Press release

During the opening ceremony, the DoPH’s Representative, Dr Majdodul Hakim, commented: “The construction of the CHC in a remote district like Tagab is an important signal towards the population that the state is eager to provide and improve basic services all over the country.” Tagab district’s governor, Mr Mir Ahmad Shah Zegham, added: “The district’s 27,000 inhabitants only had access to four basic healthcare facilities until now. They had to travel for hours to other districts or even other provinces to receive the treatment they required.”

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Director of Education of Takhar, Mr Sayed Enayatullah Nawid, highlighted:”Fifteen years ago, we didn’t have basic education facilities. When I visited some of the schools in Dashti-Qala, the teachers used local mud instead of chalk for teaching. Today, we are witnessing the inauguration of a high standard school building. I trust that having such facilities will contribute to the improvement of Takhar’s education system”.

Gender focal points are actively involved women in their communities. Some of them work as teachers; others are members of local Shuras for women. Legal expert at the Ministry of Women, Ms Sahar Ariaye, highlighted: “This conference helps us to reach one of our main goals: access to justice. By conducting such conferences, we create a good network and connection between gender focal points in the Northern Provinces. They can now consult each other to help solving cases in their districts”. “Gender focal points are new to many people. They don’t know about their existence.

Following their internships, four participants have each already found a job at private companies and civil society organisations (CSOs). High-ranking provincial officials, media, and the interns attended today’s celebration at the Independent Administrative Reform and Civil Service Commission (IARCSC) office in Mazar-e Sharif.

A law student stated: “When we studied law for four years, we had not learnt any practical things about moot courts. I really didn’t know duties and responsibilities of judges and prosecutors. Thanks to this programme, we now understand how to find criminal reasons, how to prove a crime or to properly defence accusations.”

During the ceremony, Takhar’s provincial governor, Dr Fazlullah Mujadedi, emphasised, “We highly appreciate this activity. The internships help the women to improve their skills and gather practical experience. This way, we can increase and promote female participation in governmental positions.”

The legal clinic is an institution at Kunduz University’s law faculty that primarily provides an opportunity for the students to acquire practical experience with the Afghan legal system. So far, the legal clinic lacked proper offices to conduct lectures and moot courts as well as to provide legal aid. With the newly constructed and equipped building’s inauguration within the premises of Kunduz University, the students will now be able to work under better conditions.

During the public hearing, many projects and successes were explained and citizens had the opportunity to ask questions and express their needs and challenges relevant to acting organisations. These hearings not only allow provincial bodies to incorporate local requirements in the planning processes if necessary and thus improving them; they legitimise activities when explained thoroughly to citizens, too.  

Three Afghan experts, Mr Sayed Mohammad Jafar Mesbah, the Director of Balkh’s Department of Justice, Mr Taj Mohammad Paiwand, the Head of the Afghan-German Cooperation’s programme for the promotion of the Rule of Law (RoL) in Balkh and Ms Farzana Rahimi, journalist and civil activist, shared insights and expertise.

12 engineers and 158 public school management members from Kunduz city and the districts of Qala-e-Zal, Aliabad, Khanabad and Imam Sahib participated in the training. The activity aimed at enhancing the participants’ capacities for maintaining and operating public buildings. At the closing ceremony, one of the participants, Mr Mohmmad Yosif Orfan, commented, “The training was very helpful. It enables us to do repair works and maintain our school buildings independently in the future.”