenaffectedbycross-borderviolations.

The UN Country Team in PakistanshouldestablishaWorkingGrouponChildrenaffectedbyArmedConflicttomoreeffectivelyaddresstheconcernsofAfghanrefugeechildren,andcooperatewiththeCTFMRMandotherchildprotectionagenciesinAfghanistantoaddressissuesofcommonconcern,includingcross-borderrecruitmentofchildsoldiersandtrafficking.

The Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC)shouldcoordinatecloselywiththeindependentHumanRightsCommissionofPakistan(HRCP)toconductjointmonitoringandreportingalongtheircommonborderareas.

Executive Summary


Context

Major Armed ConflictsIn1979attheheightoftheColdWar,SovietforcesinvadedAfghanistantofightaproxywar.AfterthewithdrawaloftheSovietforcesin1989,factionalfightingamongvariousarmedgroupscontinueduntil1996,whenthecapital,Kabul,wastakenbytheTaliban,afundamentalistIslamicgroup.By2001,theTalibancontrolled90percentofthecountryandimposedanewregimebasedonthestrictestversionofSharia,orIslamiclaw,denyingbasicrightstowomenandchildren,includingaccesstoeducation,andsubjectingthemtocruelpunishments.

FollowingtheterroristattacksofSeptember11,2001,aU.S.-ledcoalitionintervenedinAfghanistanandwiththeNorthernAlliance,anAfghanoppositionarmedgroup,soonremovedtheTaliban,whichhadharboredAlQaeda,aterroristnetwork,frompower.Thisinterventioninitiatedaprocessofpolitical,securityandsocialreformsaimedatestablishingademocraticallyelectedAfghangovernmentandrebuildingpeaceinthesocietyafternearlythreedecadesofwar.

International Efforts for Peace and SecurityTheBonnAgreementofDecember2001laidthefoundationforAfghanistan’sfuturegovernment,whichledtotheestablishmentofatransitionalauthorityin2001,theadoptionofanewconstitutionin2004,andpresidentialandparliamentaryelectionsin2005.InordertosupporttheAfghanSecurityForcestomaintainsecurity,theUNSecurityCouncilauthorizedmemberstatestoformtheInternationalSecurityAssistanceForce(ISAF),whichoperatesunderChapterVIIoftheUNCharter.Since2003,ISAFhasbeenledbyNATOandasofMarch5,2010,iscomprisedofapproximately89,480troopsfrom44differentcountries.Moretroopsareanticipatedtoarriveinthefirsthalfof2010,bringingthetotalnumberofISAFtroopstoabout100,000.InadditiontoISAF,atleast12,000mostlyU.S.forcesaredeployedalongtheAfghanistan-Pakistan

borderunderthemandateofOperationEnduringFreedom(OEF),ajointU.S.,UKandAfghanoperation.Allinterna-tionalmilitaryforcesoperatinginAfghanistan–whetherunderISAForOEF–areplacedundertheoperationalcontroloftheU.S.ForcesAfghanistan(USFOR-A).Linkedtothesemilitaryefforts,ISAFmemberstateshavealsodeployed26ProvincialReconstructionTeams(PRTs)inAfghanistan,whichincludemilitaryandciviliancompo-nentstofacilitatedevelopment,reconstructionandgovernanceeffortsinvariouspartsofAfghanistan.

Since2002,theUNAssistanceMissioninAfghanistan(UNAMA)hasbeenmandatedbytheSecurityCounciltosupportthegovernmenttobuildpeacethroughthepromotionofhumanrights,reconstructionanddevelop-ment.UNAMAworksasan“integrated”mission,meaningthatitaimstoaddressdevelopmentandhumanitarianissues,aswellaspoliticalaffairs.UNAMAhasalsoassistedthegovernmentinimplementingkeyframeworksforcooperationwiththeUnitedNationsandtheinternationalcommunity,includingtheAfghanistanCompactof2006andtheAfghanistanNationalDevelopmentStrategy(ANDS).Withastaffof1,500militaryandcivilianemployees,mostofwhicharenationalstaff,UNAMAisoneofthesmallerUNoperationsworldwide.Inthebeginningof2009,UNAMAaddedachildprotectionadvisor,whoworkscloselywiththemission’svarioussections,particularlytheHumanRightsUnit.

The Return to ViolenceThenewgovernmentandinternationalsupportforthepeace-buildingprocesssparkedhopeamongmanyAfghans,instigatingthevoluntaryrepatriationofmillionsofrefugeesfromIranandPakistantoAfghanistanimmedi-atelyafterthedefeatoftheTaliban.However,thesecuritysituationdeterioratedsignificantlyafter2004.19From2004to2010,theareasexperiencingongoingattackshaveextendedfromthesouthandsoutheasttotheareasthatwereearlierdeemedsecure,includingthenorthernand


easternregions.Violenceagainstcivilianshasnotonlyspreadthroughoutthecountrybuthasalsointensifiedinthelastfewyears,asdemonstratedbytheriseinciviliancasualtiesfromabout1,500civilianskilledin2007,toover2,100killedin2008andmorethan2,400civilianskilledin2009,accordingtoUNAMA’sannualreportsontheprotectionofciviliansinarmedconflict.20

ManyTalibanforcesandotherarmedgroupsneverlefttheirstrongholdsinAfghanistan.OthersregroupedintoareasalongtheAfghanistan-Pakistanborderandgainedstrength,largelyoperatingfromthesemi-autonomoustribal-dominatedareaofwesternPakistan,includingtheFederallyAdministeredTribalAreas(FATA),BaluchistanandtheNorthWestFrontierProvince(NWFP).GiventheTaliban’sfrequentcross-borderattacks,AfghanauthoritiesandtheinternationalcommunityhaveincreasedpressureonthePakistanigovernmenttotakestrongeractionagainsttheinsurgentsinnorthwestPakistan,includingthroughmilitaryoperations.21

Thesearmedoppositiongroupshaveusedinsurgencytacticstounderminethegovernmentandpushoutinternationalforces.Theyhavealsospecificallytargetedthoseseenassupportinggovernmenteffortssuchasteachers,healthprofessionalsandstudents.Commontacticsincludeattacksonschoolsandhospitals,theuseofindiscriminateimprovisedexplosivedevices(IEDs)andemployingsuicideattacksinhighlypopulatedareas.TheauthorityofthecentralgovernmentisfurtherlimitedbytheexistenceofshadowgovernmentsestablishedbytheTalibaninmanyprovinces,warlordsclaimingownershipofcertainareasandtheexpansionofcriminalnetworks.Insomeareas,localmilitias–allegedlywithclandestinesupportfromtheAfghanandAmericangovernments–alsoconductmilitaryoperationsagainstinsurgentswhichriskunderminingtheruleoflawduetotheirlackofformaltrainingandaccountabilitystructures.22

Intensifiedaerialattacksbyinternationalmilitaryforceshavealsokilledcivilians.Inseveralinstances,theAfghangovernmentandinternationalandnationalhumanrightsorganizationshavequestionedwhetheraerialbombard-mentswereproportionalandnecessary.23Inresponse,thecommanderofU.S.andNATOforcesinAfghanistan,GeneralStanleyMcChrystal,revisedthestrategyofinternationalmilitaryoperationsandissuedtacticaldirectivestotroopsunderhiscommandwiththespecificgoalofavoidingciviliancasualtiesandincreasingtransparencyandaccountabilityofmilitaryoperations.24Thisstrategyhasresultedinareductionofrecordedciviliancasualtiesbyinternationalforcesin2009andinthefirstfewmonthsof2010.25Yet,thecontinuingdeteriorationofthesecuritysituationandthelackofbasichealthandsocialservicesin

manyareashavemadeitdifficultforinternationalmilitaryforcestogaintheAfghanpeople’ssupportforcounterin-surgencyandreconstructionefforts.

Rebuilding the CountryAfterdecadesofconflictandcorruptgovernance,Afghanistancurrentlydependsalmostentirelyoninterna-tionalsupportformaintainingsafety,rebuildingitseconomic,politicalandlegalstructuresandpayingforsuchbasicservicesaspolicing,healthcareandeducation.Despiteprogressachievedinthehealthandeducationsectorinrecentyears,AfghanistanhasbeenconsistentlyrankednearthebottomoftheHumanDevelopmentIndexwiththemajorityofAfghanslivinginextremepoverty.26Incontrast,economicactivityintheblackmarket–oftencoupledwithcriminalactivity–hasbeengrowing,partlyduetothegovernment’sinabilitytoenforcetheruleoflaw,particularlyintheborderareas.Forinstance,asignificantshareoftheestimatedUS$4billionnetprofitofdrugtraffickinggoestoarmedgroupsthroughdirectinvolve-ment,briberyandtaxation,accordingtotheUNOfficeforDrugsandCrime(UNODC).27Extortionandmisbehavioraswellasimpunitybythepoliceandseniorgovernmentofficialshaveleftlocalpeopleinsomepartsofthecountryresentfultowardstheirowngovernment.28

Moreover,institutionalizedcorruptionpreventsthegovernmentfromestablishingtheruleoflawandinstillingtrustamongcitizensintheirstateinstitutions.Localpowerbrokershavebeenaccusedofbribinggovernmentofficialsandlawenforcementagencies,orusingpatronagelinkagestoevadeprosecution,accordingtothe2009reportoftheUNOfficeoftheHighCommissionerforHumanRightsonthesituationofhumanrightsinAfghanistan.29Inthe2009elections,HamidKarzaiwasaffirmedasPresidentofAfghanistanafterthefirstroundwasdeclaredfraudulentbyaUN-backedcommissionandthesubsequentsecondroundwithdrawalofKarzai’smainrivalwhocitedalackoftransparencyintheproceedings.Suchreportsofcorruptionbyhigh-levelstateofficialsriskunderminingnotonlythecredibilityoftheAfghangovernmentbutalsooftheUNandthewiderinternationalcommunitybackingit.

AttheLondonConferenceinJanuary2010,theAfghanleadershipanditsinternationalpartnersagreedtoa“roadmap”settingoutafive-yearmilitaryandcivilianstrategytoaddressthesecurity,governanceandeconomicconcernsofthecountry.ConferenceparticipantsagreedthatinternationalmilitaryforceswouldgraduallytransferresponsibilityforAfghansecuritytothenationalgovern-mentandbytheendof2011,theAfghanarmywouldexpandtrooplevelsfrom97,000to171,600,andthenationalpoliceforcesfrom94,000to134,000.30Further,


donornationspromisedtosupportthegovernment’splansforanAfghan-ledNationalPeaceandReintegrationProgrammetolurelow-andmid-levelinsurgentsawayfromviolencebyofferingeconomicincentives.Theyalsowelcomedthegovernment’splanstoholdaloyajirgathatwouldbringgovernmentofficials,triballeadersandsomemoderateTalibanleaderstogethertodiscussstepstowardsresolvingthecurrentconflict.TheLondonConferenceparticipantsannouncedUS$1.6billionindebtrelief,andappealedtodonorsforUS$870millioninhumanitarianaid.Thespecificsofthefive-yearplanareexpectedtobedeterminedataconferenceinKabulinmid-2010.


Humanitarian Access

Deterioration of Humanitarian AccessTherewereapproximately1,300nationalNGOs,300internationalNGOsand16UNorganizationsengagedinhumanitariananddevelopmentassistanceinAfghanistanasofJanuary2010,accordingtotheAgencyCoordinatingBodyforAfghanRelief(ACBAR).Intensefighting,landminesandtargetedattacksorthreatsagainststaffmembersoftenpreventtheseaidorganizationsfromassistingchildrenandtheircommunitiesintheareasmostaffectedbytheconflict.31Afghanistanrepresentsoneofthemostviolentenvironmentsforaidworkersworldwide,accordingtotheHumanitarianPolicyGroup,anindependentthinktank.32In2009,approximately43percentofthecountrywasconsidered“high-risk”bytheUNDepartmentofSafetyandSecurity(UNDSS)andwascutofffromhumanitarianassistance,particularlytheconflict-affectedsouth,south-eastandpartsofthewest.33Asaresultoflimitedaccess,nationalhealthandeducationcampaignsmissthousandsofchildreninneed,andthecampaign’seffectivenessisundermined.Forexample,130,000childrendidnotbenefitfromtheUN-ledvaccinationcampaignagainstpolioin2009(seebelow:Health).

Despitelarge-scaleinternaldisplacement,ongoingconflictandnaturaldisasters,mostdonorstateshavelargelyneglectedgrowinghumanitarianneeds.34The2010UNHumanitarianActionPlanforAfghanistan(HAP),themainmechanismforcoordinatinghumanitarianresponse,requestsatotalofUS$870millionfrominternationaldonors,a30percentincreaseinrequestedfundingcomparedtothe2009HAP.However,thedesireoftroop-contributingnationstoreinforcedevelopmentintheprovinceswheretheyareactivemeansthataidisnotnecessarilychanneledtotheareaswiththehighestneedsforhumanitarianordevelopmentaid.

Inadditiontodeprivingchildrenoftheirbasicrights,thelackofaccesstosomeoftheareasmostaffectedbytheconflictmakesitdifficultforaidorganizationstodefinetheneedsofchildrenandothervulnerablegroups.For

example,thecampaignoftheAfghangovernment,withsupportfromtheUnitedNationsChildren’sFund(UNICEF),toregisterallnewbornchildrenby2009hadtoleaveoutallchildrenlivinginremoteorinsecureareas.35Withonly1 percentofAfghansholdingabirthcertificateasof2008,informationfromthisregistrationexercisewouldhaveallowedthegovernmenttoobtainaccurateandcompre-hensivenumbersofchildrentoinformitsplanningforbuildingschoolsandhealthfacilities,aswellasvaccinationinitiatives.Moreover,thepossessionofabirthcertificateendowschildrenwiththerighttobenefitfromthespeciallegalprotectionframework,includingthespecificlawsonjuvenilejustice,andontherecruitmentanduseofchildrenbyarmedgroupsorforces.

Violating Humanitarian PrinciplesThemilitaryinvolvementindevelopmentactivitieshasendangeredAfghanciviliansandaidworkersastheseprojectsoftenbecomethetargetsofarmedoppositiongroups,leadingtotheblurringoflinesbetweenthemilitaryandhumanitarianmission.36TheUNOfficefortheCoordinationofHumanitarianAssistance(OCHA)re-establisheditspresenceinAfghanistaninOctober2008toadvocateformoreprincipledhumanitarianactionandtostrengthenindependenthumanitariancoordinationbytheUN.37Despitethispositivedevelopment,onastructurallevelOCHAremainsconnectedtoUNAMA–andtherebyitspoliticalmandate–asitisledbytheHumanitarianCoordinatorwhoalsofunctionsasDeputySpecialRepresentativeoftheSecretary-GeneralandResidentCoordinator.

ThedeteriorationofaiddeliveryinAfghanistanistoasignificantextentduetothenatureofPRTsandthewaytheyhavebeenimplemented.PRTs,whichusuallyconsistofamilitaryandasubstantiallysmallerciviliancontingent,carryoutreliefworkbutaredirectlymanagedbyISAFmemberstates.PRTstendtooperateinsomeofthemostinsecureareasthatareofflimitstotheUN,theAfghan


governmentandmanyNGOs.However,theirunderlyingpoliticalagenda–togainsupportforthegovernmentandtheinternationalpresence–undercutshumanitarianprinciplesofneutralityandimpartialityandmakesitevenharderforaidagenciestoretaintheirspaceinotherareas,accordingtoastudybyTuftsUniversity’sFeinsteinInstitute.38Moreover,NGOshavecriticizedPRTsfortheirlackoftechnicalexpertiseandtheabsenceofacoherentnationwidestrategyamongthevariousPRTs,whicharecurrentlyonlyaccountabletotheirhomegovernments.39InstanceswherePRT-ledprojectshaveprovenunsustain-abletendtonegativelyaffecthowcommunitiesviewandacceptinternationalaidworkers.

Inordertoclarifythespecificrolesandresponsibilitiesofcivilandmilitaryactors,UNagencies,ISAFandNGOsagreedtonon-bindingCivil-MilitaryGuidelinesinMay2008.40TheGuidelinesaffirmthatinprinciple,governmentandhumanitarianactorsareresponsibleforprovidinghumani-tarianassistance.Incontrast,theroleofthemilitaryisonlytoassistcivilianactorstoprovidebasicinfrastructureandurgentreconstructionassistanceinexceptionalcasesandasa“provideroflastresort.”Thisusuallyreferstocaseswheretheprotectionoftheperson’sphysicalsecurityrequiresamilitarypresence.Inaddition,theGuidelinescallfortheclearlyvisibledistinctionbetweenhumanitarian

andotheractors.However,somemilitaryactorshaveviolatedtheGuidelinesandinternationalhumanitarianprinciplesbyengaginginreliefactivitiesforforceprotectionpurposes.41HumanitarianactorshavealsonotedalackofawarenessoftheGuidelinesamongPRTstafforlackofcommitmentamongtroop-contributingcountriestoimplementthemduetotheirvoluntarynature.Inaddition,theimpactoftheGuidelinesislimitedastheUS-ledOEFhasnotagreedtoitsprovisionsandtheTalibanandotherarmedoppositiongroupsremainlargelyunawareofit.42

Intherecentpresidentialelections,Afghanistan’sIndependentElectionCommission(IEC)usedhealthfacilitiesandschoolbuildingsaspollingstations,citingthelackofalternativepublicbuildingsforthisuse.UNICEF,theWorldHealthOrganization(WHO),OCHA,theUNEducational,ScientificandCulturalOrganization(UNESCO),NGOsandseveralgovernmentofficialsrepeatedlywarnedofthesevereriskstothesecurityofstudentsandpatientsgiventheTaliban’soppositiontotheelections.43InAugust2009,themonthoftheelections,therewere249reportedincidentsagainsteducationcomparedto48reportedincidentsinthemonthofJuly,accordingtotheUN-ledCountryTaskforceontheMonitoringandReportingMechanism(CTFMRM).Inmanyofthesecases,insurgentshadattackedpollingstationslocatedinschools.

Recommendations on Humanitarian Access UN agencies, ISAF and NGOsshouldintegratechildprotectionbestpracticesandrelevantprovisionsof

SecurityCouncilResolutions1612and1882intotheCivil-MilitaryGuidelines,includingprohibitionsagainsttheuseofschoolsandstudentsforpoliticalpurposes.AdherencetotheGuidelinesshouldbereportedtotheExpertCommitteeonProtectionofCivilianstoinformitsrecommendationsregardingUNAMA’smandaterenewal.

International military forcesshouldensurethattheirstandardoperatingprocedures(SOPs)areinlinewiththeCivil-MilitaryGuidelines.ThisincludesprovidingregulartrainingsontheGuidelinesforallstaff,includingciviliansandPRTsandhighlightingtherelevantprovisionsrelatedtotheprotectionofchildren.

The SCWG-CACshouldrequestanindependentassessmentoftheimpactofprojectsthatarefundedoroperatedbyProvincialReconstructionTeams(PRTs)onthesecurityandwell-beingofchildreninAfghanistan.TheassessmentshouldexplorealternativewaystoassistchildrenlivinginareasthatarenotaccessiblebyUNagenciesorNGOs.

The GoAshouldunderallcircumstancesavoidtheuseofeducationandhealthfacilitiesintheupcomingelectionsandforotherpoliticalpurposes.

Humanitarian organizationsshouldinvolvelocalcommunitymembersintheplanning,executionandevaluationofdevelopmentassistanceprojectstoincreasetheirapplicabilityandlong-termimpact.

DonorsshouldfollowtheGoodHumanitarianDonorshipPrinciplessothatfundingisallocatedinproportiontotheneedsofthemostvulnerablepopulations,includingchildren,andnottofurtherpoliticalgoals.


Killing and Maiming

Military and Other Attacks Thenumberofcivilianskilledandinjuredsince2006asaresultofthearmedconflicthasrisenatanunprecedentedrate.Nearly6,000civilianswereinjuredorkilledduetoconflict-relatedviolencein2009,andofthisnumber2,412 werekilled,accordingtoUNAMA’sannualreport,Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict in Afghanistan, 2009.44Thismarksa14percentincreaseinciviliandeathsascomparedtothesametimeperiodthepreviousyear.Mostoftheincidentswererecordedinthesouth,southeastandeasternregionswhereaidorganizationshavelimitedaccessandhostilitieshaveescalated.In2009,346 childrenwerereportedlykilledduetoconflict-relatedviolence,including131throughairstrikesand22innightraidsbySpecialForces,and128werekilledthroughassassinations,suicidebombingsandotherattacksbyarmedoppositiongroups,accordingtoUNAMA.45Thisnumberdoesnotincludeincidenceswherechildrenwerekilledbylandminesandexplosiveremnantsofwar(ERW),andmightonlybeafractionoftheactualcasesashumanrightsmonitorshavelimitedaccesstoconflictzonesduetoinsecurity.TheAfghanIndependentHumanRightsCommission(AIHRC)reported520childrenkilledbywarringpartiesbetweenMarch2009andMarch2010,whichalsoincludesmine-relatedvictims.TheAfghanistanRightsMonitor(ARM),alocalhumanrightsgroup,reportedatleast1,050childrenkilledbysuicideattacks,airstrikes,improvisedexplosivedevices(IEDs),ERWsandincross-firebetweenwarringpartiesin2009.46

WhiletheTaliban’sCodeofConductinstructs“everymemberoftheMujahideen[to]dotheirbesttoavoidciviliandeaths,civilianinjuriesanddamagetocivilianproperty,”armedoppositiongroupshaveattimesdirectedtheirviolenceatcivilianstointimidatethemandunder-minethegovernment,stagingsuicidebombingsinhighlypopulatedareas,detonatingIEDsonbusycivilianroads,andattackingschoolsandhospitals(seebelow:EducationandHealth).Childrenhavealsobeentargetedbythesearmedgroupsandexecutedonallegationsofspyingfor

governmentorinternationalmilitaryforces,accordingtoUNsources.Therearealsoreportsofarmedgroupsdeliberatelyusingchildrenashumanshields.47

Mostoftheciviliandeathsattributedtopro-governmentforceswereasaresultofairstrikesand,toalesserextent,nightraidsofteninvolvingexcessiveuseofforce.Forexample,inMay2009,theU.S.claimedthatitrespondedtocallsbyAfghanArmedForcesforprotectionagainstinsurgentattackbyusingaerialbombardments,whichkilledatleast65childrenand21womeninavillageintheBalaBulokdistrictofFarahProvince,southwesternAfghanistan,accordingtoAIHRC.Independenthumanrightsorganizationshavestruggledtoverifysuchclaimsduetothelackoftransparencyininvestigationsconductedbyinternationalmilitaryforces.48Inmanyofthesecases,theuseofunreliablesourcesorfaultyintelligencehavecontributedtoincreasedciviliancasualties.49

OneofthemostproblematicaspectsforchildprotectionactorsisthatcontrarytotheConventionontheRightsoftheChild’sdefinition,ISAF’sCivilianCasualtiesTrackingCelldefinesachildasapersonundertheageof15.Thismakesitextremelydifficulttoaccuratelyassesstheimpactofmilitaryattacksonchildrenandmayleadtounderestimatesofthenumberofchildrenassociatedwitharmedgroups.

Childrenhavealsobeencaughtinthecross-fireasfightingbetweentheAfghanforcesandinternationalmilitaryforcesagainstarmedoppositiongroupscontinues.Similarly,landmines,ERWandotherexplosivesplacedbyarmedforcesandothergroupshavekilledhundredsofchildrenandinflictedpermanentinjuriesonothersthroughouttheconflict(seebelow:LandminesandERW).

Assistance to Survivors and Impunity for PerpetratorsFollowinganattack,childrenandtheirfamiliesusuallydonotevenreceivebasicinformationastowhohascommittedthecrime,thecircumstancesoftheincidentorthestatusandfollow-upofinvestigations,includingpotential


prosecutions.50Todate,therehasneverbeenanindictmentorconvictionofTalibancombatantsforcrimesagainsthumanityorwarcrimes,whichcanbepunishedunderinternationalanddomesticcriminallaw.Moreover,inFebruary2010,theAfghangovernmentputintoforcethereconciliationandgeneralamnestylawwhichgivesimmunitytoprosecutionforthoseengagedinthecurrenthostilitiesiftheyagreetoengagewiththegovernmentonreconciliation.HumanRightsWatch(HRW),theTransitionalJusticeCoordinationGroup,whichconsistsof24Afghancivilsocietyorganizationsandotherhumanrightsorganizationshaveraisedseriousconcernsregardingtheamnestylaw,arguingthatitwouldultimatelyunder-minethereconciliationandpeaceprocessandviolateinternationallaw.51

Theresponsesofinternationalmilitaryforcestoattacksinvolvingtheinjuryordeathofcivilianshasvarieddependingonthetroopsinvolved.However,thelackofpublicacknowledgement,prosecutionandcompensationhaveincreasinglycausedAfghancivilianstolosefaithininternationaltroops,accordingtoAIHRC.52InAugust2009,GeneralStanleyMcChrystal,thecommanderofNATOISAFandU.S.Forces,puttheprotectionofciviliansfromattacks,thereductionofciviliancasualtiesandtransparencyandaccountabilityformilitaryoperationsatthecenterofhiscounter-insurgencystrategy.53Aspartofthisstrategy,GeneralMcChrystalissuedaseriesofTacticalDirectivestoISAFandU.S.ForcesinAfghanistanthatprovidespecificinstructionstotroopsregarding“forceprotection,”airstrikesandnight-timeraids.54ISAF’sCivilianCasualtiesTrackingCellsandaparallelunitwithinUSFOR-A,thecommandandcontrolheadquartersforU.S.forcesoperatinginAfghanistan,wereestablishedtoensureamoresystematicmonitoringandresponsetoreportedincidents,includinginvestigationsandcompensation.

Asaresultoftheseinitiatives,fewercivilianswerereportedlykilledinairstrikesin2009thanin2008,accordingtoUNAMA’sfigures.Thefocusonciviliansisalsoreflectedinsomeofthedrasticresponsesthatsometroopshavetakenininstanceswherecivilianshavebecomethevictimsofmilitaryoperations:TheorderofGermanNATOforcestocarryoutanairstrikeinKunduzonSeptember3,2009,whichappearedtocontraveneMcChrystal’sdirectivesandISAFstandardoperatingprocedures,ledtotheresignationofthreeGermanseniorofficials.ANATOinvestigationconfirmedthatthemilitaryhadwithheldinformationthatcivilianshadbeenkilledintheincident.55

However,thereisstillnotransparent,comprehensiveandindependentlymonitoredsystemtoinvestigateviolationscommittedbymilitaryforcesandtoholdperpetratorsaccountableorauniformstrategyforcompensating

civilians.Compensationalsolargelydependsonthetroopsperpetratingtheattackandisprovidedonacase-by-casebasis,accordingtotheCampaignforInnocentVictimsinConflict(CIVIC).56Whilemosttroopsofferanex gratiapaymenttocivilianssufferinglossesincombatoperations,survivorsfaceseriousobstaclesinobtainingthisassistanceinatimelymannerduetothedifficultyinidentifyingthemilitaryunitresponsible,thelengthybureaucraticprocessinvolvedandthelackofaccesstoofficesreceivingcomplaints.57

AnumberofNGOshavethuscalledforamorepro-activeandsystematicapproachincontactingvictimsandtheirfamiliestoofferofficialapologies,informthemaboutthecircumstancesoftheincidentandtoexplaintothemhowtheycanraisecomplaintsandhavethemheardbyISAF.Theyalsourgedalltroop-contributingcountriestodevelopasystematic,transparentwayofcompensatingfamiliesandvictimsthatisstandardizedbyalltroop-contributingcountries.58

Children Living with DisabilitiesMorethan200,000childreninAfghanistanlivewithpermanentinjuriesanddisabilitiessufferedduringhostilitiesorasaresultofinadequatemedicalsupport,accordingtothemostrecentsurveybyHandicapInternationalin2005.ThegovernmentpaysamonthlypensionofUS$6toUS$10topersonswithdisabilities,whichbarelycoversthecostofmedicaltreatment,accordingtoHandicapInternational.59Schoolfacilitiesandteachersarenotequippedtoaddressthespecialneedsofstudentswithdisabilities,whichfurthercaststhechildrenintodisadvantageandisolation,accordingtoofficialsattheMinistryofEducation.60Only22.4percentofthe196,000childrenwithdisabilitiesinAfghanistanwhowouldhavequalifiedforschoolwereabletoattendschool,accordingtotheInternationalOrganizationofPersonswithDisabilities.61

AfghanistanhasnotsignedtheUNConventionontheRightsofPersonswithDisabilities,whichaskssignatorystatestoensurethat“childrenwithdisabilitiesarenotexcludedfromfreeandcompulsoryprimaryeducation,orfromsecondaryeducation.”Nationallegislationrelatedtopersonswithdisabilitiesiscurrentlyintheprocessofbeingapproved.Inordertofacilitateintegrationofchildrenwithdisabilities,theMinistryofEducationhasintroducedawareness-raisingcomponentsintheschoolcurriculumandisworkingonstrategiestoprovidespecializedandinclusiveeducation.62


Recommendations on Killing and Maiming All parties to the conflictmusttakeallpossiblemeasurestoavoidciviliancasualties.Allallegedperpetrators

shouldbeheldaccountableinaccordancewithnationalandinternationallaw.

The GoA and international military forcesshouldensurethattheirinvestigationsintoallegedviolationsagainstciviliansaretransparent,timelyandindependentlymonitored.Theresultsoftheseinvestigationsshouldbepubliclysharedandincludedatadisaggregatedbyageoncombatantandciviliancasualties.

The GoAshouldrepealthereconciliationandgeneralamnestylawandholdperpetratorsofviolationsagainstcivilians,includingchildren,accountableinaccordancewithnationalandinternationallaw.

International military forces,incoordinationwiththerelatednationalmechanism(PresidentialFundandtheMinistryofLabor,SocialAffairs,Martyrs&Disabledcompensationmechanism),shoulddeviseauniformstrategyforcompensatingciviliansurvivorsofattacksandensurethatthesecompensationsystemsaremadeeasilyaccessibletovictims,includingchildren.

The GoAshouldimmediatelysignandimplementtheUNConventionontheRightsofPersonswithDisabilitiesand,withinternationalsupport,moreeffectivelyassistchildrenwithdisabilities.

Killing and Maiming


Refugees and IDPs

Internally Displaced PersonsThousandsofAfghanchildrenandtheirfamilieshavebeenforcedtofleetheirhomesduetoarmedconflictandeconomichardship.Inaddition,moreandmoreAfghanrefugeesarereturningfromothercountriesonlytofallagainintodisplacementintheirowncountryduetoinsecurityintheirplacesoforiginorlackofaccesstotheirpreviouslyownedland.Largeandmountingnumbersoftheinternallydisplacedremain“invisible”tothegovernmentandinternationalorganizationsduetoongoinghostilitiesandseriousaccessconstraints.

Asoftheendof2009,anestimated297,000internallydisplacedpersons(IDPs)werelivinginmakeshiftcamps,informalsettlements,orbeinghostedbyAfghanfamiliestowhichtheyhavecloseties,accordingtotheUNHighCommissionerforRefugees(UNHCR),whichco-chairstheNationalIDPTaskForcetogetherwiththeAfghanMinistryofRefugeesandRepatriationAffairs.MorethanhalfoftheseIDPs–approximately161,000–arechildren,accordingtoUNHCRestimates.Despitetheirlargenumberandspecialneeds,humanitarianagenciesonthegroundconfirmedthattherewasadearthofcomprehensive,disaggregateddataontheirsituationtoinformpolicyandprogrammaticresponses.

AssistancetoIDPs–whetherresidingincamps,settlementsoroutsidethecamps,includinginurbanareasofmajorAfghancities–remainsminimal,uncoordinatedandpartiallyad-hoc.Healthworkersfrequentlydescribechildrensufferingfrompreventablediseaseslikemeasles,dysenteryanddiarrheaasaresultofthelackofvaccina-tions,unhygienicconditionsinIDPsettlementsandthelackofaccesstosafedrinkingwater.63Manyofthesechildrenaredeprivedofaccesstoeducationalopportunitiesinthesettlementsasone-thirdofallsiteslackeducationfacilitiesandvirtuallynoneofferaccesstohighereduca-tion.64DisplacedparentsresidinginKabul’smakeshift

campshavereportedlyevensoldtheirchildrentocriminalandtraffickingcirclestosurviveorprovidefortheirotherchildren.65

Moreover,thestateofdisplacementoftendepriveschildrenofprotectivecommunityorfamilystructuresandexposesthemtoagreaterriskofrecruitmentintoarmedforcesorgroups.Whilemoreevidenceisneeded,availabledataseemstoindicateacorrelationbetweenchildrecruitmentandhighlevelsofdisplacement,accordingtothe2008Secretary-GeneralreportonCACinAfghanistan(seebelow:ChildSoldiers).Infact,thethreatofchildrecruitmenthascausedsomefamiliestofleetheirhomes,accordingtothesamereport.

Inparticular,findingdurablesolutionsforchildrenatrisk,includingunaccompaniedandorphanedchildren,remainsachallenge,accordingtoUNHCR.WhiletheGovernmentofAfghanistan’s2006NationalStrategyforChildrenatRiskfocusedondevelopingcommunityandfamilybasedsupportforvulnerablechildrenandreducingtheemphasisoninstitutionalcare,theorphanagesrunbythegovernmentandtheAfghanRedCrescentSocietyprovidemostlytemporaryshelteranddonotalwaysadmitboysof15 yearsandolder.66Childprotectionagencieshavealsowarnedofthepoorlivingconditionsinsomeorphan-ages.Forexample,asurveyconductedbyAIHRCwith43 childreninAlahuddinOrphanageinKabulfoundmostchildrentobedissatisfiedwiththefacilities,citingpoorfoodquality,lackofsanitationfacilitiesandphysicalandverbalviolence.

RefugeesInthemid-1990s,atthepeakofthedisplacementcrisis,anestimated8millionAfghanrefugeeslivedinneighboringcountries,mainlyinPakistanandIran,representingoneofthelargestrefugeepopulationsworldwide.67Withthearrivalofanewgovernment,internationalforcesandfunding,morethan5.6millionpeopledecidedtoreturn


totheirhomecountrybetween2002and2009.68Ofthe4.4 millionassistedreturneesfromPakistanandIran,over2 millionwereundertheageof18,accordingtoUNHCR;theagencyfurtherreportsapproximately1.6millionregisteredrefugeeslivinginPakistanandabout1millioninIranasofJanuary2010.69WhileupdateddataonAfghanrefugeechildreninPakistanandIranisnotavailable,UNHCRestimatesabout1.18millionchildrenamongAfghanrefugeesinPakistanand345,000childrenamongAfghanrefugeesinIranbasedonstatisticsfromregistrationexercisesconductedin2007.70

Pakistanisnotasignatorytothe1951RefugeeConventionandits1967Protocol,whichestablishtheinternationallegalstandardsforrefugeeprotection.WhileIranisasignatorytoboththeConventionandtheProtocol,regimesafter1979haverefusedtoabidebytheprovisionsofthe1951Convention.Theprolongedrefugeepresenceandsecurityissuesduetocross-bordermigrationandcrimehaveledtoconcernsthatthecountrieswouldclosetheirbordersandputpressureonAfghanrefugeestoreturnhome,accordingtotheInternationalCrisisGroup.71Since2004/2005,bothPakistanandIranhavetightenedtheirasylumpoliciesandincreasedpressureonAfghanstoleavethecountrybyclosingrefugeecamps,cuttingoffassistanceandinsomeinstancesarrestinganddeportingrefugees.

MostoftheregisteredrefugeesinPakistan(around85 percent)arelivinginthetwoprovincesadjacenttoAfghanistan–NorthWestFrontierandBaluchistan–twoofthemostdestituteprovinces.ThereareseriousprotectionconcernsforrefugeeslivingintheseareasassomearmedgroupshavereportedlyusedthecampsasbasesfortheirmilitaryoperationsinAfghanistan.72

Citingsecurityconcerns,theGovernmentofPakistanhaslimitedtheaccessofaidorganizationsandonlyallowsaidtobeprovidedtorefugeesthroughitsownprogramsdespiteitslimitedexpertiseonprotectionissuesanditsdirectpoliticalinvolvementintheconflict.73

InMarch2010,anewTripartiteAgreementbetweenthegovernmentsofPakistanandAfghanistan,andUNHCRonvoluntaryrepatriationwassigned,whichextendsthestayofregisteredrefugeesthroughDecember31,2012.Between2005andthebeginningof2010,about25Afghanunaccompaniedminors–largelyundocumentedlabormigrants–weredeportedfromPakistan,accordingUNHCR’sstatisticsfrombordermonitoring.

ThesituationforrefugeesinIranalsoremainsprecarious.Since2002,about5,818AfghanunaccompaniedminorshavebeendeportedfromIran,accordingtoUNHCR.Whilethemajorityofthesechilddeporteesareundocumentedlabormigrants,humanrightsorganizationswarnthatchild

deporteesmaybeataheightenedriskofsexualexploitation,physicalabuse,humantraffickingandvariousexploitationsandabusesupontheirreturn,accordingtoAIHRC.74SomedeporteeshaveaccusedtheIranianpoliceofbeatings,illegalandarbitrarydetention,andtheIraniansecurityforcesofinsultsbeforetheirexpulsion.75TheIraniangovernmenthasalsomadeitmoredifficultforAfghanrefugeestostayinthecountrybybanningthemfrom22 provincesaspartofits“no-goarea”policyandgraduallycuttingofftheiraccesstosubsidizededucation,healthcareandfood.76In2009,thegovernmenttooksomestepstoeasetheserestrictivepoliciesbybeginningtogiveworkpermitstoregisteredAfghanrefugeesandallowingallschool-agechildren,includingregisteredandunregisteredrefugees,toenrollingrades1-12inthesamemanner.77However,gapsintheimplementationofthesepoliciesremain,accordingtoUNHCR.

MostregisteredAfghanrefugeesdonotwanttoreturntotheirhomecountryduetothedeterioratingsecuritysituation,thelimitedabsorptioncapacityofcommunitiesinAfghanistanandthelackofsocio-economicopportuni-ties.Withoutland,jobs,accesstobasicservicesandwithongoingsecurityrisks,returneesareatahighriskofreneweddisplacementwithinAfghanistanorforcedre-migrationtoneighboringcountries.78UNHCRalludedtothespecificprotectionconcernsofreturneechildren,includingchildlabor,smugglingandhumantrafficking,andearlyorforcedmarriage.79Moreover,abouthalfofallrefugeesgrewupinanothercountryand80percenthavelivedthereformorethantwodecades,makingitdifficultforthemtoreintegrateupontheirreturntoAfghanistan.80


Recommendations on Refugees and IDP Children The UN Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict (SCWG-CAC)shouldrequest

UNHCRand/ortheRepresentativeoftheSecretary-GeneralonthehumanrightsofIDPstoleadastudytodeterminevulnerabilitiesandrisksfordisplacedandrefugeechildrenfromAfghanistan.Thestudy’sfindingswouldbethefirststeptowardsenactingacomprehensiveactionplantofinddurablesolutionsfordisplacedchildrenfromAfghanistan.

The GoAshouldensurethatunaccompaniedandseparatedchildrenreceiveadequateinterimcareuntiltheyarereunitedwiththeirfamilies,placedwithfosterparentsorotherlong-termarrangementsforcarearemade,inaccordancewiththeInter-agencyGuidingPrinciplesonUnaccompaniedandSeparatedChildren.Thegovernmentshouldmonitorthatthestandardsofprotectionandcareprovidedbyprivateandpublicorphanagesaremet.

The Government of Iranshouldcomplywiththe1951RefugeeConventionandits1967Protocol;the Government of Pakistanshouldsignandcomplywiththe1951RefugeeConventionandits1967Protocol.Inparticular,theyshouldproviderefugeechildrenfromAfghanistanwithaccesstoeducation,healthanddocumentationtofacilitateopportunitiesforlocalintegrationorrepatriationandensurethattheirprotectionagainstharassmentordeportationisinlinewithinternationalstandards.

The Governments of Afghanistan, Pakistan and IranshouldworkwithUNHCRtoensurethatchildrencancontinuetheireducationorvocationaltrainingupontheirreturn.

AIHRCshouldcoordinatecloselywiththeindependentHumanRightsCommissionofPakistan(HRCP)toconductjointmonitoringandreportingonhumanrightsandchildrightsviolationsalongtheircommonborderareasandtotakespecificmeasurestopreventthem.


Health

Access to ServicesThedestructionfromthewarandensuingpoliticalandeconomicinstabilityhaveleftAfghanistan’shealthcaresysteminshambles,andnearlyfullydependentonexternalfundingandassistance.Since2002thegovern-menthastakensomeimportantstepsinimprovinghealthcare,whichhaveresultedintheincreaseofhealthfacilitiesfrom400in2002to1,788in2009andasubstantialincreaseintrainedhealthpersonnel,accordingtotheMinistryofPublicHealth.81Withtheexpansionofbasichealthservices,preventablefatalitiesamonginfantsandyoungmothershavemarginallydecreased.However,intensifiedconflict,attacksandintimidationagainsthealthworkers,andlowqualityservices,havecontinuedtokeepinfantandmaternalmortalityratesalarminglyhigh.

Afghanistanisstilltheworstplaceforanewbornintermsofaccesstohealthcareandsurvivalopportunities,accordingtoUNICEFandSavetheChildren.82OneinfourAfghanchildrendonotreachtheirfifthbirthday,partlyduetolackofaccesstoadequatehealthcare.83SavetheChildrenreportsthat15percentofvulnerablepeople,includingchildren,inurbansettingsand30percentofthoseinruralareasdonothaveaccesstoanygovernment,nongovernmentalorganizationorprivatelyrunhealthfacilitiesinAfghanistan.84Newlydevelopednationalhealthcarepoliciestoprovidepeoplewithbasichealthservices(BasicPackagesofHealthServices–BPHS)generallydonotreachpeoplelivinginthesouthernandwesternpartsofthecountry,partlyduetoinsecurity.85Asaresult,childrenhavecontractedordiedofdiseasesthatareeasilypreventableorcontrolledinmostcountriesaroundtheworld,includingrespiratoryinfections,diarrheaandvaccinepreventabledeaths,especiallymeasles,accordingtoWHO.86

Atleast1millionAfghans(15percentofthepopulation)weredeprivedofbasichealthcareservicesduetoattacksonhealthcarefacilitiesandhealthworkersin2008,andinsufficientcoveragebytheBPHSsystem.Thisnumberhas

doubledsince2007,accordingtotheMinistryofPublicHealthandWHO(seeabove:HumanitarianAccess).87Thesituationintheconflict-affectedsouthernregion(Helmand,Kandahar,ZabulandNimroz)isparticularlysevereandcontinuestodegrade.Somehealthfacilitieshavebeenclosed,damagedordestroyedbythearmedoppositionandthedeliberatetargetingofhealthfacilitiesandworkerslimitsaccesstohealthservicesformuchofthepopulationlivingininsecureareas.Manysecurityincidentsinvolvingtheharassment,intimidationandkidnappingofhealthworkersremainunreportedbecauseoffearofretaliation.AsofNovember2008,13southerndistrictshadnofunctionalpublichealthfacilities,potentiallyaffectinghundredsofthousandsofpeople,includingchildren,accordingtotheUN.

Armedgroupshavelargelybeenresponsibleforattackinghealthfacilities,staffmembersandpatients.Forexample,armedoppositiongroupsdestroyedseveralNGO-runclinicsintheeastandabductedstaffbetweenJuly1standSeptember30,2009.88AfghanSecurityForcesandinternationalmilitaryforceshavealsonotalwaysrespectedthespecialprotectionaffordedtomedicalpersonnelandfacilitiesunderinternationallaw.Forexample,inAugust2009,AfghanmilitaryforcesreportedlyoccupiedtwoBasicHealthCentersinHelmandprovince.89TheSwedishCommitteeforAfghanistanalsoaccusedISAFofinvadingitshospitalonSeptember6,2009.90Inordertopreventfurtherincidentsinvolvingtheoccupationofhealthfacilitiesbymilitaryforces,theHealthClustermembers,whocoordinatethehealthresponseamongUN,govern-ment,NGO,academicandprivateactors,havedevelopedacodeofconductforallmilitaryactorsregardingentryintohealthfacilities(seeabove:HumanitarianAccess).Inaddition,theHealthCluster–incoordinationwiththeUN-ledCountryTaskForceontheMonitoringandReportingMechanism(CTFMRM)–establishedamecha-nismformemberstoreportattacksagainsthealthstaffandfacilities(seebelow:UNSecurityCouncilActions).


Thereisalsoacriticalshortageofhealthcareworkersinconflict-affectedorremoteareas.91Onaverage,onedoctorisresponsiblefortreatingmorethan5,500patients,and80 percentofhealthclinicslackadequateequipment.92Inparticular,thelackoffemalemedicalstaffposesaseriousobstacletoprovidingessentialservicestowomenandchildren.InPaktikaprovince,forexample,thereisnotasinglefemaledoctorandonlyafewfemalenursesandmidwivesintheentireprovince,wheremorethan180,000 womenlive,accordingtoAfghanistan’sCentralStatisticsOffice.93

Withoutaccesstomedicalsuppliesandprofessionalstaff,someAfghanshavereliedoninformalmedicaladvicefromfamilyeldersorboughtmedicinefromlocaldrugsellerssuchasopium,withharmfulconsequences.94Inparticular,thesmallnumberoffemalehealthworkersdiscouragesgirlsandwomenfromseekingmedicalassistance,espe-ciallyforreproductivehealthconcerns,accordingtothesamereport.Currently,lessthanone-thirdofhealthfacilitieshaveatleastonefemalehealthworker,accordingtotheSecretary-General’sreportonWomen,PeaceandSecurity,September16,2009(S/2009/465,para.16).

Maternal Death and Reproductive HealthInspiteofimprovements,Afghanistancontinuestohaveoneofthehighestmaternalmortalityratesworldwidewith1,800/100,000livebirths.95OnemotherdieseveryhalfhourinAfghanistanbecauseofbirth-relatedproblems,accordingtoUNICEF.96Theinfantmortalityratestandsat165forevery1,000livebirths.97Theprevalenceofearlymarriagehasresultedingirlsgivingbirthatayoungagewhentheyarenotyetphysicallymature,whichcarriesserioushealthrisksforthemotherandinfant.Forexample,anadolescentgirlistwotofivetimesmorelikelytodiefrompregnancy-relatedcomplicationsthana20-year-oldwoman,accordingtoSavetheChildren.98

Inaddition,traditionalgendernormspreventwomenandgirlsfromlearningaboutreproductivehealth,visitingmaledoctorsoraccessinghealthfacilitieswithoutamalepersonaccompanyingthem,accordingtoUNICEF.Theagencyfurtherreportsthatthehighmaternalmortalityrateisduetoverylimitedaccesstocomprehensiveemergencyobstetriccareforwomenlivinginruralareas,pooraware-nessaboutsafedeliverypracticesandthescarcityofprofessionalhealthworkers,particularlyfemales.99Morethan70percentofbirthstakeplaceathomewithoutanymedicalsupportandany“emergencyplan”inplace.100Whilethenumberofmidwiveshasincreasedsubstantiallyfrom400in2001toapproximately2,500in2008,morethan4,500moremidwivesarerequiredtomeetcurrentneeds.101

Theenrollmentofstudentsforcommunitymidwiferyschoolsishamperedbythelowliteracyratesamongfemalesintheruralandremoteareasandevenmorebythethreatsandintimidationoftheirfamiliesbythearmedoppositiongroups,accordingtoWHO.Someofitsimplementingpartnersoperatingin“securitychal-lengingdistricts”reporteddropoutratesofbetween30 –40percent.Progressinimprovingtheaccesstoskilledbirthattendantsislikelytobeslow,especiallyinareaswherethiswouldbemostneeded,namelyinrural,remoteandinsecurelocations.

Infectious DiseasesUntreatedcommunicablediseasesthreatenindividualsandcommunitiesinAfghanistan.OfthecasesreportedtotheDiseaseEarlyWarningSystemadministeredbytheMinistryofPublicHealth,morethan60percentposedthethreatofdevelopingintoamajorepidemic,accordingtoWHO.Thissituationisespeciallydireininsecureareaswheregovernmentandhumanitarianagencyoperationsarerestrictedduetoconflict. SourcesatWHOreportthat50percentofoutbreaksaretakingplaceininsecureareas,whereevenaccesstoemergencyhealthcareisimpossible.Forexample,duringthecholeraoutbreakof2009,afatalityrateof13percentwasrecordedinunstablepartsofthesouthernregion.Theseuntreated,oftenseriousdiseasescontributetoAfghanistan’sunder-fivemortalityrateof25 percent,whichisoneofthehighestintheworld.102

NationwidecampaignsbytheAfghangovernmentwithUNsupporttoeradicatepoliohaveresultedinthenear-eradicationofthepandemicinthelasttwotothreeyearswithinthecountry,accordingtoWHO.However,insecurityhaspreventedagenciesfromaccessing110,000childrenintheconflict-affectedsouthernprovinces,where20ofthe23caseswereregisteredin2009,accordingtoaWHO2009reportonthepolioeradicationcampaign.HealthagenciesconsidertheAfghanistan-Pakistanregionasaprimaryriskareaforpolioasitinvolvestwoofthefourremainingcountrieswherepoliostillremainsendemicduetoinsecu-rityanddisplacement,accordingtoWHO.103Whileinsecurityhaspreventedaccesstocertainareas,partiestoconflicthavenotdirectlyobstructedvaccinationeffortsinareasundertheirinfluenceorcontrol,andtheTalibanpubliclydeclaredthatitwouldnotopposeimmunizationcam-paigns.104Thesuccessfulengagementofhumanitarianagencieswithnon-statearmedgroupsinnegotiatingaccessforimmunizationcampaignshasallowedWHOanditspartnerstoinclude30,000childrenfromdifficult-to-reachareas,andtoestablishadditionalDiseasesEarlyWarningSystemsfortheidentificationandresponsetooutbreaks.105


MalnutritionTheHumanitarianActionAppealwarnedofseveremalnutritionamongunder-fivechildren,andinpregnantandlactatingwomenin2008duetodrought,risingfoodpricesandinsecurity.Infact,40percentofchildrenunderfiveinAfghanistanareunderweightand54percentdisplayseveresignsofstuntingaccordingtoUNICEF,State of the World’s Children 2008.Accordingtothesamesurvey,24 percentoflactatingwomenaremalnourishedandover19 percentofpregnantwomenhavepoornutritionalstatus.Therearestrongindicationsthatyoungmothersandchildrenregularlydieofmalnutrition-relateddiseases,accordingtoUNICEFandtheAfghanMinistryofPublicHealth.106UNinitiativesfocusonfeedingchildrenunderfiveandpregnantandbreastfeedingwomenthroughfeedingcentersandofferdailylunchestostudentstoencourageparentstosendtheirchildrentoschool.107

Water and SanitationInadequateaccesstocleanwaterandsanitationfurtherexacerbatesthehealthsituationforchildreninAfghanistan.Lessthanone-quarterofallAfghanscurrentlyhaveaccesstosafewatersources,andlessthanone-thirdofthepopulationisabletouseadequatesanitationfacilities.108Threeoutoffourpublicschoolsdonothavesafesanitationfacilitiesforstudentsandapproximately2millionstudentsattendingtheseschoolsdonothaveaccesstosafedrinkingwater,accordingtoUNICEF.109

Basichygienicmeasuressuchaswashinghandswithsoapaftervisitingthetoiletorbeforeeatingcanreducetheriskofachilddyingofdiarrhealdiseasesbyhalf,accordingtoUNICEF.UNICEFfurtheraffirmsthatespeciallyoldergirlsareextremelyunlikelytoattendschoolsthatlackgender-separatedlatrines.ImprovingaccesstowaterandsanitationatschoolscanthuscontributetobothincreasingschoolattendanceandreducingchildmortalityinAfghanistan.

Drug AddictionThelargesupplyofopiumtogetherwithpoverty,unemployment,mentalillness,lackofawarenessandwidespreaddespairhascreatedanincreasingdemandfordrugsinAfghanistan’swar-tornsociety.ThemostrecentUNOfficeonDrugsandCrimeDrug Use Survey 2005estimatedthatnearly1millionAfghans,including60,000 childrenundertheageof15,wereaddictedtodrugs.Childrenweremostlyreportedasusinginhalanttranquilizers.Figuresondrugabuseamongyoutharebelievedtobemuchhighertodayandencompassawiderrangeofsubstancesduetoavailabilityandcontinuingstresses,accordingtoUNODC.Mostofthewomenusing

opiumareofreproductiveage,makingbabiestheymayhavemoresusceptibletowithdrawalsyndromes,prematu-rity,accidentalpoisoningandotherhealthissues.110

Morerecently,afewhealthagencieshavereportedentirefamiliesinAfghanistanbecomingaddictedtodrugs.111AnAIHRCstudyfoundthat15percentofdruguserssurveyedgavetheirchildrendrugstokeepthemquietwhiletheywork.112Theuseofdrugshasparticularlyharmfulconse-quencesforchildrenbecausetheyaremoreeasilyaddictedandsufferpermanentmentalandphysicaldamage.113Intheirdrivetoacquiremoredrugs,somechildrenjoincriminalnetworksorarmedgroups,accordingtoUNAMA’s2007report.HealthexpertsalsowarnoftheimpendingrisksrelatingtodiseasesthatcanbetransmittedbysharingneedlessuchasHIV/AIDSandhepatitisC(seebelow:HIV/AIDS).

OnlyoneoutoffourreporteddrugaddictsinAfghanistanreceivesthenecessarytreatmentandrehabilitationservices,accordingtoUNODC.Patientsexpectingtreatmentoftenhavetowaitmonthsforoneofthe100bedsreservedfortreatment.114Thefearofbeingstigmatizedalsokeepsmanywomenandchildrenfromseekinginformationandservices.

Psycho-Social DisordersTraumaticeventsexperiencedorwitnessedduringtheconflictcontinuetohauntmanychildren,makingitdifficultforthemtoreadjusttonormallife.Arecentsurveyfoundthat22percentof1,011childrenbetweentheagesof11and16yearsattendinggovernment-operatedschoolsinKabul,BamiyanandMazar-i-Sharifexhibitedsignsofpsychiatricdisorder;girlsweretwo-and-a-halftimesmorelikelytohavedisordersthanboys.115

However,thereislimitedpsycho-socialtraumasupportprovidedinthecountry,accordingtoHandicapInternational.Standardhealthresponsesforvictimsofviolence–evenrapevictims–focusonphysicalcarewithlittleattentionpaidtothepatient’smentalwell-being.Theprofessionofcounselingdoesnotevenexistinpublichealthservices.Somechildprotectioninitiativesengageconflict-affectedchildreninactivitiestopromotecreativityandplayasanalternativetomoretraditionalpsycho-socialinterventions,includingskateboardingandstagingachildren’scircus.Whilesuchprogramsmaybenefitafew,moresystematicinterventionsareneededforchildrentohelpthemdealwiththeirwarexperiences.

Health


Recommendations on Health (Compare, Recommendations on Humanitarian Access) Donorsshouldsubstantiallyincreasehealthfundingtoreducechildmortalityandmaternalmortalityand

addressexistingandemerginghealthneedsincludingpsycho-socialcare.Healthwasthe“worst-funded”clusterin2009withonly2percentofcoveredfunding.

The GoAshouldexpandhealthcareservicesonanequitableandsustainablebasisofferingacontinuumofcarefromlocalhealthcareworkerstohospitalsthatreachgirlsandboysinbothruralandurbanareas(compare,HIV/AIDS).

The GoAshoulddeviseastrategytoimprovematernalandchildhealththatincludesincreasingthenumberoffemalehealthworkersinruralareas.

The GoAshouldsystematicallyintegratepsycho-socialsupportintothestandardhealthresponseforvictimsofviolence,withaspecialfocusonGBVsurvivors,andensurethattheseinitiativesareadaptedaccordingtothepatient’sage.

Donorsshouldcontinuetosupportyouthinformationcommunitycenterswherechildrenandyouthlearnaboutreproductivehealthissues,HIV/AIDSanddrug-relatedproblemsinasafesetting.Thesecentersshouldalsobeexpandedtoruralareas.

The GoA,withthesupportoftheUN,shouldconductapublicawarenesscampaigntowarnoftheharmfulconsequencesofdrugabuseduringpregnancyfortheshortandlong-termhealthofthemotherandthebaby.


HIV/AIDS

The Spread of HIV/AIDSOfficialnumbersonHIVprevalencearelikelytounderesti-matetheseverityofthesituationduetostigmatizationandthelowlevelsofsurveillanceandtestinginthecountry.Afghanistan’sNationalAidsControlProgramregistered559 cases,includingchildren,asofNovember2009.116UNAIDSandWHOputthenumberofreportedcasesmuchhigherat1,000to2,000.117

Despitelowreportedprevalencerates,expertswarnthatarmedconflictexacerbatesriskfactorscontributingtothespreadofHIV/AIDSinAfghanistan.Inparticular,criminalnetworksarelikelytoexploitthevulnerablesituationoforphansandstreetchildren,forcingthemintoprostitutionorintroducingthemtodrugs.Forinstance,streetchildrenareregularlyforcedtoearnalivingassexworkerswithoutprotectingthemselvesfromsexuallytransmittedinfections,accordingtoUNICEF.OutofschoolyouthrarelyreceivevitaleducationmessagesregardingthepreventionofHIV/AIDS,accordingtoUNODC.Inadequatehealthfacilitiesduringbirthhavealsointensifiedtheriskofmothertochildtransmission.118

Cross-bordermigrationisanotherfactorinthespreadoftheHIVepidemic.Forexample,thethousandsofyoungmaleAfghanswhoworkillegallyinIranvisitsexworkersanduseintravenousdrugswithoutanyprotection,accordingtotheIrangovernmentandUNHCR.TherearecurrentlynoinitiativestoraiseawarenessaboutHIVamongAfghanmigrantsinIran,accordingtohealthofficialsinKabulandHerat.119

Treatment and CareDespiterepeatedwarningsoftheparticularrisksforchildren,thenationalschoolcurriculumhasnotincorpo-ratedclassesonHIV/AIDS.About59percentofalmost20,000highschoolstudentsbetweentheagesof15and24inKabulbelievedthatpeoplelivingwithHIVmustbeisolatedfromtherestofthecommunity,andmanywouldbarthemfromschoolorwork.120LackofknowledgeofHIVandfearsofsocialstigmatizationkeepmanyAfghansfromaccessingexistingcentersofferingtreatmentandcare.121Overall,mostservicesareconfinedtourbancenterswhereasmallnumberofmedicalfacilitiesofferfreecheckups,anonymouscounselingservicesoraffordablemedicineforHIV/AIDS.

Recommendations on HIV/AIDS The GoAshouldexpandprevention,treatmentandcareofHIV/AIDStoreachgirlsandboysinbothruraland

urbanareas.

The humanitarian communityshoulddevelopeasy-to-use,culturallysensitiveinformationonHIV/AIDSinlocallanguagesandwidelydistributethemthroughthemedia,schoolsandcommunitiesinAfghanistanandneighboringcountries.Theyshouldalsodeviseregionalstrategiesaimedatraisingawarenessamongchildrenwhomigrateoraretraffickedtoneighboringcountries.

DonorsshouldsupportnationalinitiativestointroducethepreventionofmothertochildtransmissionandpediatricHIVtreatmentservicesintoAfghanistan’sgeneralhealthcare.


Education

School Enrollment and AttendanceDuringtheirrule,theTalibandeniedmillionsofchildrentherighttoeducationandbannedgirlsfromattendingschool.ThereturnofgirlsandboystoschoolbecameapolicypriorityofsubsequentreconstructioneffortsinAfghanistanandabenchmarkforthepeace-buildingprocessinAfghanistan.AsofFebruary2010,7millionchildrenwereattendingschool,ofwhichapproximatelyone-thirdweregirls.122

Yet,morethan5millionschool-agechildrencontinuetomissoutoneducationopportunities,accordingtoaidagenciesandtheMinistryofEducation.123Fewofthelong-termIDPslivingincampsettingshaveaccesstoprimaryorsecondaryeducation,accordingtoAIHRC.Manystudentsareforcedtodropoutofprimaryschoolandevenfewerareabletomoveontohighereducationduetoinsecurity,povertyorearlymarriage.124Dropoutratesaredisproportionallyhigherforgirlsasparentsaremorerestrictivewiththeirdaughters.Atthelowersec-ondarylevel,only27percentofstudentsweregirls.125

Therearehardlyanyoptionsforchildren,especiallygirls,whograduatefromprimaryschooltoproceedtosecondaryeducation.Currently,only11percentofboysand5 percentofgirlsenrolledinprimaryschoolcontinueontograde12.126Asattentionandfundingisfocusedonprimaryeducation,therearefewsecondaryschoolsandevenlessopportunitytoattenduniversity.Mostoftheseschoolsarefarapartfromeachotherandrarelyprovideforgendersegregationmakingthemlargelyinaccessibletochildren,especiallygirls.

Monitoring and Reporting on AttacksTheMinistryofEducation,UNICEF,UNAMA,theWorldFoodProgrammeandtheAfghanistanNGOSafetyOffice(ANSO)regularlygatherinformationonattacksagainstschools.However,thedatabaseformatsandnumbersofUNICEFandtheMinistryofEducationonschoolattacksdonotmatch,makingitdifficulttounderstandthephenomenon,

asnotedbyCAREInternationalinKnowledge on Fire: Attacks on Education in Afghanistan: Risks and Measures for Successful Mitigation,September2009.Thestudyalsoidentifiedcasesofunderreporting,partialreportingormisreportingaswellasdoublecountingofcasesintheUNICEFandMinistryofEducationdatabases.AspartoftheUN-ledMonitoringandReportingMechanism,theCountryTaskForcesetupaninformationmanagementsystemin2008/2009tocleanexistingdatabasesofinformationaboutattacksagainstschoolstoensurethatrecordeddataisconsistentandthatdouble-countingisavoided.

Whilevariousorganizationsmonitorattacksagainstschools,noneofthemsystematicallycollectcriticalinformationthatcouldpreventattacks,includingearlywarningsignssuchas“nightletters,”whicharesecretlysentoutorpostedinpublicplacesatnighttointimidateparents,teachersandstudents.Noneofthedatabasesrecordsthesourceoffundingfortheattackedschools,whetheritisastan-dardizedschoolbuildingorcommunitybased,andwhetherthereisaPRTrelationshipwiththeschool.Allofthisinformationcouldprovidesignificantinsightsonwhyschoolsareattacked.Forexample,AfghancommunitiesperceiveschoolsbuiltbyPRTsorthathavePRTinvolvementtobeatgreaterriskofattack,accordingtothereport.Similarly,studiesshowthatschoolsaremoreprotectedwhencommunitiesareinvolvedinthebuildingandopeningoftheschoolandincurriculumdevelopment.127Thedatabasesalsodonottrackinformationregardingotherconflict-relatedfactorsthatinhibitschoolattendancesuchasthepresenceoflandminesintheschool’svicinity.Nordotheycapturethewiderimpactthatschoolattacksmayhaveonparents’decisionstosendtheirchildrentoschool.

Attacks against Schools, School Children and TeachersEvenwiththelimitedmonitoringandreportingsystemcurrentlyinplace,itisclearthatattacksonschoolsbyarmedoppositiongroupsarewidespread.Armed


oppositiongroupshavedamagedanddestroyedschools,brutallykilledstudentsandtheirteachersandthreatenedanybodyseenassupportiveofAfghanistan’seducationsystem.Criminalgangsareresponsibleforsomeoftheseattacks,attimesactingasproxiestoarmedgroups.In2009,theUNCountryTaskForcedocumented610incidentsaffectingeducationcomparedto348recordedincidentsin2008.Themajorityofattacksarerelatedtotheburningofschoolbuildingsorinventory,explosionsclosetoorinschoolbuildingsanddirectattacksagainststudentsandeducationpersonnel,accordingtotheUNICEFschoolsecuritydatabase.Armedgroupshavealsoused“nightletters”tothreatenfamiliesanddeterthemfromsendingtheirchildrentogovernment-runschools.128

WhileschoolattackshaveoccurredthroughoutAfghanistan,thetypeofattacks–whetherarson,explosivesorothers–hasvaried,dependingontheprovinceandthelocationoftheschool.Forexample,schoolsbuiltnearhighwaysclosetothefrontlinesandinternationalbordersaremorelikelytofaceattacks.Inaddition,visitsofinternationalmilitaryforcestoschoolsortheirdirectassistancetoeducationprogramsthroughthePRTsislikelytoincreasetheriskofattacksbyattractinguntowardattentionbyanti-governmentelements.Forexample,followingavisitbyaPRTtoanallgirls’school,aviolentdemonstrationtookplacewhichincludedattacksonthedistrictjudgeandthedistrictmanager’shouse.ThisresponsewastriggeredwhentheMullahclaimedthatthegirlsdancedtomusicandwerefilmedandphotographedbythePRT.129AlthoughsomeofthethreatsorattacksagainstschoolsseemlinkedtoPRTsupport,morestatisticalevidenceisneededtoverifywhetherthereisindeedacorrelation.

Girlsfacesignificantlyhigherrisksofbeingattackedthanboys.Whileonly19percentofallschoolsinthecountryaredesignatedgirls’schools,attacksagainstgirls’schoolsaccountfor40percentofallattacks.130Forexample,inMay2009,anarmedgroupreportedlypoisoned90girlsbetweentheagesof8and12yearsoldusinggasinMahmudRaqi,thecapitalofKapisaprovince,leadingtoseverenauseaandinatleastfivecases,short-termcomas.131Inanothercase,inNovember2008,TalibanmilitantsreportedlythrewacidintothefacesofmorethanadozengirlsandseveraloftheirteachersenroutetoschoolinKandahar,leavingsomeseverelydisfigured,accordingtothe2008Secretary-General’sannualreportonchildrenandarmedconflict(A/63/785/S/2008/158andCorr.1para14).Themilitantswerereportedlypaid100,000Pakistanirupeesforeachgirltheyburned.Todate,theperpetratorsofthecrimehavenotbeenconvicted.132

Therehavealsobeenincidentswhereteachersandstudentshavebeencaughtinthecross-fireascheckpoints,policepostsormilitarycampswereestablishedintheimmediatevicinityofschools.Forexample,onMarch15,2009,anIEDexplodedinfrontofaschoolandclosetoamilitarybaseinKabul,injuringamongothersaschoolteacheranda12-year-oldstudent,anddestroyingsomeoftheschool’swindows,accordingtotheMinistryofEducation.133

Protecting Schools from AttacksAfghanlocalcommunitiesplayacriticalroleinprotectingschoolsagainstviolence,accordingtoCARE.Incontrasttothegovernmentorthepolice,whichmayattractfurtherattacks,communitymembersdissociatethemselvesfrompoliticalagendas.Inmanycasescommunitymembersknowthearmedgroupinvolvedandareabletoestablishadialoguewiththem,accordingtothestudy.Whilecommu-nitieshavedevelopedstrategiestocommunicatewitharmedgroups,theyfacemoredifficultiesindealingwithcriminalgangsastheyrarelyknowtheiridentityandaremoreafraidofcontactingthem.Inthesecases,thehiringofguardsandpatrolsmaybeamoreappropriatestrategy,especiallyduringthenightandintheearlymonthsoftheschoolyearwhenmostoftheattacksoccur.Community-basedschoolsalsoappearlesslikelytobethetargetsofattacksastheyarelessvisible(usuallyrunfromhomes)andnotseenassymbolsofthegovernmentlikethePRT-affiliatedschools.Approximately25percentofschoolsinAfghanistanarecommunity-based.134

TheMinistryofEducationhasalsoengagedwitharmedgroupsdirectlyorthroughlocaleldersandreligiousscholarstoobtainassurancesforthesafepassageofstudentsinthesouthernprovincesofKandahar,HelmandandUruzgan,accordingtotheMinistryofEducation.135Thegovernmentisalsoplanningtoopenupitsownmadrassasorreligiousschools,whichwouldintegratebasicIslamiceducationintothebasicschoolcurriculum,todiscourageparentsfromsendingtheirchildrentomadrassasinPakistan.SomeofthemadrassasinPakistanpromoteIslamicradicalismanddemandpersonalsacrificeforjihad,includingsuicide.136

Conflict-Related Barriers to EducationAttacksagainstschoolsandrelatedinsecurityresultedintheclosureofanestimated700schoolsin2008and670schoolsatthebeginningof2009,accordingtoUNICEF.137Inthesouthernprovinces,65to81percentofschoolswereforcedtocloseduetoinsecurity,accordingtoCARE.


Moreover,violenceagainsttheeducationsystemhasevokedfearamongparentsofsendingtheirchildrentoschool,underminingthemassiveeffortsthathavebeenmadetoencouragestudentenrollment;thisviolenceparticularlyaffectstheschoolattendanceofgirls.138

Further,thedestructionanddamagetoschoolbuildingsandinventoryhasmadeitextremelydifficulttoensurequalityeducationforchildrenattendingschool.Halfofpublicschoolsoperatewithoutabuildingandclassesareheldintentsoroutside,accordingtotheMinistryofEducation.Inaddition,schoolfacilitiesarerarelyconstructedwithaviewtothespecialneedsofchildrenwithmentalorphysicaldisabilities,includingramps,widergatesandsensitizationprograms.139

ThereisalsoalackofqualifiedteachersinAfghanistantosupportanincreasingstudentbody.Approximately80percentofteachershadnotcompletedtheirhigh-schoolorpost-secondaryeducationasofFebruary2009,accordingtotheMinistryofEducation.140Thisshortageappearstobelessaresultofthedirectthreatsagainstthembutratherrelatedtotheemigrationofteachersduringthewar,lowsalaries,complicatedaccreditationproceduresandgeneralinsecurity.OutofthepeopleinterviewedforCARE’ssurvey,only3percentbelievedthatmaleteachersquittheirjobfollowinganincidentand7percentbelievedthesameforfemaleteachers.Yet,giventhehighnumberofattacks,theaggregatelossinteachersissignificant.Thisresultsinstudentsonlyreceivingaminimaltwo-and-a-halfhoursofeducationperday,accordingtoACBAR.141DuetothelownumberofAfghangirlsfinishingtheireducation,schoolsarenowparticularlystrugglingtofindfemaleteachers,whichinturnnegativelyaffectsgirls’schoolattendance.142InBadakhshan,forexample,therecruitmentofasmallnumberofqualifiedfemaleteachersincreasedthenumberofgirlsattendingaprimaryschoolfrom70toover1,000 studentsin2009.143

Thepresentarmedconflicthasalsoexacerbatedeconomicstrainsonfamiliessothatmanyarenotabletoaffordeducationfortheirchildren.AlthougheducationinAfghanistaniscompulsoryandfreefromgradesonethroughnine,andfreeuptoundergraduatelevelofuniversity,someparentsarenotabletoaffordschoolsuppliesortransport,orneedtheirchildtoworkathomeforthefamily’ssurvival(seebelow:ChildLabor).The2007-08NationalRiskandVulnerabilityAssessmentconductedbytheMinistryofRuralRehabilitationandDevelopmentandtheCentralStatisticsOrganizationconfirmedthatworkingchildrenarelesslikelytoattendschoolthannon-workingchildren.144Atthesametime,householdsaremorelikelytosendtheirchildrentoschooliftheybelievetheirchildrenwillreceiveaquality

education.145Programstoimproveschoolproximityarealsobelievedtohaveapositiveeffectonschoolattendanceasmanystudentsareunabletopaythetransportcostsorfearpotentialattacksontheirwaytoschool.146

Theconflicthasalsoexacerbatedviolencelevelsatschool,bothbetweenteachersandstudentsandamongchildren,accordingtoSavetheChildren.Physicalandhumiliatingpunishmenthasbecomeaseeminglyaccepteddisciplinarymethodasschooldisciplineorguardscommittees,comprisedofteachersandstudents,areauthorizedtousephysicalpunishmentonstudents.Halfofallinterviewedteachersbelievethattheyhavearighttobeatchildren(commonlywithastick),accordingtotheSavetheChildrenreport.Thereportfurtherhighlightstheparticularprotec-tionneedsofboyswho,inseveralreportedinstances,wererapedbymaleteachersandsubjectedtosexualharassmentbyolderboys.Manyofthestudentsowngunsandknives;childrenfrequentlycommitviolenceagainstotherchildren.147


Recommendations on Education Armed opposition groupsshouldimmediatelyabstainfromallattacksorthreatsofattackagainstschools,

teachers,education,educationstaff,studentsandparents.

The UN Security Councilshouldrequestthatsecurityforcesandarmedgroupsvacateschoolsandrefrainfromenteringeducationalfacilities,andencouragenationalandinternationalforcestoremoveallcheckpostslocatedinthevicinityofschools.

The CTFMRMshouldmonitortheimpactofattacksandcapturecriticalinformationthatcouldpreventattacks,includingearlywarningsignssuchas“nightletters,”sourcesoffundingforschoolsandeducationrelatedprojectsandthepresenceofsecurityforces.Quarterlyreportsfromtheirevaluationsshouldbereleasedtotracktrendsinattacksagainstschoolsandinformevidence-basedadvocacy.

The GoAshouldinvestigateallincidentsaffectingschools,teachers,staff,studentsandparentsandprosecutethosefoundguiltyinaccordancewithnationalandinternationallaw.

The GoA,withsupportfrominternationaldonors,shouldencouragegirlstoattendschoolbyensuringthatschoolsareaccessible,trainingandhiringmorefemaleteachers,andbybuildinggender-separatedschoollatrines.

The GoAshouldcontinueitseffortstoincreaseschoolattendanceattheprimarylevelandmaketheprovisionofsecondaryeducationalong-termpriority.

The GoAshouldconductanationalcampaigntoraiseawarenessamongteachersandstudentsonviolenceagainstchildreninschoolandholdthoseresponsibleforabusesaccountable.Thepoliceshouldactivelyinvestigatehowstudentsobtaingunsandotherweaponstoinformpolicyresponses.

Donorsshouldmakemeaningfulcommunityparticipationaprerequisiteforsupportingeducationprojectsinordertoreducesecurityrisksandincreaselocalownershipandsustainability.

Education


Abduction

TherearefewdocumentedcasesofchildabductionduetoconflictinAfghanistanwhichseemforthemostpartconnectedtotraffickingbycriminalnetworks(seebelow:Trafficking).148However,theUN-ledCountryTaskForceontheMRMhasreceivedconfirmedinformationofchildrenabductedortransferredtoPakistanwheretheyreceivedmilitarytraining,accordingtoaprotectionworker.Whilethedocumentedincidentsareveryfew,theyraiseconcernsabouttheextentofthephenomenagiventhelackoftheaccessoftheTaskForcetotheareawherethechildrenwereheldandalsothelackoffollow-upofcaseswherechildrenhavedisappeared.

Otherreportsalsoindicatetheriskofchildrenbeingabductedbyarmedelements.OnOctober26,2009,unknownarmedmenreportedlyabducted13boysbetweentheagesof8and13yearswhilethechildrenwerecollectingfirewoodinHaskaMeenaDistrict,NangarharProvince,neartheAfghanistan-Pakistanborder,accordingtoPajhwokAfghanNews(PAN),Afghanistan’sleadingindependentnewsagency.Whilethreechildrenreturnedtotheirfamiliesaweekaftertheircapture,theremainingoneswerebroughttoPakistan’sDogarareaintheTirahValleybutescapedduringaerialbombardmentsonNovember16,2009.ThePakistanTalibandeniedinvolvementintheabductionbutoneofthechildren’srelativesclaimedthatthearmedmenletthePakistanTalibanaskthechildrenabouttheirfamily’srelationtotheAfghanSecurityForces,accordingtoPAN.149

Recommendations on Abduction (Please see relevant recommendations in chapters on Trafficking and Child Soldiers)


Gender-Based Violence

Prevalence of Gender-Based ViolenceFearofstigmatization,exclusionandreprisalspreventsAfghansurvivorsofgender-basedviolence(GBV)fromspeakingoutandthusconcealstheextentofthisviolenceinthecountry.InAfghansociety,sexualactscommittedoutsidemarriagearewidelybelievedto“dishonor”familiesandcommunities.Inorderto“save”theirhonor,somefamilieshavereportedlyrejectedorevenkilledthechildorwomanwhowasraped.Thesocialpressureputonthesurvivorandthefamilytohidetheincidenthasalsoresultedinanumberofforcedabortions.150

Asaresultofthesilencesurroundingtheissue,therearefewpubliclyreportedcasesandnocomprehensiveorofficialdataavailableonrapeandGBVinAfghanistan.However,availableinformationindicatesthatrapeisa“widespreadphenomenon”thataffectswomenandchildrenthroughoutthecountry.151TheUNSpecialRepresentativeonChildrenandArmedConflictandothershaverepeatedlybroughtattentiontothesexualabuseofboys,apracticewhichAfghansrefertoasbacha bazior“boyplay.”DatagatheredbyAIHRCfrom2003to2010suggestedthatboysmayevenbeatahigherriskofsexualabusethangirls.152

Children,particularlygirls,arealsoregularlyforcedintomarriageatanearlyage.AccordingtoAfghanlaw,thelegalageofmarriageforboysis18whileitis16forgirls.153Theselegalprovisionsrarelyreflectcurrentpracticeinruralcommunitieswherethevastmajorityofgirlsaremarriedwhentheyareyoungerthan16yearsoldandwithouttheirconsent,oftenforeconomicreasonsorconflictresolution(“bloodmoney”).SavetheChildrenestimatedthat48 percentofmarriagesinvolveboysandgirlsundertheageof18.154Eventhoughcivillawprohibitsforcedandchildmarriage,therearenoknowncasesofparentsbeingprosecutedforchildmarriagetodate,accordingtoAIHRC.155Childrenmarriedatthisearlyagemayfaceseriouspsycho-socialandhealthproblemsandaremorelikelytodropoutofschoolorbecomevictimsofdomesticabuse.156Forexample,one-thirdofmarriedgirlsbetween

10and14 yearsoldreportedsexualviolence,twicethenumberoftheagegroupoffemales15yearsandolder,accordingtoGlobalRights.157

TheMinistryofWomen’sAffairs,withsupportfromtheUNDevelopmentFundforWomen(UNIFEM),hasdevelopedadatabaseofcasesofviolenceagainstwomen.Thedatabaseincludesonlyviolationsagainstgirlsandwomendespitethereportsofabusesagainstboys.ThedatathatisincludedisbasedoninformationprovidedbytheDepartmentofWomen’sAffairsattheprovinciallevelandbytheMinistryofWomen’sAffairsatthenationallevel.Incontrast,reportsfromindependentgroupsorfromtheMinistryofPublicHealtharenotincluded.

Silence and ImpunityActsofsexualviolencearereportedlycommittedbyarmedgroupsorcriminalgangsaswellasfamilymembers,guardiansorcaretakers.Thisincludesstaffofprisons,juvenilerehabilitationcenters,policestationsandorphanages,accordingtoUNAMA/OfficeoftheHighCommissionerforHumanRights(OHCHR).158However,fewifanyperpetratorsofsexualviolenceareeverbroughttojustice.AIHRCestimatesthatonlyoneoutoffourabusersaredetainedbasedonvictims’accounts.159Policeofficersoftenignorecomplaintsorrefusetoregistercasesforfearofretaliationorbecausetheyreceivedbribes.Forexample,threepoliceofficerswerepaidforassistingtheescapeofamanchargedwiththerapeofa7-year-oldboyinthenortherncityofMazar-i-Sharif.160Thepolicealsodonotguaranteetheprotectionofsurvivorsandwitnesses,accordingtoUNAMA/OHCHR.WomenandchildrenreportingonGBVcaseshaveattimesreportedlybeenputinto“protective”custody,puttingthematriskoffurtherviolations,includingrape,whileinprison.

Afghanpenallawfailstocriminalizerapeagainstwomenandminors.Intheabsenceofspecificlawsonrape,mostjudgesandlawenforcementagenciesresorttotheconceptofzinawhendealingwithrapecases,whichiscoveredunderChapter8ofthePenalCode.However,zina


focusesonadultery,pederastyandviolationof“honor”butdoesnotadequatelydefinecoerciontodifferentiatethevictimandtheperpetratorofrape.Asaresult,GBVsurvivors–eveniftheywerechildren–havebeenerrone-ouslyprosecutedforadultery.Thevaguedefinitionofzinahasledcourtstoprosecutechildren,particularlygirls,forrunningawayfromtheirhomes,eveniftheywereescapingdomesticviolence.Authoritiesarealsoregularlyaccusedofdiscardingaccusationsofrape,especiallyifchildrenfilethecomplaint.

Inordertostrengthenthelegalframework,theEliminationofViolenceagainstWomenActwaspassedbypresidentialdecreeinJuly2009.161Whilethelawincludesspecificprovisionsonrapeandpunishesanybodyinvolvedinchildorforcedmarriagewithupto10yearsimprisonment,itstillhastoexplicitlycriminalizerapeandtoincludeadefinitionofrapethatisinaccordancewithinternationalstandards.162Moreover,concernsremainoveritsimple-mentationgiventheambivalenceofthelegalprovisions,widespreadcorruption,weaklawenforcementmechanisms,impunityandapropensityofjudgestoapplytraditionalorSharialawthatconflictswithconstitutionallaw,accordingtoAIHRC.Womenandgirlsalsofacedifficultiesinaccessingcourtsandlegalbodies,particularlyintheprovinces.

InsomecasesofrapeagainstchildreninvolvingAfghanSecurityForces,judicialauthoritieshavesentencedperpetratorsto10or15yearsimprisonment,accordingtothe2008Secretary-General’sreportonCACinAfghanistan.However,localpowerstructuresregularlyaffecttheoutcomeofthelegalprocessaspowerbrokersusetheirinfluencetoshieldthemselvesfromprosecution.In39 percentofcasesinthenorthernregionanalyzedbyUNAMA’sHumanRightsUnit,perpetratorsenjoyeddirectlinkstolocalpowerbrokers.163Forexample,inMay2009,alocalcommanderwhowasaccusedofrapingawomanandherdaughterconvenedajirgaortraditionalassemblyoflocalleaders,whorequestedthatthesurvivorsandtheirfamilyleavethedistrictinsteadofprosecutingtheallegedperpetrator.164

Negativeexperienceswithformallegalmechanismsorthelackofawarenessofthesemechanismshavemotivatedsurvivorstoresorttotraditionalformsofconflictsettlement,eitherprivatelyorthroughlocalcommunitycouncilssuchasjirgas,whichoftenmeanfurtherabusesforthesurvivor.Forexample,familieshavemarriedofftheirdaughterstothesuspectedrapisttodisguisetheallegedcrime.165Inothercases,thegirlfromtheperpetrator’sfamilywasofferedtothesonofthevictim’sfamily.Inthisharmfultraditionalpractice,commonlyreferredtoasBaad,thefamilymarriesoffyounggirlstofamiliestosettleinter-clanorfamilydisputes.Inasmallpercentageofcases,thevictim’sfamilyreceivesmonetarycompensation.

Lack of Services for GBV SurvivorsTherearecurrentlysomeminimalin-countrysupportservicesforsurvivorsofrapeandotherformsofgender-basedviolence,includingforcedmarriagesanddomesticviolence,accordingtowomen’sorganizationsinAfghanistan.Forexample,throughtheMinistryofWomen’sAffairs,thereareanumberofmechanismsinplacetoservewomen,includingtheprovisionoflegaladvice,referraltothejusticesystem,provisionofdefenselawyersandreferraltowomen’sshelters.However,thesegovernmentalservicesarecurrentlyonlyofferedattheprovincial,notthedistrictlevel.

Thereisalackofawarenessandwillingnessofgovernmentofficialsorcommunityelderstotreatsexualviolenceasapriorityandprovideanappropriateresponse.166TherearestillonlyafewNGO-runwomen’sshelterssomanyvictimsareforcedtoremaininabusivehomesorcontinuetoexperienceorwitnessviolence.Intheirdespair,somesurvivorshavetriedtocommitsuicidebysettingthemselvesonfire,resultinginseriousburninjuriesordeath.167AhospitalinHeratprovincethatspecializesinburninjuriesrecorded81casesofself-immolationin1387(2008/2009).Anestimated80percentofthevictimswerechildrenandyoungwomenbetweentheagesof13and25,accordingtothehospital.168

ThenationalChildProtectionActionNetwork(CPAN),169whichconsistsofgovernmentalandnongovernmentalorganizationsinAfghanistan,hassetupaworkinggroupontheprevention,responseandprotectionofchildvictimsofsexualviolence,includingconflict-relatedsexualviolence.Inseveralinstances,thisnetworkhasrespondedtoreportedcasesofsexualviolencebyadvocatingonthesurvivor’sbehalforbyprovidingservices.Forexample,CPANwrotealettertotheMinistryofLabor,SocialAffairs,Martyrs&Disabledtoalertthemtothecaseofamilitarycommanderwhowasaccusedofabductingandrapingan11-year-oldgirlin2008.Thecommanderwassentencedto15yearsimprisonmentpartlyduetoCPAN’sadvocacy.170

Inordertoimprovewomenandgirls’accesstojusticemechanisms,theAfghangovernmenthasestablishedfamilyresponseunits(FRUs)insomepolicestationstoregistercasesofdomesticviolence,includingsexualviolenceandchildmarriage.However,fewpolicestationsarecurrentlyabletoofferthisserviceduetoalackofqualifiedfemalepoliceofficersandfacilitiesthatallowofficerstoconductinterviewsinconfidentialsettings.171MostNGOsorcivilsocietymembersareunawareofexistingFRUsandthusunabletousethemforreferrals.


Recommendations on GBV The GoAshouldadapttheEliminationofViolenceagainstWomenActtoincludeadefinitionofrapethat

complieswithinternationalstandards.Thegovernmentmustensurethatthelawisimplementedatalllevelsandthatthosefoundguiltyofviolenceagainstwomenandchildren,includingboys,areprosecuted.

The GoAmustdevelopasystematicresponsetoreportsofrapeandotherformsofGBV.Thisshouldincludethepresenceoffamilyresponseunitswithadequatefemalestaffandfacilities,trainingoflawenforcementofficials(judges,prosecutorsandpolice),adequatepsycho-socialandmedicalsupport,andtheprovisionofsheltersthroughoutthecountrywherewomen,girlsandboyscanbesafefromviolenceandabuse.

The GoAmustfacilitatebetteraccessforsurvivorsofGBVtoformallegalmechanismsthattreatsurvivorswithdignitythroughoutthejusticeprocess,protectandprovideredressfortheirsufferingandbringperpetratorstojustice,inaccordancewithUNSecurityCouncilResolutions1820and1888.

The GoAshouldadaptthedatabaseonviolationsagainstgirlsandwomentoincludesexualabusescommittedagainstboysandsharerelevantinformationwiththeCTFMRM.

The humanitarian communityshouldcollaboratewithwomen’sassociationsandcivicgroupsatalllevelstoeducatethepublicaboutthehazardsandproblemsassociatedwithearlymarriage.

Gender-Based Violence


Child Soldiers

Recruitment by Afghan Security ForcesApresidentialdecreeof2003raisedtheminimumageofrecruitmentintotheAfghanarmyandthepoliceto18andaccededtotheOptionalProtocoltotheCRContheinvolvementofchildreninarmedconflictonSeptember24,2003.However,therehavebeenreportedcasesofchildrecruitmentintotheAfghanpoliceinthenorth,southandsoutheast,accordingtothe2008Secretary-General’sreportonCACinAfghanistan.Mostofthereportedcaseswereduetopoorbirthregistrationsystemsandweakageverification.172

Withunemploymentratesatarecord40percenthigh,adolescentsfacesevereeconomicandsocialpressurestofindajob,evenifthismeansjoiningtheSecurityForces.173Somechildrenhavereportedlyfalsifiedtheiridentificationrecordstojointheforces,oftenwiththeexpressobjectivetousethemoneytosupporttheirfamily.Therearealsoindicationsthatpoliceofficersknowinglyfalsifyidentitycardstorespondtotherisingdemandforpoliceandsoldiers.174

DuringhervisittoAfghanistaninFebruary2010,theSpecialRepresentativeonChildrenandArmedConflictraisedthisissuewithrelevantministriesandgovernmentofficialswhomadecommitmentstoenhanceageverificationprocedures.

Recruitment by Private and Auxiliary ForcesSemi-trainedauxiliaryforcesorprivatesecuritycompanieshiredbythegovernmenttosupportitsownforceshavealsoneglectedtovetnewrecruitstoavoidtherecruitmentofchildren.In2007,AIHRCreportedatleast200boysunder18intheAfghanNationalPoliceandinasemi-formalauxiliarypoliceforceinKandaharprovinceinsouthernAfghanistan.175Whilethegovernmenthasdiscontinueditsuseoftheauxiliarypoliceforce,effortstobuildothersemi-professionalsecurityforcesareunderway(seebelow:SmallArms).

PrivatesecuritycompanieshaveprovedimpervioustoattemptsbythegovernmentandtheAIHRCtomonitorandrevisetheirrecruitmentpractices.HumanrightsorganizationsdocumentedthepresenceofboysinsecuritycompaniesinKandaharandHelmandprovincesin2007,accordingtoAIHRC.176

Recruitment by the Taliban and Other Armed Opposition GroupsTheTaliban,Haqqaninetwork,Hezbi-i-Islami,JamatSunatal-DawaSalafiaandotherarmedgroupshaverecruitedchildrentobeusedasfighters,campguardsorsuicidebombers,particularlyalongtheAfghanistan-Pakistanborder.Insomecases,childrenhadbeentrainedinforeigncountriestoundertakesuicidemissions.Inothercases,childrenhavebeeninvoluntarilyinvolvedintheinsurgencyasexplosiveswerehiddenintheirbagsorclothingunbeknownsttothem.177Forexample,onApril12,2009,ayoungboywaskilledwhenabombplantedinhiswheel-barrowexploded50feetfromagovernmentbuildinginAybakcity,inSamangan.Theboywasnotawarethathewascarryingtheexplosivedevice,accordingtoUNAMA.

TherearenoprecisefiguresonchildsoldiersinAfghanistanbutseveralreportsattesttotheseverityoftheconcern.Inparticular,widespreaddisplacementandtheconsequentabsenceofprotectivecommunitystructureshaveincreasedthevulnerabilityofchildrentorecruitment.TheMarch2009Secretary-General’sreportonChildrenandArmedConflictnotedthatforcedrecruitmentofchildrenbyarmedgroupsis“prevalentinareaswithhighconcentrationsofreturneesorinternallydisplacedpersons,particularlyinthesouthandsoutheasternprovinces.”Thesurgeininterna-tionalarmedforcesisfearedtotriggeranewriseintherecruitmentanduseofchildsoldiersbyarmedoppositiongroupsaspartofnewlarge-scalerecruitmentdrives.


Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration for ChildrenThemostrecentformalDisarmament,DemobilizationandReintegration(DDR)processfacilitatedthereleaseandreintegrationof7,444childrenassociatedwitharmedforcesandgroupsbetweenApril2003andJune2006.178ThisnumbercorrespondscloselytoUNICEF’sinitialestimateof8,000childsoldiersthatwasbasedonarapidassessment.Despiteongoingreportsofchildrecruitmentinallregions,theDDRprocessdidnotprovideforthemonitoringofpotentialrecruitmentorre-recruitmentofchildren,accordingtothe2008Secretary-General’sReportonChildrenandArmedConflictinAfghanistan.Asaresult,thereremainsalackofknowledgeaboutthescopeoftheproblemandthefactorscontributingtoorpreventingchildrecruitment.Significantchallengestothesuccessfulreintegrationofchildrenformerlyassociatedwitharmedforcesorgroupsincludethepresenceofanarmedconflictandarmedgroups,highunemploymentratesanddeterioratingsocio-economicconditionsinthechild’shomecommunity.

WhiletheformalDDRprogramwasconcludedinJune2006,UNICEFincollaborationwithNGOshascontinuedtoprovidereintegrationsupportforwar-affectedandat-riskchildren,includingeducation,skillstrainingandpsycho-socialservicesinAfghanistanandPakistan.Todatehowever,Pakistanonlyhostsonerehabilitationcenter.Thiscenterisunabletoabsorbtheincreasingnumberofformerchildsoldiersreferredtothecenterbyparentsandarmedgroupsanddoesnotacceptanygirls.Theopeningofadditionalcentersisnotencouragedasitisfearedtodrawunwantedattentiontotheprogram,whichmightputthefacility,includingitsstaffandthechildren,atriskofattack.

Detention of Children Formerly Associated with Armed GroupsAfghanlawenforcementagencieshavedetainedchildrenduetotheirallegedassociationwitharmedgroups.179TheNationalDirectorateofSecurityhasreportedlyarrestedchildrenasyoungas12yearsold,subjectingtheminsomecasestointerrogationsonaccountoftheirallegedrolewithinarmedgroups.180Somechildrenreportedill-treatmentwhileindetentionandalackofaccesstolegalassistanceordocumentation,accordingtothe2008SpecialRepresentativeoftheSecretary-General’sreportonCACinAfghanistan.InresponsetorepeatedrequestsbytheUNandNGOs,theMinistryoftheInteriorofficiallygrantedtheUNaccesstotheseandotherchildreninsimilardetentionsituationsinApril2009.The2008

nationallawoncombatingterroristoffensesspecificallystatesthatthe2005juvenilecodeappliestoanyoffensecommittedbyanindividualundertheageof18.

InternationalmilitaryforceshavealsoheldchildrenindetentionfacilitiesinAfghanistan.181TheUnitedStatesadmittedtohavingheld90individualswhowereunder18 yearsoldatthetimeoftheirarrestindetentionfacilitiesinAfghanistanduringthe2002-2008period.182Atpresent,U.S.officialsdeniedthattherewereanymorechildreninISAFdetentionfacilities,whichwasalsoconfirmedbyprotectionpartnerswithaccesstothefacilities,accordingtotheOfficeoftheSpecialRepresentativeonChildrenandArmedConflict(OSRSG-CAC).DuringhervisittoAfghanistaninFebruary2010,theSpecialRepresentativeonChildrenandArmedConflict(SRSG-CAC)alsoreceivedthecommit-mentofthemilitaryleadershipthatprotectionpartnerswouldbeallowedtovisitISAFfacilitiesinordertoensurethatnochildrenweredetainedthere.

Intwoof12allegedcasesofchilddetentioninGuantanamoBay,theU.S.refutedclaimsthatthesewerechildrenandcontinuedtokeeptheindividualsindetentionconditions.183Inonecase,thatofMohammedJawad,aU.S.courtorderedhisreleaseaftersevenyearsinJuly2009onthebasisthathehadbeentorturedintoconfessionbytheAfghangovernmentpriortohisbeingtransferredtoU.S.authorities.However,thecaseofOmarKhadr,whowasreportedly15atthetimeofhisrecruitment,isstillawaitingtrialbyaU.S.militarycommissionattheGuantanamofacilityonchargesofmurder.184TheSpecialRepresentativeonChildrenandArmedConflicthasadvocatedforthereleaseofMohammed,Omarandotherindividualsastheirprosecutionforwarcrimescommittedwhentheywerestillunderagecontravenesinternationallegalstandardsandpracticeforchildreninconflict.185


Recommendations on Child Soldiers The GoAshould,asamatterofpriority,introducetheprovisionsoftheOptionalProtocoltotheConvention

ontheRightsoftheChildontheinvolvementofchildreninarmedconflictintonationallaw.

The GoAshouldcriminalizechildrecruitmentandtheuseofchildsoldiers,andactivelyprosecutethosewhoexploitchildrenassoldiers.TheyshouldworkcloselywithUNagenciestorefineagedeterminationproceduresandgrantfullaccesstoalltraininganddetentionfacilities,includingthoseoftheNationalDirectorateofSecurity(NDS),formonitoringpurposes.

Armed opposition groupsshouldimmediatelyreleaseallchildrenheldintheirranksandenterintodialoguewiththeUNtoprepareandimplementtime-boundactionplanstopreventfuturerecruitmentanduseofchildreninarmedconflictinlinewithUNSecurityCouncilResolutions1540,1612and1882.

ISAFshouldimmediatelyinformUNICEFandUNAMAofcaseswherechildrenaredetainedonallegationsoftheirallegedassociationwitharmedgroups.

The Country Task Force on MRM (CTFMRM)shouldworkwithprotectionorganizationsandlocalgroupsinPakistanandAfghanistantoassessthescopeandnatureofrecruitmentofchildrenbyarmedgroupsoper-atingintheAfghanistan-Pakistanborderareas.TheCTFMRMshouldalsodevelopasetofjointactionstobetakenatthelocal,nationalandregionalleveltofacilitatethereleaseandreintegrationofchildrenaffectedbyarmedgroupsorforces.

The GoA and the international communityshouldestablishreintegrationprogramsforchildrenformerlyassociatedwitharmedforcesorgroupsandensurethatDDRprogramsareconsistentwithinternationalstandards.

The UN Secretary-GeneralshouldencouragetheestablishmentofataskforcetofindlastingsolutionstotheproblemofyouthunemploymentinAfghanistanandtheregioninordertoutilizethepotentialofchildrenandyouthandpreventtheirrecruitmentintoarmedforcesorothergroupsorintocriminalnetworks(followingsimilarmodelsusedinWestAfrica).ThetaskforceshouldconsistofrelevantUNagencies,theSecretary-General’sYouthEmploymentNetwork(YEN),civilsocietyorganizationsandindividualexperts,andworkcloselywiththeGovernmentofAfghanistan.


Small Arms

Scope of the ProblemIntheabsenceofaneffectivedisarmamentprocess,risingnumbersofsmallarmscirculateillegallyamongarmedgroups,criminalbandsandprivateindividualsinAfghanistan.EstimatesonthenumberofuncontrolledsmallarmsinAfghanistanrangefrom1.5to10million,accordingtoSmall Arms Survey 2003.RecentarmsflowsarecommonlytracedtoPakistan,whichisinvolvedinthetradeofsmallarmsandtheproductionofammunition.

Thereisnostatisticaldataavailableonchildreninjuredorkilledbysmallarms.However,theeasyavailabilityofsmallarmsposesasevereriskoftheirabuse,andmayunderminetheeffectiveprotectionofcivilians,especiallychildren,accordingtoAmnestyInternational(AI).186Moreandmorestudentsbringgunsandknivestoschoolandusethemasweaponstothreatentheirclassmates(seeabove:Education).TheSecretary-General’sreporttotheUNSecurityCouncil(March6,2008)similarlyhighlightstheneedtomakeprogressonsecuritysectorreform,tocombatpervasivecorruptionandimproveweaponsaccountabilitysystems.

IllegalarmsaremainlyremnantsfromtheSovietinvasion,orreachAfghanistanfromthetribalareasalongtheAfghanistan-Pakistanborderwheremanyofthearmedgroupsoperate.187Surroundedbyfourmajorarmsproducers,includingRussia,China,IndiaandPakistan,Afghanistancandependonasteadysupplyofweaponsthroughtraderatherthandomesticproduction.Inaddition,theflourishingdrugtradecontributestothespreadofsmallarmsaswarlordsobtainweaponstoretaincontrolofopiumfields.188

TheAfghanandinternationalforceshavefurtherpromotedtheillicitownershipofsmallarmsbyemployingprivatesecuritycompaniesormilitiasthatevadegovernmentcontrol.SomeoftheU.S.fundedprogramsaimedatestablishingcivilianforceshavecontributedtothefurtherspreadofillicitarms.189Forexample,in2008,theU.S.

supportedtheAfghanPublicProtectionProgramwhicharmsandtrainscommunitiestoprotectthemselvesagainstattacksbytheTalibanandotherarmedoppositiongroups.Thesecommunityforcesreceivethesameequip-mentandsalaryasthepoliceandoperateasofficialunitsoftheInteriorMinistrybutonlyreceiveabasictwo-monthtraining.Securityexpertshavewarnedthatthisandotherprogramsmighteventuallyresultinthefurtherprolifera-tionofillegalsmallarmsandcreatearmedgroupsthatoperateindependentlyfromthegovernment.Moreover,thehighlevelofdiscretionlefttothelocalcouncilsresponsibleforselectingcommunitymembersfortheprogrammightencourageabuseofpowerandcouldpotentiallyincreasetheriskofrecruitmentanduseofchildsoldiers,especiallygiventhedifficultyofageverificationinAfghanistan(seeabove:ChildSoldiers).

ThereisalsoasignificantportionofNATOarmssuppliesintendedforusebyAfghanSecurityForcesthatremainunaccountedfor,raisingconcernsabouttheirpotentialabusebyarmedgroupsorcriminalelements,accordingtoa2008reportbytheU.S.GovernmentAccountabilityOffice(GAO).TheGAOreportattributestheseleakstopervasivecorruptionamongAfghanSecurityForces,poordepotsecurityinahigh-riskenvironment,andlimitedcapacitiesoftheAfghanSecurityForcestomanagethestorage,movementandusageofmilitaryequipment.InJanuary2009,theU.S.DefenseMinistrydirectedtheDefenseSecurityCooperationAgencytoleadanefforttoestablishaweaponsregistrationandmonitoringsysteminAfghanistan.

Disarmament EffortsTheGovernmentofAfghanistanonlyclarifiedthedistinctionbetweenlegalandillicitarmspossessionthroughaPresidentialDecreeinJuly2004,whichspecifiedpunish-mentforthepossessionofarmsbyarmedgroupsnotassociatedwiththeAfghanmilitaryforces.Todate,therehasnotbeenaconcertednationalorinternationaleffort


toeffectivelydisbandanddisarmthevariousarmedgroupsandindividualsinthecountry.However,twomajornationalinitiativeshavebeenestablished.

From2003to2005,theUN-ledDDRprogram,theAfghanNewBeginningsProgramme,focusedonforminganewnationalarmyandtargetedsemi-legitimateandformalmilitias.Theprogramresultedinthedemobilizationofmorethan60,000formercombatantsandthecollectionofmorethan57,000weapons,accordingtoSmall Arms Survey 2009.However,astheprogramwasneverintendedasadisarmamentprogram,mostcommandersonlysubmittedthebareminimumoftheirweapons–largelytheunserviceableones–tobenefitfromreintegrationassistance.190

AsasecondphaseoftheUNeffort,in2005,thegovernment-ledDisbandmentofIllegalArmedGroup(DIAG)projectaimedtodisarmthetensofthousandsofarmedindividualsthatcompriseillegalmilitias,whichhadnotparticipatedintheformalDDRprocess,accordingtoSmall Arms Survey 2009.Theprogramprimarilyreliedonlocalcommunityleaderstonegotiatecompliancewithillegallyarmedindividualsandofferedincentivestocommunitiesinexchangeforsupportingdisarmament.Ifthearmedgroupsstillrefusedtosubmittheirweaponsvoluntarily,DIAGprovidedforforcedcompliancebyAfghanSecurityForces.Inpractice,fewgroupshavedisbandedvoluntarily,andtheAfghangovernmenthasnotenforcedcompliancewithDIAGinasinglecase.

AsofJune2006,theDIAGresultedinthecollectionof24,182weaponsofwhichonly40percentwereratedasserviceable.191Further,theprogramreportedlyleftoutgovernmentofficialswhousedtobemilitarycommandersandhadretainedtheirlinkstoarmedgroups,accordingtothereport.TheAfghangovernmentextendedDIAG’smandateuntil2011,citingthepresenceofwarlords,weaklawenforcementinstitutionsandregionalnetworkssupplyingarmsacrossthecountry’sporousbordersassevereobstaclestotheongoingdisarmamentinitiatives.192

SecurityexpertsremainconcernedaboutthelackofpoliticalwillintheAfghangovernmentforinitiativestocurbsmallarmsdistribution.Duetotheircloselinkageswitharmedgroups,somegovernmentofficialshavecounteredanysubstantialprogress.Further,donorshavebeenhesitanttoacceleratedisarmamentanddemilitarizationtoavoidupsettingpowerbalances.193

Recommendations on Small Arms The GoA,withthesupportofinternationalmilitaryforces,shouldincreasethecapacityoftheAfghan

SecurityForcestomanagethemovementofsmallarmsandestablishindependentmonitorstoconductregularchecks.Nationallawsshouldbeestablishedtoputstrictpenaltiesonhandinggunsouttochildrenundertheageof18.

The GoA and other governmentsmustimmediatelyendthesupportandtrainingofcommunityself-defensemilitiasandensurethedisarmamentanddemobilizationofthemilitias;specialattentionshouldbepaidtothepotentialpresenceofchildrenamongthemilitias.

The UN Security CouncilshouldcallontheGovernmentofAfghanistantoenforcecompliancewiththeDIAGprojectby2011.


Landmines and Explosive Remnants of War

Scale of Contamination and ImpactsAfghanistanisconsideredtobeoneofthecountriesmostcontaminatedbylandminesandexplosiveremnantsofwar(ERW)worldwidewithanestimated630sqkmofmine-affectedlandasofDecember2009,accordingtotheUN-supportedMineActionCoordinationCentreofAfghanistan(MACCA).194Anestimated2,130communitiesareaffectedbylandmine/ERWcontaminationwithmostincidentsconcentratedintheconflict-affectedprovincesofthesouth,includingKandaharandHelmand.195Mostofthelandminesoriginatefromarmedconflictsinthe1980sand1990sbutarmedgroupshavecontinuedtouseminesthroughoutthecurrentconflict.196However,incontrasttopreviousconflicts,individualminesnowtendtobelaidrandomlyratherthanin“minebelts”andoftenbuiltintoIEDs,whicharedetonatedremotelyandintendedtodestroyaspecificmilitaryorciviliantarget,accordingtoMACCA.

Morethan70,000peoplehavebeenkilledordisabledduetolandminesandERWinAfghanistansincethebeginningoftheconflict.197Inaddition,thousandsmorewereinjuredordisabled.Landmineexpertsestimatethat95 percentoflandmineinjuriesresultindisabilities.198Otherciviliansweredisplacedfromtheirhomesandlivelihoodsorcutofffromschoolsandhospitalsduetolandminecontamination.199

Themajorityofthemineincidents,anestimated61 percent,involvechildren,withboysbeingdisproportionatelyaffected.Ofthe734recordedinstancesofchildreninjuredorkilledbyERWsin2008and2009,626weremalesand105 females,accordingtoMACCA’snationaldatabase.Thiscanbeexplainedbyculturally-basedgenderdifferences,includingthegreaterrestrictionsplacedongirls’mobilityandthedifferentsetofresponsibilitiesassignedtoboysinAfghansociety.Thedatarevealsthatmostchildrendiedwhileplayingoutside,tendinganimals,collectingfood,waterorwoodortravelling.Mostofthemineincidentsaffectedchildrenbetweentheagesofeightand17yearsold.

Demining and Mine Risk EducationFrom2005to2009,theaveragenumberofminevictimspermonthfellfrom100permonthtolessthan46permonth,owingtodeminingandmineriskeducationactivities,accordingtoMACCA.TheMineBanTreatyrequiresAfghanistantoclearallminesinareasunderitscontrolbyMarch1,2013.AfghanistanconfirmedinitslatestArticle7reportundertheMineBanTreatythatithadcompleteditsstockpiledestructionobligationunderArticle4.Afghanistanfurthercommittedunderthe2006AfghanistanCompacttoclear70percentofthelandcontaminatedbyminesandunexplodedordnance(UXO)byMarch2011andtodestroyallstockpiledanti-personalminesbytheendof2007,andallunsafe,unserviceableandsurplusammunitionbytheendof2010.AsofJanuary 2010,mineactionprogramshavecleared58 per-centofthearearequiredtoachievethe2011benchmarksoftheAfghanCompact,andcleared41percentofthearearequiredtoachievethe2013benchmarksoftheMineBanTreaty,accordingtoMACCA.

ThroughtheMineActionProgrammeofAfghanistan(MAPA),thelargestmineactionprogramworldwide,morethan12,000hazardousareashavebeenclearedinthelast20years,accordingtoMACCA.However,anestimated630 sqkmarestillcontaminated,affectingover2,000communities.200Particularlyinthoseareaswherearmedoppositiongroupsareactiveandmostlandmine/ERWincidentsoccur,mineriskeducation(MRE)anddeminingeffortsareregularlystalledduetoalackofaccess,risingcriminality,conflictandtheneedfordemininggroupssuchasMAPAtoretaintheirpoliticalneutrality.Toaddresstheseproblems,MAPAhasbeguntoemployacommunity-basedapproachtodemininginvolvinglocalimplementingpartners.Throughthiseffort,implementingpartnersarebeginningtoaccesssomeofthemorevolatileareasinthesouth,suchasKandaharandHelmand.


MREisintegratedintothenationalschoolcurriculumofAfghanistaninaccordancewithamemorandumofunderstanding(MoU)betweentheMinistryofEducationandMACCAin2007.TheMoUalsoenvisionsagradualtransferofresponsibilityfromtheUNtotheMinistryofEducationonMRE.TheMinistryofEducationhasworkedcloselywithMACCAinatraining-of-trainersinitiativeforgovernmentalchildprotectionofficerswhoeducatedteachersfrom9,000schoolsinMREin2008/2009.SeveralMREinitiativesintendtoreachchildrenbyusingmobilecinemasandminicircuses.FromJanuarytoJuly2009,morethan1millionAfghansreceivedMRE;ofthisnumber,69percentwerechildren,accordingtoMACCA.However,childrencanstillbeseenherding,collectingfirewoodorplayinginareasmarkedasdangerous.

Assistancetosurvivorsoflandmine/ERWincidentsinAfghanistanlargelyconsistsoflow-qualityservicesconcentratedmainlyinurbanareas(seeabove:ChildrenwithDisabilities).201Whetherchildrenhitbyalandminereceivelife-savingassistancealmostentirelydependsonthelocationoftheincident.Transportmaytakeuptothreedays,accordingtoHandicapInternational.Proximitytospecializedmedicalfacilitiesisalsocritical,aschildrenwithdisabilitiesrequirefrequentadjustmentsoftheirprostheticsandothermedicaldevices.However,themajorityofminevictimsinterviewedbyHandicapInternationalinits2009surveystatedthatserviceswereneveroralmostneveradaptedtotheirage,asignificantnumberconsideringthatmostofthemhadincurredinjuriesduringchildhood.

Recommendations on Landmines and ERW The international community and the GoAshouldinvestsufficientfundstoremoveallhazards.With

increasedfundingofUS$60-70millionayear,thehazardsinAfghanistancouldbebroughttoaresiduallevelin6to7years.

The GoAshouldimprovestockpilemanagementandstorageofexplosivematerialtoensurethatunexplodedandabandonedordnanceisnotdivertedtoarmedgroupswhomayusethematerialstomanufactureIEDs.

The GoA,withthehelpoftheinternationalcommunity,shouldexpandassistanceforsurvivorsoflandmine/ERWincidentstoruralareasanddevelopsystemstoprovideemergencytransportand/ortodeploymobilehealthunitstohard-to-reachareas.

The humanitarian community,undertheleadershipofOCHA,shouldseeknewandinnovativewaystoprovidemineactionandmineriskeducationactivitiestohighlyaffectedcommunitiesthataredifficulttoaccessduetoinsecurity.Thisshouldincludeengagingwiththearmedgroupstostoptheuseoflandminesorotherindiscriminateweaponsthathaveadirectimpactonciviliansandtogainfull,unimpededaccesstocontestedareasforthepurposeofclearingmines,providingMREandassistancetosurvivorsoflandmine/ERWincidents.

The humanitarian communityshouldpayspecificattentiontothedistinctneedsandrealitiesofmalesandfemalesofdifferentagegroupsinidentifyingtheimpactandmitigatingthethreatsoflandminesandERW.


Other Violations and Vulnerabilities

Child LaborArmedconflicthasexacerbatedthesocio-economichardshipofmanyAfghanfamiliesduetodisplacement,thedeathofoneorbothbreadwinnersorthelossoflivelihood.Whilechildrenhavetraditionallycontributedtohouseholdincome,childprotectionorganizationshavenotedanincreaseinchildrenwhoarebeggingonthestreetorareactiveintheinformalsectorinrecentyears.AsofNovember2009,anestimated38percentofAfghanchildrenwereforcedintohardlaborinviolationofinterna-tionalandnationallaw,accordingtoAIHRC.202Insomeprovincesthisnumberissubstantiallyhigher.Forexample,inthewesternGhorprovince,80percentofthechildrenbetween7and16yearsofageareforcedintolabor,accordingtoasurveyconductedbyAIHRC.Children’sworkinghoursoftenexceed45hoursperweek;childrenoftenmustengageinactivitiesthatareharmfultotheirhealthsuchasinhalingdustyairorcarryingheavysacks.Theseactivitiesalsorenderthemsusceptibletoeconomicexploitation,sexualabuseor,insomecases,landmineinjuries.Boysareusuallyinvolvedinworkoutsidethehousewhilegirlsaremoreinvolvedindomesticlaborormarriedoffatanearlyage.Anotherimpactofchildlaboristhatworkingchildrenarelesslikelytoattendschoolwhereasregularschoolattendancecaneffectivelyprotectchildrenfromfull-timework(seeabove:Education).203

Exploitation and TraffickingTraffickingofchildrenwithinthecountryandintoPakistanandIranremainsaserioushumanrightsconcern,accordingtotheU.S.DepartmentofState,Trafficking in Persons Report 2009.ExtremepovertyhasalsoledsomeparentsinHerat,KunduzandTakharprovincestoselltheirdaughterstocriminaltraffickingnetworks,accordingtoAIHRC.204InoneofthecasesreportedbyAIHRCinJanuary2008,adisplacedfamilyinShaydayeecampinHeratProvincereportedlysoldoneoftheirtwinfour-month-olddaughtersforapproximatelyUS$40duetotheirinabilitytoprovideforbothbabies.Whilegirlsaretraffickedforsexual

exploitation,indenturedserviceandearlymarriages,boysareoftenluredbyarmedgroupsintoparamilitarytrainingunderthepremisethattheywouldattendIslamicschoolsinPakistan.

Thearmedconflicthasalsocreatedasecurityvacuumthatallowsarmedgroupsorcriminalgangsoperatingalongtheborderareastoexploitchildrenforillegalactivities.Forexample,criminalelementshavereportedlyused1,000to1,600childrenbetweentheagesofeightand17intheAfghanbordertownofTorkhaminNangarharprovincetocarryflourillegallyacrosstheborderintoPakistan,accordingtoaidagenciesandprovincialauthorities.205Otherchildrenlivingintheseborderareaswerereportedlyinvolvedinsmugglingarms,accordingtothesamearticle.AsmanyUNagenciesandNGOsoperateindependentlyfromtheircounterpartsinPakistanandIran,informationontraffickingandviolationsinvolvingchildrenusedfortransnationalillegalactivitiesisscarce.

In2004,thegovernment,incoordinationwithAIHRC,UNagenciesandcivilsocietyactors,developedaNationalPlanofActiononCombatingChildTraffickingthatlaysoutactionstobetakentostopchildtrafficking,includingawareness-raisingcampaigns,technicalcapacity-buildingofpoliceandsecurityforces,monitoringofborders,anddraftingoflegislationonhumantrafficking.Inpractice,thesemechanismshavenotproventobeeffective,accordingtoAIHRC.Forexample,Afghanistan’snewanti-traffickinglegislation,whichwasenactedinJuly2008,hasnotledtoanyprosecutions.206Someofthereportedcasesclearlyimplicatedtheborderpolicewhoacceptbribesontheborderandallowcrossingswithoutinvesti-gatingthenatureofthemovement,accordingtoUNODC.AfghangovernmentofficialsfurthercomplainedthatPakistaniauthoritiesdonotalwayscooperateonjointinvestigationontraffickingcases,accordingtotheU.S.DepartmentofState’sTrafficking in Persons Report 2009.TheU.S.DepartmentofStatefurtherreportsthatgovernmenteffortstopreventtraffickingorassistvictimshavebeeninsufficienttodate.Asmosttraffickingservicesareforgirls


only,mostboyvictimsofhumantraffickingareplacedingovernment-runorphanagesorjuvenilejusticecenters,accordingtothereport.207

Inadditiontotrafficking,smugglingofmigrants,particularlymaleunaccompaniedminors,ishighlyprevalentfromAfghanistanintotheGulfregion,Europe,Asia,theAmericas,CanadaandAustralia,accordingtoUNODC.Somefamiliespayforthejourneyoftheirchildrenworkinginthesecountriestosupplementtheirhouseholdincomes.Thisputsthesechildrenatriskofbeingheldcaptivebysmugglersforextramonies,andofviolenceandexploitationwhiletravelling.

Illegal and Arbitrary Arrest of ChildrenThedetentionofchildrenoftenservesasapunitivemeasureratherthanameasureoflastresortinAfghanistandespiteitsharmfulconsequencesforchildren.AjointsurveybyAIHRCandUNICEFrevealedthatchildreninjuvenilecenterswereoftendetainedforoneyearorlongereventhoughtheywerefirst-timeoffendersandhadcommittedonlyminoroffensessuchastheft.Policeofficershavearrestedchildrenforvaguelydefined“moraloffenses,”includingdisobeyingtheirparents,orevenforadultery,sodomyorothersexualoffensesregardlessoftheiryoungageoriftheywerebeingforcedintosex(seeabove:GBV).208Insomecases,lawenforcementagentshaveputunaccompaniedandstreetchildrenorvictimsofabuseintojuvenilerehabilitationcentersasaplaceto“house”them,accordingtothesamereport.209Thelackofa

functioningbirthregistrationsystemposesamajorobstacleinprovidinglegalprotectiontominorsasmostchildrenlacklegalmeansofidentification.

Thejuvenilejusticesystemlacksthecapacitytodealwithchildreninconflictwiththelaw.AlthoughAfghanistanpasseditsJuvenileCodeinMarch2005,manylawofficialsarenotawareofitsprovisions.210AsofOctober2008,onlythreeprovinces,inKabul,MazarandJalalabad,hadjuvenileprimarycourtsandfiveprovinceshadjuvenileprosecutor’soffices.JuvenilerehabilitationcentersexistedinseverallocationsbutUNICEFnotedgapsincoordinatingtheirresponsesleadingtodelaysinlegalandsocialsupportforchildren.211

Duringdetention,childrenhavereportedlysufferedbeatings,tortureandotherverbalandphysicalabuse.Lawenforcementagenciesrarelyinformfamiliesaboutthearrestoftheirchildorprovidechildrenwiththelegalassistancetowhichtheyareentitled.Childrenalsofrequentlycomplainaboutthelackoffood,medicalservicesandrecreationalandeducationfacilitiesinjuvenilejusticecenters.Asmostjuvenilejusticecentersareexclusivelyforboys,girlsareusuallyheldinprisontogetherwithadultfemaleprisonersandhaveevenlessaccesstoeducationandotheropportunities.212Todate,therearenosocialservicestosupportthereleaseandreintegrationofchildrenfromdetentionfacilitiesdespitethestigmaattachedtochildreninconflictwiththelaw,particularlyrelatedto“moraloffenses,”accordingtoAIHRC/UNICEF.213

Recommendations on Other Violations and Vulnerabilities (For further recommendations on trafficking, please see relevant recommendations in chapter on Child Soldiers)

The GoAshouldimmediatelyendthedetentionofchildrenforvaguelydefined“moraloffenses”andwiththesupportofUNICEF,increasethecapacityoflawenforcementagenciestodealwithchildreninconflictwiththelawinlinewithinternationalstandards.TheGoAshouldalsodevelopandimplementguidelinesforthepoliceandjusticesectorstorespondtosituationsinvolvingminors.

The GoAshouldvigorouslyinvestigateandprosecutetraffickingoffensesandseekconvictionunderitsanti-traffickinglegislation;conductpublicawareness-raisingcampaignsontraffickingandensurethatbothboysandgirlsreceiveadequateprotectionandservices.

The GoAshouldimmediatelyratifytheInternationalLabourOrganization(ILO)’sConventiononWorstFormsofChildLabourandtheILOConventiononMinimumAgeofEmployment,andincorporateprovisionsoftheILOconventionsintonationallegislation.Itshouldalsoregularlyconsultwithchildprotectionactionnetworkstosharebestpracticesandidentifygapsinrespondingtochildlabor.

The humanitarian communityshouldlaunchanationalawareness-raisingcampaignonthehazardousandworstformsofchildlaborinordertoprovideinformationabouttheharmfuleffectsofchildlaborandabouttheservicesavailableforaffectedchildren.Theyshouldalsoadoptacommunity-basedapproachtoallchildlaborinterventions.


UN Security Council Actions


UNSC Resolutions on Children and Armed ConflictSince1999,theUNSChasadoptedaseriesofresolutionstoimprovetheprotectionofchildrencaughtinarmedconflict.InitslandmarkUNSCResolution(SCR)1612(2005),theSecurityCouncilcalledfortheestablishmentofaUN-ledMRMtocollectdataonsixgraveviolations,includingkillingormaimingofchildren,abductions,recruitmentoruseofchildsoldiers,attacksagainstschoolsandhospitals,rapeorothergravesexualviolenceagainstchildren,andthedenialofhumanitarianaccessforchildren.ThemechanismwastobeestablishedinthosecountrieswherepartiestoconflictwerelistedintheSecretary-General’sannualreportontherecruitmentanduseofchildsoldiers.ThroughSCRs1539and1612,theSecurityCouncilfurtherrequestedthatUNCountryTeamsenterintoadialoguewithallpartiestoconflicttodevelopandimplementtime-boundactionplanstoendtherecruitmentanduseofchildsoldiersandtodemobilizechildrenassociatedwitharmedforcesandgroups.

SCR1882(2009)expandedthemechanismbyrequestingtheSecretary-Generaltolistinhisannualreportsthosepartiesthatengagedinpatternsofkillingormaimingandrapeorothersexualviolenceagainstchildreninconflictsituations.Aspartofthisexpansion,theresolutionalsocalledonUNCountryTeamstoengagepartiestotheconflictinactionplanstohalttheseviolationsandabuses.Further,theresolutioncalledonmemberstatestoholdpersistentperpetratorsofviolationsaccountableandtobringthemtojusticethroughnationalandinternationaljusticemechanisms,criminalcourtsandtribunals.Inthiscontext,theSecurityCouncilreaffirmeditsintentiontousesanctionsagainstpersistentperpetratorsofcrimesagainstchildrenandstrengthenedthelinksbetweentheCouncil’sWorkingGrouponChildrenandArmedConflictandpre-existingsanctionscommittees.

UNSC Actions on AfghanistanTheUNSecurityCouncilpassed27resolutionsonAfghanistanbetween2001andMarch1,2010ofwhichfivespecificallyreferredtochildren.OnlyaftertheTaliban’sinclusionintheSecretary-General’sannexesin2007didtheUNSecurityCouncilresolutionsonAfghanistanstarttoincludereferencestothegraveviolationsagainstchildrenaffectedbyarmedconflict.SCR1806(2008)forthefirsttimecondemnedtherecruitmentanduseofchildrenbyTalibanforcesandexpressedconcernoverthekillingandmaimingofchildrenasaresultoftheconflict,incontraven-tionofapplicableinternationallaw.Inthisresolution,theSecurityCouncilalsostressedtheimportanceofimple-mentingSCR1612(2005)andrequestedtheappointmentofachildprotectionadvisor(CPA)tobepartofUNAMA.SCR1868(2009)reneweditsrequestforaCPAandcalledforthoseresponsibletobebroughttojusticeforviolationsagainstchildren.Inadditiontotherecruitmentanduseofchildsoldiersandkillingandmaiming,theresolutioncondemnedattacksagainstschools.SCR1890(2009)calledfortheimplementationofbothSCR1612(2005)andSCR1882(2009)andreiterateditsrequesttotheSecretary-GeneraltofurtherstrengthenthechildprotectioncomponentofUNAMA,inparticularthroughtheappointmentofchildprotectionadvisors.

Implementation of UNSC Resolutions on Children and Armed Conflict in AfghanistanUN Secretary-General’s Annual Reports on CACThe2007Secretary-General’sannualreportonchildrenandarmedconflictforthefirsttimelistedtheTaliban,inAnnex1,focusingonitsuseofchildrentocarryoutsuicideattacksandashumanshields.Inaddition,thereporthighlightedattacksagainstschoolsandthekillingandmaimingofchildrenininsurgency-relatedviolence.Thereportfurtherdocumentedincidentsinwhichairstrikesbyinternationalmilitaryforcescausedthedeathofcivilians,includingwomenandchildren.Inits2009report,the


Secretary-GeneralagainnamedtheTalibanfortherecruitmentanduseofchildsoldiers,thekillingandmaimingofchildren,attacksonschoolsandhospitalsandthedenialofhumanitarianaccesstochildren.

The Country Task Force on the MRM (CTFMRM) In2008,followingthevisitoftheSpecialRepresentativeonChildrenandArmedConflicttoAfghanistan,aUN-ledCountryTaskForceontheMRM(CTFMRM)wasestablishedtomonitor,reportandrespondtothegraveviolationscommittedagainstchildreninaccordancewithSCR1612.TheCTFMRMisco-chairedbyUNICEFandUNAMAandincludesUNHCR,UNODC,WHO,AIHRCandaninternationalNGO,whichrequestedtoremainanonymous.OCHAjoinedin2009.Someorganizationstaketheleadinmonitoring,reportingandrespondingtoatleastonetypeofviolationbasedontheirspecificexpertise.Forexample,WHOactsasthefocalpointforincidentsaffectinghealthcareforchildren.

CurrenthighlevelsofinsecuritypreventbothnationalandinternationalNGOsfromfullyparticipatingintheMRM.ManyNGOsarereluctanttobeassociatedwiththeUN-ledTaskForceastheyareafraidtolosetheiralreadylimitedoperationalspace.Asmentionedabove,onlyoneinternationalNGOformallyparticipatesintheCTFMRMontheconditionofanonymityandonlyafewnationalNGOschannelinformationtotheTaskForceinformally.UNICEFistakingtheleadincoordinatingwiththeProtectionClusterandfourChildProtectionActionNetworks(CPAN)operatingin29provincesintheeastern,central,south-easternandwesternregionstostrengthenthepolicyandprogrammaticresponse.

CPANhassuccessfullyrespondedtoviolationsagainstchildrenincludingreachingouttolawyerstoprovideurgentlegaladvicetochildreninjuvenilerehabiliationcentresandmobilizingcommunitiestopreventattacksagainstschools.However,fewnationalandcommunity-basedNGOsthatworkonCAC,GBVorhumanrightsarefamiliarwiththemechanismorknowhowtofeedinformationtotheMRMinaconfidentialandsafemanner.SomeoftheselocalorganizationshaveinformationthatmaybehighlyrelevanttotheMRM.Forexample,onelocalNGO,theAfghanRightsMonitor,whichoperatesthroughanetworkofresearchersin24provinces,reportedmorethan2,080graveviolations,includingtherecruitmentofchildrenassuicidebombersandsoldiers,murder,rape,forcedlaborandthedenialofessentialservicesbywarringpartiesandcriminalgroups.

AccessconstraintstolocationswherefightingisongoingposeamajorimpedimenttothefunctioningoftheTaskForceMRM.Itisalsolimitedinitsabilitytodocumentand

respondtoviolationsthatareatleastpartiallycommittedinneighboringcountriessuchastherecruitmentofAfghanchildrentocarryoutsuicideattacksinPakistan.UNICEF,asco-chairoftheTaskForcehasheldinitialmeetingswithUNICEF,UNHCRandWHOinPakistantoexplorepossibilitiesforamoreactivecoordinationontheMRM.Similarmodelsofcross-bordercoordinationhavebeenpursuedinothercountries,includingChad/SudanandThailand/Myanmar.Todate,themechanismhasnotyetbeenadjustedtoreflectthespecificcircumstancesinAfghanistananditsneighboringcountriesPakistanandIran.

Finally,severalCTFMRMmembersexpressedfrustrationduetothelackofhigh-levelpoliticalsupportwithintheGovernmentofAfghanistan,UNAMA,internationalmilitaryforcesandthewiderinternationalcommunity.

UN Secretary-General’s Report on CAC in AfghanistanIn2008,theSecretary-GeneralsubmittedhisfirstreportonAfghanistantotheSecurityCouncilbasedoninputfromtheCTFMRM,coveringtheperiodfromJuly1,2007toAugust15,2008(S/2008/695).Thereportincludesinformationonallsixgraveviolations.Thereportprovidesinformationontherecruitmentanduseofchildreninarmedforcesandothergroups.ItalsohighlightstheillegaldetentionbytheAfghangovernmentandinternationalmilitaryforcesofchildrenaccusedofassociationwitharmedgroupsinviolationofnationallawandinternationalpractice.WhiletheTaskForcehasdocumentedtheuseofchildrenintheAfghanNationalPolice,itmainlyrelatesthesecasestotheinsufficientageverificationintherecruitmentprocess.Thereportalsoemphasizestheincreasingattacksagainstschoolsandhospitalsaswellastargetedattacksagainstchildrenandotherciviliansbynon-statearmedgroups.Atthesametime,itshedslightontheunintentionalkillingofchildrenduringthemilitaryoperationsofAfghanandinternationalforces.Finally,thereportdrawsattentiontosexualviolencecommittedagainstchildren,particularlyboys,intheongoingarmedconflict.Thereportacknowledgesexistinginformationgapsduetolackofaccessandresources.

The UN Security Council Working Group on CACOnDecember19,2008,theUNSecurityCouncilWorkingGrouponChildrenandArmedConflict(WorkingGroup)consideredthefirstreportoftheSecretary-GeneralonCACinAfghanistanandsubsequentlyissuedasetofconclusionsinJuly2009(S/AC.51/2009/1(July2009).214Mostnotably,theWorkingGroupissuedapublicstatementtoalllistedarmedgroups,includingtheTaliban,requestingthemtoworkwiththeUN-ledTaskForceindevelopingandimplementingconcretetime-boundactionplans.The



WorkingGroupalsoencouragedtheAfghangovernmenttosupporttheMRMandtoworkwiththeUNCountryTeamtodevelopactionplanstoaddressviolationsagainstchildrenandstrengthentheprogrammaticresponsetoassistchildren.TheconclusionsalsorequestedISAFandtheAfghangovernmenttocontinuetheirreviewofmilitarytacticsandproceduresinordertopreventciviliancasualtiesandbringperpetratorstojustice.

SeveraloftheWorkingGroup’srecommendationsaimedatstrengtheningthein-countryMRMsystemwereatleastpartiallyimplemented:InordertoexpandtheMRMtoallconflictareas,theWorkingGroupsuggestedthattheCountryTaskForceexplorethebestwaystointeractwiththegovernment,internationalmilitaryforcesandotherrelevantparties.Inresponsetotheconclusions,theGovernmentofAfghanistanappointedahighlevelfocalpointtointeractwiththeCTFMRMonaregularbasisonOctober18,2009.Thegovernmentalsocommittedtolaunchaninter-ministerialSteeringCommitteeonCACconsistingofdeputyministers(Interior,Justice,Education,ForeignAffairs,AdvisortoPresidentonHealthandEducation,NationalDirectorateforSecurity)inearly2010.TheSteeringCommittee’sgoalistodeviseanactionplantoaddressconcernsregardingchildrenaffectedbyarmedconflict;itwillmeetwiththeTaskForce’sco-chairstodiscusstheTaskForce’sbimonthlyreports.ThisisthefirsttimesuchaministerialsteeringcommitteehasbeensetupwithafocusonCACinthecontextoftheMRM.Basedonitscloseinteractionswiththegovernment,theTaskForcehasstartedtoworkwithAfghanofficialstoreviewtheageverificationmechanismandtoexplorealternativestodetentionforchildrenaccusedofassociationwitharmedforcesorgroups.

Inordertoreachsomeofthemostdangerousareasofthecountry,theSpecialRepresentativeonChildrenandArmedConflictalsoinitiateddiscussionswiththegovernment,ISAF,PRTsandtheAfghanSecurityForcesduringhervisitinFebruary2010toestablishan“alertsystem”thatwouldnotifyMRMpartnersofallegedviolationsandallowforindependentverificationandfollow-upbytheCTFMRM.ISAFforcesandPRTshavewelcomedthisproposalandareintheprocessofworkingwiththeUNTaskForcetosetupthemechanism.

InMarch2009,UNAMArespondedtotherequestoftheSecurityCounciltoestablishaChildProtectionunit,whichiscurrentlystaffedbyoneCPA.ThenewpositionhasalreadyledtonotableimpactsinintegratingchildprotectionintoUNAMA’sactivities.Forexample,UNAMA’s2009civiliancasualtiesreportforthefirsttimepublisheddisaggregateddataonchildrenkilledinwar-relatedincidents;earlierreportshadsimplyreferredtothe

“vulnerabilitiesofwomenandchildren.”Theadvisoralsoprovidestrainingandguidancetointernationalandnationalmilitaryforces.Inaddition,UNICEFrecruitedfivefield-levelconsultantsfocusedontheMRMwhoweredeployedinregionaloffices(east,southeast,south,northandwest).However,TaskForcemembershighlightedtheneedtoobtaincommitmentsfromheadsofagenciestoaffirmtheimportanceofthemechanismandtoallocatemorededicatedstafftoworkontheMRM.

Despitethenotableprogress,importantelementsoftheWorkingGroup’srecommendationsremainunaddressed.Incontrasttoprogressachievedinbuildingrelationswiththegovernment,theCTFMRMhasnotbeenabletoengagewithnon-statearmedgroupsonactionplansduetothecurrentpoliticalandmilitarysituation.IncreasingtrooplevelsarelikelytostrainrelationsbetweentheUNandarmedinsurgentsand,accordingtooneTaskForcemember,willmakeitvirtuallyimpossibletoinvolveinsurgentsinanyprotectionissues.Atthesametime,recentsuccessesinengagingwitharmedinsurgentsonhumanitarianconcerns,suchasvaccinationcampaigns,thereopeningofschoolsandthesafepassageforhumanitariandelivery,mayopenupsomepotentialavenuesforcollaboration.Moreover,theupcomingpeacejirgasareyetanotheropportunityfortheAfghangovernmentandnon-statearmedgroupstohighlightchildprotectionconcernswithnon-statearmedgroups,includingtheTaliban.215


Recommendations on the Country Task Force on the MRM (CTFMRM) All parties to conflictshouldfullycooperatewiththeUN-ledCountryTaskForceontheMRM(CTFMRM)to

prepareandimplementactionplanstoendtherecruitmentanduseofchildsoldiers,rapeandothergraveactsofsexualviolenceandthekillingandmaimingofchildreninlinewithUNSecurityCouncilResolutions1540,1612and1882.Commandersshouldequallyworktowardshaltingallviolationsagainstchildren.

International military forcesshouldworkcloselywiththeUN-ledCountryTaskForcetoestablishanMRM“alert”systemtoimmediatelyinformMRMpartnersofallegedviolations,asenvisionedbytheSRSG-CAC.

The UN Country Team in Afghanistan,underthededicatedleadershipoftheSpecialRepresentativeoftheSecretary-GeneralforAfghanistan(SRSG),shouldcommitstaffandresourcestoprioritizechildprotectionwithintheirrespectiveagencies,includingthefullimplementationofSecurityCouncilResolutions1612and1882.

The Global MRM Steering CommitteeshouldconsultwiththeUNCountryTeamonspecificmeasurestobetakenatthenationalandinternationalleveltoovercomechallengesinmonitoring,reportingandresponsetoviolationscommittedagainstchildreninAfghanistanandtoencourageorganizationstoparticipateintheCTFMRM.Thisincludesprovidingguidelinesandtrainingtogovernmentauthorities,UNagenciesandlocalandinternationalNGOsregardingtheimplementationoftheMRM.

The UN Secretary-GeneralshouldensuretheimmediatedeploymentofadditionalchildprotectionadvisersthroughoutthecountryinanefforttostrengthenthechildprotectioncomponentofUNAMA,asrecommendedbytheUNSecurityCouncil.

The CTFMRMshouldstrengthenthecapacitiesoftheAfghangovernment’snewly-formedHumanRights,GenderandChildren’sUnittoenableittoeffectivelymonitorandinvestigateallallegationsofhumanrightsviolationscommittedagainstchildreninAfghanistan.

The CTFMRMshouldintensifyeffortstoinformlocalhumanrightsandwomen’srightsNGOsontheMRMandoffersafechannelsforinformationsharing.Thisalsorequiresstrengtheningtheirtechnicalandfinancialcapacities.

DonorsshouldsupportstrengtheningthecapacityofChildProtectionActionNetworks(CPAN),whichconsistofgovernmentalandnongovernmentalorganizationsinAfghanistan,torespondmoreeffectivelytoviolationsagainstchildren.

The Government of PakistanshouldinvitetheSRSG-CACtoconductamissioninPakistantoidentifypotentialwaystoimprovecoordinationinending“cross-borderviolations”thatimpactchildrenaffectedbyarmedconflictsuchasthedrugtrade,traffickingandsmallarmstrade.

The UN Country Team in PakistanshouldestablishaWorkingGrouponChildrenaffectedbyArmedConflicttomoreeffectivelyaddresstheconcernsofAfghanrefugeechildrenandcooperatewiththeCTFMRMandotherchildprotectionagenciesinAfghanistantoaddressissuesofcommonconcern,includingcross-borderrecruitmentofchildsoldiersandtrafficking.

The Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC)shouldcoordinatecloselywiththeindependentHumanRightsCommissionofPakistan(HRCP)toconductjointmonitoringandreportingalongtheircommonborderareas.

The UN Secretary-GeneralshouldrequesttheUNCountryTeamsinAfghanistanandPakistan,undertheleadershipoftheSRSG-CAC,toestablishaUNregionalstrategytocontributeactivelytotheprotectionofchildrenaffectedbycross-borderviolations.


Endnotes

1 CentralStatisticsOrganization(CSO)andUNFPA,Afghanistan Household Listing Project (HHL),2003-2005

2 UnitedNationsStatisticsDivision:World Statistics Pocketbook,April20,2009

3 EmailcommunicationfromUNHCR,March2010

4 UNICEF,The State of the World’s Children 2009

5 TheWorldBank,HIV/AIDS in Afghanistan,August2008

6 UNICEF,The State of the World’s Children 2009

7 HRW,We Have the Promises of the World, Women’s Rights in Afghanistan,December6,2009

8 UNAMAHumanRightsUnit,Silence is Violence. End the Abuse of Women in Afghanistan,July8,2009

9 SavetheChildren,PressStatement/BriefingPaper,“TheAfghanGovernmentSubmitsFirstReportonChildRights:OutstandingIssuesforChildreninAfghanistan,”July10,2009

10 U.S.DepartmentofState,Trafficking in Persons Report 2009

11 InformationbasedonMACCA’snationaldatabase

12 Small Arms Survey 2009

13 CoalitiontoStoptheUseofChildSoldiers,S/2008/695;ChildSoldiersGlobalReport2008;MissionReportoftheSRSGforChildrenandArmedConflictMs.RadhikaCoomaraswamytoAfghanistan,20-26February,2010

14 Ibid.

15 HumanitarianPolicyGroup(HPG),“ProvidingAidinInsecureEnvironments:2009Update,”HPGPolicyBrief34,April2009

16 www.anso.org;informationsharedwithWatchlistbyaidorganizationsbasedinAfghanistan

17 TheGovernmentofAfghanistansubmitteditsfirstStatereportontheConventionontheRightsoftheChildinAugust2009.However,Afghanistanhasonlyreportedonafewoftheotherconventionsithassignedand/orratified.

18 TheLondonConference,whichtookplaceinJanuary2010,wasagatheringofmembersoftheinternationalcommunitywhocametogethertofullyalignmilitaryandcivilianresourcesinAfghanistanbehindanAfghan-ledpoliticalstrategy.

19 CenterforStrategicandInternationalStudies(CSIS),Shaping the War in Afghanistan: The Situation in the Spring of 2010,March12,2010

20 Estimatesofthenumberofciviliansinjuredorkilledasaresultofviolencevaryconsiderably,accordingtotheAfghanistanConflictMonitor.UNAMAandAIHRChostthemostcomprehensivedatabasesoncivilianfatalities.However,theirestimatesarelikelytorepresentanunderestimateduetoaccessconstraintsandlimitedresources;theyhaveonlysystematicallyrecordeddatasince2007.UNAMA’sdatabaseisnotaccessibletothepublic.

21 InNovember2009,PakistanitroopslaunchedanewoperationagainstmilitantsinitstribalbeltontheAfghanborder.TheU.S.administrationhasreferredtotheAfghanistan-Pakistanoperationsas“AfPak”since2009,reflectingitsdesiretotakeaunified,regionalapproachtotheconflict.

22 AmnestyInternational(AI)Report2009:State of the World’s Human Rights; The Guardian,“U.S.PoursMillionsintoAnti-TalibanMilitiasinAfghanistan,”November22,2009;The Guardian,“U.S.KeepsSecretanti-TalibanMilitiaonaBrightLeash,”March8,2010

23 AIReport2009;HRW,World Report 2009

24 HRW,World Report 2009

25 IRIN,“Afghanistan:DipinCivilianDeathsinFirstTwoMonthsof2010,”March 1,2010

26 In2009,Afghanistanwasranked181outof182countries,accordingtoUNDP,“FactsheetofHumanDevelopmentReport2009,”October5,2009

27 UNODC,Addiction, Crime and Insurgency: The Transnational Threat of Afghan Opium,October2009;AsiaPolicyReport,Tackling Afghanistan’s Opium Addiction,October4,2009

28 U.S.HouseCommitteeonOversightandGovernmentReform:“AfghanistanandPakistan:OversightofaNewInteragencyStrategy,”June26,2009

29 ReportoftheOfficeoftheUNHighCommissionerforHumanRightsonthesituationofhumanrightsinAfghanistan,January16,2009(A/HRC/10/23)

30 ThisgoaliscomplicatedbyongoingrecruitmentandtrainingproblemsplaguingtheAfghanNationalPolice.Reportsofdrugabuse,corruption,insufficienttrainingandhighdesertionratesmaymakethislevelofexpansiondifficulttoachieve,accordingtotheUnitedStatesInstituteofPeace(USIP),Afghanistan’s Police: The Weak Link in Security Sector Reform,SpecialReport227,August2009

31 HumanitarianPolicyGroup(HPG),“ProvidingAidinInsecureEnvironments:2009Update,”HPGPolicyBrief34,April2009

32 Ibid.;ArmedoppositiongroupshavenotsystematicallytargetedNGOsin2009,accordingtotheAfghanistanNGOSafetyOrganization(ANSO)QuarterlyDataReportQ4,2009.AvailabledatagatheredbyANSOindicatesthatNGOsafetydependstoasignificantextentofitbeingperceivedasneutral,itsactivitytypesandthedegreeofitslocalacceptance.

33 UN,2010 UN Humanitarian Action Plan

34 RefugeesInternational,Afghanistan: Open Eyes to Humanitarian Needs,July 21,2009

35 NPR,“AfghanistanStrivesToRegisterAllNewborns,”July2,2008

36 ANSOQuarterlyDataReportQ4,2009;OxfamAmerica,Quick Impact, Quick Collapse: The Dangers of Militarized Aid in Afghanistan,January2010;FeinsteinInternationalCenter,TuftsUniversity,Afghanistan: Humanitarianism under Threat,March2009

37 UNAMA’ssmallhumanitarianunithadlackedtheindependenceandcapacitytoleadeffortsindefendinghumanitarianprinciplesandnegotiatingaccess.

38 FeinsteinInternationalCenter,TuftsUniversity,“Afghanistan:HumanitarianismunderThreat,”March2009

39 Ontheotherhand,thereisalsoresistanceamongNGOstohavePRTsjoinincoordinationmeetingsoutofconcernthatthiswouldlegitimizetheirroleinhumanitariananddevelopmentwork.


40 TheGuidelinesfortheInteractionandCoordinationofHumanitarianActorsandMilitaryActorsinAfghanistan,May20,2008

41 OxfamAmerica,“CaughtintheConflict:CiviliansandtheInternationalSecurityStrategyinAfghanistan,”BriefingPaperPreparedforNATOHeadsofStateandGovernmentSummitheld3-4April2009;2003U.S.ArmyPostureStatement,“ForceprotectionconsistsofthoseactionstopreventormitigatehostileactionsagainstDepartmentofDefensepersonnelandincludesfamilymembers,resources,facilities,andcriticalinformation.”

42 IRIN,“Afghanistan:NATO-ledForces,AidAgenciesAgreeonNewModusOperandi,”August5,2008

43 UNICEFAfghanistan-SituationReport2009covering1May–30June;OCHA,AfghanProtectionClusterMeeting(APC),July29,2009;AfghanRightsMonitor(ARM),“Students,TeachersandSchoolsareInnocent!”July29,2009

44 Morethan67percentofciviliandeathsrecordedbyUNAMAwereattributedtoanti-governmentelements.TheAfghangovernmentandinternationalforceswereresponsiblefor25percentofrecordeddeathsin2009.Theresidual8percentofrecordeddeathsin2009couldnotbeattributedtoanyofthepartiestoconflictastheywerekilledincross-fireorbyunexplodedordnance.

45 MostofUNAMA’sannualreportrefersto“womenandchildren,”whichmakesitdifficulttounderstandandanalyzethespecificimpactoftheconflictonchildren.

46 ARM,“ChildrenSufferedtheBruntofWarCasualtiesin2009,”January6,2010

47 MissionReportoftheSRSGforChildrenandArmedConflict,Ms.RadhikaCoomaraswamytoAfghanistan,20-26February,2010

48 Inanotherwidelyreportedincident,aU.S.airstrikereportedlykilledbetween78and92civilians,mainlychildren,inAzizabadinwesternAfghanistanwhileinpursuitofaTalibancommanderonAugust22,2008,accordingtoreportsbyUNAMA’sHumanRightsUnit,theAfghanistangovernmentandAIHRC.TheinvestigationsofU.S.Brig.Gen.MichaelW.CallanintothisincidentfailedtoacknowledgethatanymistakeshadbeenmadebyU.S.forces,dismissingreportsoftheAIHRC,theUNandtheAfghangovernment,accordingtoHRW,“LettertoSecretaryofDefenseRobertGatesonU.S.AirstrikesinAzizabad,Afghanistan,”January14,2009

49 AIHRC,From Hope to Fear: An Afghan Perspective on Operations of Pro-Government Forces,December23,2008

50 CampaignforInnocentVictimsinConflict(CIVIC),LosingthePeople:TheCostsandConsequencesofCivilianSuffering,2009

51 HRW,“MeasureBroughtintoForcebyKarzaiMeansAtrocitiesWillGoUnpunished,”March10,2010

52 AIHRC,FromHopetoFear:AnAfghanPerspectiveonOperationsofPro-GovernmentForces,December23,2008

53 NATO/ISAF,COMISAF’sInitialAssessmentbyGeneralStanleyMcChrystal(Unclassified),August30,2009;ISAFCommander’sCounterinsurgencyGuidance,August26,2009

54 NATO/ISAFTacticalDirective,6July2009;NATO/ISAFPublicInformationCenter,“ISAFIssuesGuidanceonNightRaidsinAfghanistan,”March5,2010

55 AmnestyInternational,“AILists83AfghanCiviliansKilledinNATOAirstrikeinKunduz,”October30,2009;BBC,“GermanMinistersFaceKunduzAirStrikeInquiry,”December16,2009;Deutsche Welle,“Germany’sArmyChiefofStaffResignsOverNATOAirstrikeinKunduz,”November26,2009;The Independent,“MerkelunderFireasGeneralResignsOverKunduzMassacre,”November27,2009

56 CIVIC,Losing the People: The Costs and Consequences of Civilian Suffering in Afghanistan,2009

57 Ibid.

58 BriefingNotepreparedby10NGOsoperatinginAfghanistanfortheNATOHeadsofStateandGovernmentSummit,April3-4,2009;CIVIC,Losing the People: The Costs and Consequences of Civilian Suffering in Afghanistan,2009

59 HandicapInternational,Voices from the Ground: Landmine and Explosive Remnants of War Survivors Speak Out on Victim Assistance,September2009

60 IRIN,“Afghanistan:DisabilityDeprivesChildrenofEducation,”October21,2008

61 CitedbyAIHRC,The Situation of Fair Access of Children to Education in the Country,1384(2005/06)

62 InternationalCampaigntoBantheUseofLandmines (ICBL), Landmine Monitor 2009

63 IRIN,“Afghanistan:SanitationWoesinMakeshiftIDPCamps,”April23,2009

64 AIHRC,Economic and Social Rights Report, 2007

65 IRIN,“Afghanistan:LittletoEatforIDPsinMakeshiftKabulCamp,”January5,2009

66 UNHCR,Humanitarian Considerations with Regard to Return to Afghanistan,May2006

67 StatementofDr.KhaledHosseini,U.S.EnvoyforUNHCR,atthehearingon“CounteringtheThreatofFailureinAfghanistan,”WrittenStatementBeforetheU.S.SenateForeignRelationsCommittee,December17,2009

68 2010UNHCRCountryOperationsProfile-Afghanistan

69 Iranalsohostsover1millionunregisteredAfghanmigrants,accordingtoUSCRI,World Refugee Survey 2009

70 Thesefiguresmayhavechangedduetoreturns,populationgrowthandotherfactors

71 InternationalCrisisGroup(ICG),Afghanistan: What Now for Refugees?August 31,2009

72 CenterforStrategicandInternationalStudies(CSIS),The Refugee Problem: Looking Toward Afghanistan’s Long-Term Stability,December10,2008

73 RefugeesInternational,“AfghanistanandPakistan:RaiseVoicesforCivilianPopulation,”January26,2009

74 IRIN,“Afghanistan:PlightofAfghanChildDeporteesfromIran,”March 22, 2009

75 IRIN,“Afghanistan-Iran:SharpRiseinDeportationsfromIran,”July21,2009

76 ICG,Afghanistan: What Now for Refugees?August31,2009

77 UNHCR,2010 Country Operations Profile - Iran,retrievedMarch2010

78 UN,2010 UN Humanitarian Action Plan

79 UNHCR,2010 Country Operations Profile – Afghanistan

80 UNHCR,Country Operations Profile - Pakistan;UNHCRCountry Operations Profile - Iran;AREU,Searching For My Homeland: Dilemmas Between Borders: Experiences of Young Afghans Returning “Home” from Pakistan and Iran,July2009

81 GovernmentofAfghanistan,“38%ReductioninChildMortality,40% ReductioninMaternalMortalityOccurredDuring2002to2008,”December 21,2009

82 ReutersAlertNet,“AfghanConflictMasksPreventableChildDeaths-AidGroup,”March3,2010;Reuters,“AfghanistanisWorld’sWorstPlacetobeBorn-UN,”November19,2009

83 UNICEF,Country Profile Afghanistan: Maternal, Newborn and Child Survival,November2008

84 SavetheChildren,“TheAfghanGovernmentSubmitsFirstReportonChildRights:OutstandingIssuesforChildreninAfghanistan,”PressRelease,July 10,2009

85 USIP,PublicHealthandConflictSeries,“RebuildingaNations’HealthinAfghanistan,”May2007

86 WHO,HealthinAfghanistan:SituationAnalysis,n.d.(retrievedMarch1,2010)

87 IRIN,“Afghanistan:GrowingNumberofAfghansLackHealthCare–Ministry,”April7,2009

88 ANSO,QuarterlyDataReport,Q3,2009

89 OCHA,Afghanistan:MonthlyHumanitarianUpdateNo.10,September30,2009

90 TheSwedishCommitteeforAfghanistan,“InternationalMilitaryViolentlyEnteredSCAHospitalinWardak,”PressRelease,September6,2009

91 ACBAR,AdvocacySeries,“NGOVoicesonHealth,”April2008


92 NationalReporttotheWorkingGroupontheUniversalPeriodicReview:Afghanistan,February24,2009(A/HRC/WG.6/5/AFG/1)

93 IRIN,“Afghanistan:LittleHealthCareforWomeninPaktikaProvince,”February1,2009

94 UNNews,“UNFoodAgencytoReachOutto9MillionAfghansin2009,”April13,2009

95 WHO,World Health Indicators 2009

96 UNICEF,Humanitarian Action Afghanistan 2007

97 WHO,World Health Indicators 2009

98 SavetheChildren,Saving the Lives of Mothers and Newborns in Afghanistan,March2008;alsosee:HRW,We Have the Promises of the World, Women’s Rights in Afghanistan,2009

99 UNNews,“UNFoodAgencytoReachOutto9MillionAfghansin2009,”April13,2009;NationalPublicRadio,PRI’sTheWorld,“HealthConcernsforAfghanistan’sChildren,”August19,2009

100 NationalReporttotheWorkingGroupontheUniversalPeriodicReview:Afghanistan,February24,2009(A/HRC/WG.6/5/AFG/1).

101 UNICEF,State of the World Children’s Report 2009

102 UnitedNationsPopulationDivision:World Population Prospects: The 2008 Revision

103 UNAMA,“WHOIdentifies23PolioCasesSinceJanuary2009,”October,19,2009

104 IRIN,“Afghanistan:‘We’reNotagainstPolioImmunization’–TalibanSpokesman,”March25,2009

105 UNAMA,“WHOIdentifies23PolioCasesSinceJanuary2009,”October19,2009

106 UNICEF,“ImprovingAccesstoSafeWater,SanitationandHygieneforChildreninAfghanistan,”March12,2009

107 AssociatedPress(AP),“UNFightsHungerinAfghanistan,”December20,2009

108 UNICEF,“ImprovingAccesstoSafeWater,SanitationandHygieneforChildreninAfghanistan,”March12,2009

109 IRIN,“Afghanistan:ThousandsofSchoolsLackDrinkingWater,Sanitation,”May12,2009

110 AIHRC,“EffectiveFactorsAssociatedwithDrugAddictionandtheConsequencesofAddictionAmongAfghanWomen,”February2008;UNODC,Risks Incurred by Children of Drug-Addicted Women: Some Medical and Legal Aspects,January1,1985

111 IRIN,“Afghanistan:DrugAddictsintheSpotlight,”April28,2009

112 UNODC,“UNODCStaffMakingaDifferenceinAfghanistan:MohammadTariq,SocialWorker,”July27,2009;NPR,“DrugAddiction,andMisery,IncreaseinAfghanistan,”April16,2009

113 IRIN,“Afghanistan:‘OpiumEasesMyPain,KeepsMyChildrenQuiet’”,July16,2009

114 IRIN,“Afghanistan:DrugAddictsintheSpotlight,”April28,2009

115 TheLancet,“Violence,SufferingandMentalHealthinAfghanistan:ASchool-BasedSurvey,”September5,2009

116 IRIN,“InBrief:HIV-PositiveCasesJumpto556inAfghanistan,”November9,2009

117 TheWorldBank,HIV/AIDS in Afghanistan,August2008

118 UNICEF,“ChildrenatRiskofContractingHIV/AIDSinAfghanistan,”December1,2008

119 IRIN,“Afghanistan:LittleAwarenessofHIVAmongMigrantsinIran,”January21,2009

120 InternationalFederationofRedCrossandRedCrescentSocieties(IFRC) –Switzerland,“MisconceptionsaboutHIV/AIDSinAfghanistan,”May16,2009

121 IRIN,“Afghanistan:LittleAwarenessofHIVAmongMigrantsinIran,”January21,2009

122 MissionReportoftheSRSGforChildrenandArmedConflictMs.RadhikaCoomaraswamytoAfghanistan,20-26February2010

123 IRIN,“Afghanistan:FiveMillionChildrenNotinSchool,”April21,2009;MissionReportoftheSRSGforChildrenandArmedConflictMs.RadhikaCoomaraswamytoAfghanistan,20-26February2010

124 ACBARAdvocacySeries,“NGOVoicesonEducation,”April2008

125 MinistryofEducation,1386SchoolSurvey–SummaryReport;HRW,We Have the Promises of the World, Women’s Rights in Afghanistan,December2009


127 CAREInternational,Knowledge on Fire,September2009

128 OpenSocietyInstitute(OSI),“Afghanistan:EducationinaWarZone,”TransitionsOnline,February13,2009

129 CAREInternational,KnowledgeonFire,September2009

130 Ibid.

131 ReutersAlertNet,“90AfghanSchoolgirlsPoisonedinTalibanGasAttack,”May13,2009

132 IRIN,“Afghanistan:Women’sRightsTrampledDespiteNewLaw,”March8,2010

133 UNICEFinformationprovidedtoWatchlist,March10,2010

134 CAREInternational,KnowledgeonFire,September2009.Community-basedschoolsareusuallylocatedinteachers’homes,compounds,orcommunityspacessuchasmosquesandrunbylocallyrecruitedteachers.

135 IRIN,“Afghanistan:DozensofSchoolsReopeninVolatileSouth,”March26,2009

136 IRIN,“Afghanistan:TalibanForcesStudentsandSchoolsintoMadrasas,”February17,2009

137 UNAMA,TranscriptofPressConferencebyShigeruAyoagi,UNESCOCountryDirectorandGopalSharma,UNICEFDeputyRepresentative,April20,2009

138 SavetheChildren,“TheAfghanGovernmentSubmitsFirstReportonChildRights,OutstandingIssuesforChildreninAfghanistan,”PressStatement/BriefingPaper,July10,2009

139 Ibid.

140 OSI,“Afghanistan:EducationinaWarZone,”TransitionsOnline,February13,2009

141 ACBARAdvocacySeries,“NGOVoicesonEducation,”April2008


143 OxfamAmerica,“MemotothePresident:KeyRecommendationstotheNextAfghanGovernment,”October15,2009

144 GovernmentoftheIslamicRepublicofAfghanistanCentralStatisticsOrganization,SummaryofNationalRiskandVulnerabilityAssessment2007/8:AProfileofAfghanistan,http://www.cso.gov.af/

145 AREU,“ConfrontingChildLabourinAfghanistan,”BriefingPaperSeries,May2009

146 Burde,DanaandLeighL.Linden,“TheEffectofProximityonSchoolEnrollment,”May2009

147 SavetheChildren,Violence Free School Project: Baseline Survey Report Jalalabad,September2008

148 2008SRSG’sreportonCACinAfghanistan

149 PajhwokAfghanNews(PAN),“Fourof13AbductedChildrenRescuedinEast,”November1,2009;PAN,“10ChildrenEscapeCaptors,November16,2009

150 UNAMA/OHCHR,Silence is Violence. End the Abuse of Women in Afghanistan,July8,2009

151 Ibid.

152 InformationsharedwithWatchlistbyAIHRCviaemail,March9,2010

Endnotes


153 ChildprotectionagenciessuchasSavetheChildrenconsiderthisagedifferenceaformofdiscrimination.

154 SavetheChildren,“TheAfghanGovernmentSubmitsFirstReportonChildRights:OutstandingIssuesforChildreninAfghanistan,”PressStatement,July10,2009

155 AIHRC,Economic and Social Rights Report in Afghanistan – III,December2008


157 Citedin:HRW,We Have the Promises of the World, Women’s Rights in Afghanistan,December6,2009


159 IRIN,“Afghanistan:War,PovertyandIgnoranceFuelSexualAbuseofChildren,”June6,2007

160 Time,“Afghanistan’sEpidemicofChildRape,”August17,2008

161 TheEliminationofViolenceagainstWomenActhasnotyetbeenenactedbyparliamentbuthasbeengazettedandisthereforeenforceable.



164 InterPressService(IPS),“Afghanistan:Rape-TheMostVulnerableVictimsofCorruption,”July28,2009

165 IRIN:“Afghanistan:CallforTougherLawsonRape,”July8,2009


167 PAN,“Self-ImmolationofYoungGirlinJawzjanProvince,”transl.bytheRevolutionaryAssociationoftheWomenofAfghanistan(RAWA),October7,2009

168 BBCPersian,“InAfghanistan,8thMarchCelebratedwithSelf-Immolation,”March8,2009

169 CPANsarecurrentlyfunctionalin28provinces

170 UNICEF,“DoubleVictims:TheTreatmentofChildAbuseandExploitationintheJusticeSystem,”JusticeforChildreninAfghanistanSeries,Issue2,October2008


172 CoalitiontoStoptheUseofChildSoldiers,S/2008/695

173 IPSNews,“WithUnemploymentat40Percent,AfghanTeensEnlistinArmy,Police,”November7,2009

174 IPSNews,“Afghanistan:TeenagersEnlistinArmy,Police,”November2,2009

175 IRIN,“Afghanistan:ChildSoldiersOperatingonSeveralFronts,”December19,2007

176 Ibid.

177 MissionReportoftheSRSGforChildrenandArmedconflictMs.RadhikaCoomaraswamytoAfghanistan,20-26February,2010

178 Manyofthesechildrenworkedaspart-timesoldiersandoftenstayedintheimmediatevicinityoftheirlocalcommunities,whichfacilitatedtheirsocialreintegration,accordingtotheBonnInternationalCenterforConversion(BICC),Demobilizing and Reintegrating Afghanistan’s Young Soldiers. A Review and Assessment of Program Planning and Implementation,(Paper42),2005

179 UNICEFinputstoTheUniversalPeriodicReviewAfghanistan,October2008

180 2008SRSG’sreportonCACinAfghanistan

181 Ibid.

182 UnitedStates’initialreporttotheCommitteeontheRightsoftheChildregardingtheinvolvementofchildreninarmedconflict(CRC/C/OPAC/USA/Q1/Add.1/Rev.1)

183 CenterfortheStudyofHumanRightsinAmerica,“GuantanamoTestimonialsProjectForcesRevisedPentagonCountofJuvenileDetainees,”JURISTHotline,November18,2008

184 CRC/C/OPAC/USA/Q1/Add.1/Rev.1

185 OSRSG-CAC,“AllJuvenileDetaineesMustBeReleasedfromGuantanamo,”PressRelease,August25,2009

186 AIPublicBriefing,“Afghanistan:ArmsProliferationFuelsFurtherAbuse,”April3,2008(AIIndex:ASA11/0004/2008)

187 ContemporarySecurityStudies(CSS),Afghanistan, Arms and Conflict: Armed Groups, Disarmament and Security in a Post-War Society,2008

188 IRIN,“Afghanistan:WheretheRulebytheGunContinues,”May2006

189 AssociatedPress(AP),“US-FundedProgramtoArmGroupsBegins,”January31,2009

190 CSS,Afghanistan, Arms and Conflict: Armed Groups, Disarmament and Security in a Post-War Society,2008

191 Ibid.

192 IRIN,“Afghanistan:DisarmamentProgrammeExtended,”October31,2007

193 CSS,Afghanistan, Arms and Conflict: Armed Groups, Disarmament and Security in a Post-War Society,2008

194 UNMineActionCoordinationCentreofAfghanistan(MACCA),MineActionProgrammeofAfghanistan(MAPA):FastFacts,January13,2010

195 Ibid.

196 IRIN,“Afghanistan:LandminesImpedeCivilians’ReturntoVolatileArghandab,”June22,2008

197 Ibid.

198 IRIN,“Afghanistan:Landmines,UXOKill,MaimHundredsin2007,”January21,2008

199 IRIN,“Afghanistan:DisabilityDeprivesChildrenofEducation,”October21,2008

200 MACCA,MineActionProgrammeofAfghanistan(MAPA):FastFacts,August11,2009

201 ICBL,LandmineMonitor2009

202 Afghanistan’slegalprovisionsprohibitchildrenunder18toworkbutallowchildrenbetweentheagesof15and18toengageinlightnon-hazardouswork.AfghanistanisalsointheprocessofratifyingtheILOConventionontheWorstFormsofChildLabourandtheILOConventiononMinimumAgeofEmployment

203 AREU,“FactorsInfluencingDecisionstoUseChildLabour:ACaseStudyofPoorHouseholdsinKabul,2008”;AREU,“ConfrontingChildLabourinAfghanistan,”BriefingPaperSeries,May2009

204 IRIN,“Afghanistan:StopSaleofChildren,RightsWatchdogSays,”February3,2008

205 IRIN,“Afghanistan:PlightofChildLabourersonPakistaniBorder,”February19,2009

206 U.S.DepartmentofState,Trafficking in Persons Report 2009

207 Ibid.

208 UNICEF,Double Victims: The Treatment of Child Abuse and Exploitation in the Justice System,JusticeforChildreninAfghanistanSeries,Issue2,October2008

209 AIHRCandUNICEF,Justice for Children, The Situation of Children in Conflict with the Law in Afghanistan,June25,2008

210 Ibid.

211 UNICEF,DoubleVictims:TheTreatmentofChildAbuseandExploitationintheJusticeSystem,JusticeforChildreninAfghanistanSeries,Issue2,October2008

212 Ibid.


Endnotes

213 AIHRC/UNICEF,Justice for Children, The Situation of Children in Conflict with the Law in Afghanistan,June25,2008

214 ThePermanentRepresentativeofAfghanistancriticizedtheinsufficientdatacollectionoftheCountryTaskForceintheareasthatarecontrolledbyanti-governmentgroupsandalsoquestionedthecredibilityofsomeofthesourcescitedinthereport.ThisimbalanceindocumentationcanpartlybeexplainedbythelimitedaccesstoareaswheretheTalibanandothernon-statearmedgroupsareactive.

215 MissionReportoftheSRSGforChildrenandArmedConflictMs.RadhikaCoomaraswamytoAfghanistan20-26February2010


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Agence France Presse (AFP)www.afp.comNetherlandsAdmitsAirStrikeThatKilled,10/2/09276,000AfghanRefugeesReturnedThisYear,11/3/08

AIHRC and UNICEFJusticeforChildren,TheSituationofChildreninConflictwiththeLawinAfghanistan,6/25/08

Amnesty International (AI)www.amnesty.orgAfghanCiviliansatRiskDuringNATOOffensiveagainstTaleban,2/17/10AIlists83AfghanCiviliansKilledinNATOAirstrikeinKunduz,10/30/09PublicBriefing,Afghanistan:ArmsProliferationFuelsFurtherAbuse,4/3/08(AIIndex:ASA11/0004/2008)Report2009:StateoftheWorld’sHumanRights

Asia Policy Report (APR)www.asiapolicyreport.comTacklingAfghanistan’sOpiumAddiction,10/4/09

Associated Press (AP)www.ap.orgAfghanProbeSaysNATOFightingKilledChildren,12/30/09AfghanistanRebuilds,ButConcernsRemainforChildren,10/25/09Officials:TalibanRecruitedChildrenasBombers,7/28/09UNExtendsNATOForceinAfghanistanforaYear,10/9/09US-FundedProgramtoArmGroupsBegins,1/31/09

BBC Newswww.bbc.co.uk/GermanMinistersFaceKunduzAirStrikeInquiry,12/16/09InAfghanistan,8thMarchCelebratedwithSelf-Immolation,3/8/09(Persian)UNStaffKilledinKabulAttack,10/28/09

Bonn International Center for Conversion (BICC)www.bicc.deDemobilizingandReintegratingAfghanistan’sYoungSoldiers.AReviewandAssessmentofProgramPlanningandImplementation,(Paper42),2005

Burde, Dana and Leigh L. LindenTheEffectofProximityonSchoolEnrollment:EvidencefromaRandomizedControlledTrialinAfghanistan,5/09

Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict (CIVIC)www.civicworldwide.orgLosingthePeople:TheCostsandConsequencesofCivilianSufferingsinAfghanistan2009

CARE Internationalwww.care.orgKnowledgeonFire:AttacksonEducationinAfghanistan:RisksandMeasuresforSuccessfulMitigation,09/09

CCF International/Child Fund AfghanistanAftertheTaliban:AChild-FocusedAssessmentintheNorthernAfghanProvincesofKunduz,Takhar,andBadakshan,4/02

Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)www.csis.orgShapingtheWarinAfghanistan:TheSituationintheSpringof2010,3/12/10TheRefugeeProblem:LookingTowardAfghanistan’sLong-TermStability,12/10/08

Center for the Study of Human Rights in Americahttp://humanrights.ucdavis.edu/GuantanamoTestimonialsProjectForcesRevisedPentagonCountofJuvenileDetainees,JURISTHotline,11/18/08

Contemporary Security StudiesAfghanistan,ArmsandConflict:ArmedGroups,DisarmamentandSecurityinaPost-WarSociety,2008

Central Statistics Organization, Afghanistan (CSO) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)AfghanistanHouseholdListingProject(HHL),2003-2005

Deutsche Wellewww.dw-world.de/Germany’sArmyChiefofStaffResignsOverNATOAirstrikeinKunduz,11/26/09

European Commission (EC)www.ec.europa.euECCountryStrategyPaper:IslamicRepublicofAfghanistan2007-2013

Feinstein International Center, Tufts Universitywww.fic.tufts.edu/Afghanistan:HumanitarianismunderThreat,3/09

Girardet, Edward and Jonathan Walter (eds.)EssentialFieldGuidestoHumanitarianandConflictZones:Afghanistan,SecondEdition,2004

Government of Afghanistan38%ReductioninChildMortality,40%ReductioninMaternalMortalityOccurredDuring2002to2008,12/21/09


Handicap Internationalwww.handicap-international.usVoicesfromtheGround.LandmineandExplosiveRemnantsofWarSurvivorsSpeakOutonVictimAssistance,9/09

Humanitarian Policy Group (HPG)http://www.odi.org.uk/programmes/humanitarian-policy-groupProvidingAidinInsecureEnvironments:2009Update,HPGPolicyBrief34,04/09

Human Rights Watch (HRW)www.hrw.orgAfghanistan:CivilianDeathsfromAirstrikes,9/8/08MeasureBroughtintoForcebyKarzaiMeansAtrocitiesWillGoUnpunished,3/10/10LettertoSecretaryofDefenseRobertGatesonU.S.AirstrikesinAzizabad,Afghanistan,1/14/09LessonsinTerror:AttacksagainstEducationinAfghanistan,7/06TheHumanCost:TheConsequencesofInsurgentAttacksinAfghanistan,4/07WeHavethePromisesoftheWorld,Women’sRightsinAfghanistan,12/06/09WorldReport2009

The Independentwww.independent.co.uk/MerkelUnderFireasGeneralResignsoverKunduzMassacre,11/27/09

Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC)www.internal-displacement.orgAfghanistan:IncreasingHardshipandLimitedSupportforGrowingDisplacedPopulation,10/28/08

International Campaign to Ban the Use of Landmines (ICBL)LandmineMonitor2009

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)www.icrc.orgAfghanistan:IntensifyingFightinginHelmandResultsinIncreasedCasualties,2/10/10Afghanistan:TheHumanCostofWar,9/25/09

International Crisis Group (ICG)www.crisisweb.orgAfghanistan:WhatNowforRefugees?AsiaReportNo175,8/31/09

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)–SwitzerlandMisconceptionsAboutHIV/AIDSinAfghanistan,5/16/09

Inter Press Service (IPS)www.ipsnews.netAfghanistan:Rape-TheMostVulnerableVictimsofCorruption,7/28/09Afghanistan:TeenagersEnlistinArmy,Police,11/2/09WithUnemploymentat40Percent,AfghanTeensEnlistinArmy,Police,11/7/09

IRIN Newswww.irinnews.orgAfghanistan:CallforTougherLawsonRape,7/8/09Afghanistan:ChildSoldiersOperatingonSeveralFronts,12/19/07Afghanistan:CouldForeignTroopSurgeExacerbateVulnerability?1/19/09Afghanistan:DisabilityDeprivesChildrenofEducation,10/21/08Afghanistan:DisarmamentProgrammeExtended,10/31/07Afghanistan:DrugAddictsintheSpotlight,4/28/09Afghanistan:GrowingNumberofAfghansLackHealthCare–Ministry,4/7/09Afghanistan:HelpPromisedforReturningMarjahIDPs,3/2/10Afghanistan:HighRiskHumanitarianism,8/18/09Afghanistan:LandminesImpedeCivilians’ReturntoVolatileArghandab,6/22/08Afghanistan:Landmines,UXOKill,MaimHundredsin2007,1/21/08Afghanistan:LittleAwarenessofHIVAmongMigrantsinIran,1/21/09Afghanistan:LittleHealthCareforWomeninPaktikaProvince,1/1/09Afghanistan:MarjahResidentsTakeStockAfterOffensive,3/16/10Afghanistan:NATO-ledForces,AidAgenciesAgreeonNewModusOperandi,8/5/08Afghanistan:“OpiumEasesMyPain,KeepsMyChildrenQuiet,”7/16/09Afghanistan:Over20SchoolsAttackedonElectionDay8/24/09Afghanistan:Over2,000CiviliansKilledinFirst10Monthsof2009,11/12/09Afghanistan:PlightofAfghanChildDeporteesfromIran,3/22/09Afghanistan:PlightofChildLabourersonPakistaniBorder,2/19/09Afghanistan:SanitationWoesinMakeshiftIDPCamps,4/23/09Afghanistan:StopSaleofChildren,RightsWatchdogSays,2/3/08Afghanistan:TheTribulationsofChild-BearingChildren,12/11/09Afghanistan:ThousandsofSchoolsLackDrinkingWater,Sanitation,5/12/09Afghanistan:VirtuallyNoSafetyNetforWarVictims’Families,10/20/09Afghanistan:War,PovertyandIgnoranceFuelSexualAbuseofChildren,6/6/07Afghanistan:“WeFeelExposedtoGreaterRisksNow”–LocalAidWorkers,11/9/09

Afghanistan:“We’reNotagainstPolioImmunization”–TalibanSpokesman,3/25/09Afghanistan:Women’sRightsTrampledDespiteNewLaw,3/8/10Afghanistan:2009WorstYearforChildren–RightsWatchdog,1/6/10Afghanistan:800CiviliansKilledinConflictinJanuary-May–UNreport,6/28/09Afghanistan-Iran:SharpRiseinDeportationsfromIran,7/21/09InBrief:HIV-PositiveCasesJumpto556inAfghanistan,11/9/09

The Journal of ERW and Mine Actionwww.maic.jmu.eduTheChallengesofIEDAwarenessandMREinAfghanistan,byMathiasHagstrøm,Issue13.1,Summer2009

The Lancetwww.thelancet.comViolence,SufferingandMentalHealthinAfghanistan:ASchool-BasedSurvey,9/5/09

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)www.doctorswithoutborders.comAfghanistan:MSFReturnsAfterFiveYears,10/9/09Afghanistan:NoGunsandNoFeesinAhmedShahBabaHospital,9/10/09

Mine Action Coordination Center for Afghanistan (MACCA)www.macca.org.af/MineActionProgrammeofAfghanistan(MAPA):FastFacts,1/13/10MineActionProgrammeofAfghanistan(MAPA):FastFacts,dataasofAugust11,2009

National Public Radio (NPR)www.npr.orgNATOBacksDownon‘Insurgent‘ClaiminShooting,4/21/10DrugAddiction,andMisery,IncreaseinAfghanistan,4/16/09AfghanistanStrivesToRegisterAllNewborns,7/2/08

NATO/International Security Assistance Force Afghanistan (ISAF)www.isaf.nato.intCOMISAF’sInitialAssessmentbyGeneralStanleyMcChrystal(Unclassified),8/30/09ISAFCommander’sCounterinsurgencyGuidance,8/26/09PublicInformationCenter,ISAFIssuesGuidanceonNightRaidsinAfghanistan,3/5/10TacticalDirective,7/6/09

New York Times (NYT)www.nytimes.comASchoolBusforShamsia,8/23/09AfghanMilitiasBattleTalibanwithAidofU.S.,11/22/09AttackinAfghanCapitalIllustratesTaliban’sReach,10/28/09ObamaOrdersHalttoProsecutionatGuantanamo,1/22/09TalibanWidenAfghanAttacksfromBaseinPakistan,9/24/09

Office of the Special Representative on Children and Armed Conflict (SRSG-CAC)www.un.org/children/conflict/PressRelease,AllJuvenileDetaineesMustbeReleasedfromGuantanamo,8/25/09

Open Society Institute and Soros Foundation (OSI)www.soros.orgAfghanistan:EducationinaWarZone,TransitionsOnline,2/13/09

Oxfam Americawww.oxfamamerica.orgCaughtintheConflict:CiviliansandtheInternationalSecurityStrategyinAfghanistan,Abriefingpaperby11QuickImpact,QuickCollapse:TheDangersofMilitarizedAidinAfghanistan,1/10MemotothePresident:KeyRecommendationstotheNextAfghanGovernment,10/15/09NGOsoperatinginAfghanistanfortheNATOHeadsofStateandGovernmentSummit,3-4April2009,4/3/09

Pajhwok Afghan News (PAN)http://www.pajhwok.comFourof13AbductedChildrenRescuedinEast,11/1/09Self-ImmolationofYoungGirlinJawzjanProvince,translatedbytheRevolutionaryAssociationoftheWomenofAfghanistan(RAWA),10/7/0910ChildrenEscapeCaptors,11/16/09

Public Radio International (PRI)’s The Worldwww.theworld.orgHealthConcernsforAfghanistan’sChildren,8/19/09

Refugees International (RI)www.refugeesinternational.orgAfghanistan:OpenEyestoHumanitarianNeeds,7/21/09AfghanistanandPakistan:RaiseVoicesforCivilianPopulation,1/26/09


Reuterswww.reuters.comAfghanistanisWorld’sWorstPlacetobeBorn-UN,11/19/09ICCProsecutorEyesPossibleAfghanistanWarCrimes,9/9/09

Reuters AlertNetwww.alertnet.orgAfghanConflictMasksPreventableChildDeaths-AidGroup,3/3/1090AfghanSchoolgirlsPoisonedin‘TalibanGasAttack’,5/13/09

Save the Childrenwww.savethechildren.orgPressStatement/BriefingPaper,TheAfghanGovernmentSubmitsFirstReportonChildRights:OutstandingIssuesforChildreninAfghanistan,7/10/09SavingtheLivesofMothersandNewbornsinAfghanistan,3/08ViolenceFreeSchoolProject:BaselineSurveyReportJalalabad,9/08

Small Arms Surveywww.smallarmssurvey.orgDDRinAfghanistan,WhenState-buildingandInsecurityCollide,2009

The Guardianwww.guardian.co.ukUSKeepsSecretAnti-TalibanMilitiaonaBrightLeash,3/8/10USPoursMillionsintoAnti-TalibanMilitiasinAfghanistan,11/22/09

The International Council on Security and Development (ICOS)www.icosgroup.net/OperationMoshtarak:LessonsLearned,3/10

The Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA)www.swedishcommittee.orgInternationalMilitaryViolentlyEnteredSCAHospitalinWardak,PressRelease,9/6/09

Timewww.time.com/time/Afghanistan’sEpidemicofChildRape,8/17/08

Times Onlinewww.timesonline.co.ukWesternTroopsAccusedofExecuting10AfghanCivilians,IncludingChildren,12/31/09

United Nations (UN)www.un.orgHumanitarianActionPlan:Afghanistan2010HumanitarianActionPlan:Afghanistan2009MissionReportoftheSRSGforChildrenandArmedConflictMs.RadhikaCoomaraswamytoAfghanistan,20-26February,2010ReportoftheSecretary-GeneralonWomen,PeaceandSecurity,9/16/09(S/2009/465)ReportoftheSecretary-GeneralontheSituationinAfghanistananditsImplicationsforInternationalPeaceandSecurity,3/6/08(S/2008/159)SecurityCouncilResolutiononChildrenandArmedConflict1539,4/22/04SecurityCouncilResolutiononChildrenandArmedConflict1612,7/25/05SecurityCouncilResolutiononChildrenandArmedConflict1882,8/4/09

UN Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA)www.unama-afg.orgAfghanistan:AnnualReportonProtectionofCiviliansinArmedConflict2009Afghanistan:AnnualReportonProtectionofCiviliansinArmedConflict2008HumanRightsUnit,SilenceisViolence.EndtheAbuseofWomeninAfghanistan,7/8/09StatementbyKaiEide,RepresentativeoftheUnitedNationsSecretary-GeneralforAfghanistan,12/31/09TranscriptofPressConferencebyShigeruAyoagi,UNESCOCountryDirectorandGopalSharma,UNICEFDeputyRepresentative,4/20/09WHOIdentifies23PolioCasessinceJanuary2009,10/19/09

UNDPwww.undp.org/FactsheetofHumanDevelopmentReport2009,10/5/09

UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)www.unhcr.orgAfghanistan,”WrittenStatementbeforetheU.S.SenateForeignRelationsCommittee,12/17/09UNHCRGlobalAppeal2008-2009BirthCertificateProgrammeSecuresAfghans’Identities,2/6/04HumanitarianConsiderationswithRegardtoReturntoAfghanistan,5/06StatementofDr.KhaledHosseini,U.S.EnvoyforUNHCR,atthehearingon“CounteringtheThreatofFailureinNationalProfileofInternallyDisplacedPersons(IDPs)inAfghanistan,11/10/082010UNHCRCountryOperationsProfile–Afghanistan,retrievedFebruary20102010UNHCRCountryOperationsProfile–Pakistan,retrievedFebruary20102010UNHCRCountryOperationsProfile–Iran,retrievedFebruary2010

UNICEFwww.unicef.orgAfghanistan-SituationReport2009Covering1May–30JuneChildrenatRiskofContractingHIV/AIDSinAfghanistan,12/1/08CountryProfileAfghanistan:Maternal,NewbornandChildSurvival,11/08DoubleVictims:TheTreatmentofChildAbuseandExploitationintheJusticeSystem,JusticeforChildreninAfghanistanSeries,Issue2,10/08HumanitarianActionReport2010:AfghanistanImprovingAccesstoSafeWater,SanitationandHygieneforChildreninAfghanistan,3/12/09InputstotheUniversalPeriodicReviewAfghanistan,10/08PsychosocialAssessmentofChildrenExposedtoWar-RelatedViolenceinKabul,1997TheStateoftheWorld’sChildren,2009

UN Newswww.unnews.orgUNFoodAgencytoReachOutto9MillionAfghansin2009,4/13/09

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)www.ochaonline.un.orgAfghanistan:MonthlyHumanitarianUpdate,Issue11,10/09Afghanistan:MonthlyHumanitarianUpdate,Issue10,9/30/09AfghanProtectionClusterMeeting(APC),7/29/09TheGuidelinesfortheInteractionandCoordinationofHumanitarianActorsandMilitaryActorsinAfghanistan,5/20/08

UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)www.unodc.orgAddiction,CrimeandInsurgency:TheTransnationalThreatofAfghanOpium,10/09UNODCStaffMakingaDifferenceinAfghanistan:MohammadTariq,SocialWorker,7/27/09RisksIncurredbyChildrenofDrug-AddictedWomen:SomeMedicalandLegalAspects,1/1/85

UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)www.ohchr.orgNationalReporttotheWorkingGroupontheUniversalPeriodicReview:Afghanistan,2/24/09(A/HRC/WG.6/5/AFG/1).ReportoftheOfficeoftheHighCommissionerforHumanRightsontheSituationofHumanRightsinAfghanistanandontheAchievementsofTechnicalAssistanceintheFieldofHumanRights,1/16/09(A/HRC/10/23)ReportoftheUnitedStatestotheCommitteeontheRightsoftheChildOptionalProtocolontheinvolvementofchildreninarmedconflict(CRC/C/OPAC/USA/Q1/Add.1/Rev.1),6/2/08

UN Population DivisionWorldPopulationProspects:The2008Revision

UN Statistics Divisionhttp://unstats.un.orgWorldStatisticsPocketbook,4/20/09

U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI)www.refugees.orgWorldRefugeeSurvey2009

U.S. Committee On Oversight and Government Reform, U.S. House of Representativeswww.oversight.house.govAfghanistanandPakistan:OversightofaNewInteragencyStrategy,6/26/09

U.S. Department of Statewww.state.govTraffickinginPersonsReport2009

U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)AfghanistanSecurity:LackofSystematicTrackingRaisesSignificantAccountabilityConcernsaboutWeaponsProvidedtoAfghanNationalSecurityForces,1/30/09

United States Institute of Peace (USIP),www.usip.orgAfghanistan’sPolice:TheWeakLinkinSecuritySectorReform,SpecialReport227,8/09PublicHealthandConflictSeries:RebuildingaNations’HealthinAfghanistan,5/07

WHOwww.who.intHealthinAfghanistan:SituationAnalysis,n.d.(retrieved3/1/10)WorldHealthIndicators2009

The World Bankwww.worldbank.orgHIV/AIDSinAfghanistan,8/08

Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict c/o Women’s Refugee Commission122 East 42nd Street, 11th floor - New York, NY 10168-1289 • Phone: 212.551.2941 • Fax: 212.551.3180

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