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Human Rights Education in Afghanistan: A challenging
experience
Ahmad Fahim HakimDeputy Chair
Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC)
University of Technology, Sydney, Monday, 22 Nov. 2010
Sydney, Australia
Talking points:• Why HRE in Afghanistan?
• Initiation of Peace Education for refugee schools in Pakistan
• Progress on the HRE front
• Ways forward
Why HRE in Afghanistan?
• Radicalization of education since 1978 (by
both the pro-Soviet regime & Mujahiddin – Holy Fighters),
• Greater influence of Madrasa-based (religious education) over jihad & Muslims obligations to take part in it,
• Systematic enhancement of jihad ideology, & radical Islamic teaching in Afghan refugee schools in Pakistan,
• Emergence of a new Radical/political Islam (particularly during Taliban time),
Institutionalization of Violence and Hatred in the texts of refugee schools from grade 1 – 12:
If I kill TWO Russian communists, and you kill FOUR. How many Russian infidels are killed?
The Mujahidin attacks a group of 100 communists, if they kill 85 and arrests 10, how many non-believers managed to escape?
A group of 7 Mujahed fighters confiscates Afs. 20000, and Afs. 15000 from two communist families. What is the share of each Mujahid fighter?
The TEXTS were enhanced further by inclusion of photos of bullets, machetes, guns, pistols, grenades, …etc.
If a Mujahed points his Klashinkov towards a Russian atheist’s forehead, 100 m away, and triggers a bullet with a velocity of 500m/sec, how long will it take to have the forehead of the communist invader torn apart?
Continue…
Interestingly, the University of Nebraska-Omaha and its Centre for Afghanistan Studies, based on a USAID grant of $51 million for the university’s education programs in Afghanistan from 1984 – 1994, published millions of these textbooks for grades 1 to 12 for Afghan refugee students.
Initiation of Peace Education for refugee schools in Pakistan
• A network of Afghan development workers initiated a process of peace education for Afghan refugee schools in 1999,
• A Swiss advisor (Ms. Johanna Roth) was invited to facilitate developing of new teaching curriculum and teaching methodologies,
• A series of new texts published in Pakistan for Afghan refugee schools (for grades 1 – 12). These books were smuggled to Afghanistan, and taught in some NGOs-run educational institutions,
• Pictures of guns, grenades, …, were removed from the books (INGOs & NNGOs).
Progress on HRE front
Opportunities:• Afghanistan is signatory to almost all HR
international treaties,• Interest and expertise of INGOs and ANGOs in
the field of Peace and HR education,• Free media and freedom of expression (new
media law),• Emphasis over value-added dimension of
international community’s engagement in Afg.• Existence of Knowledge and experience of HR
like-minded institution in the field of HR edu.
The AIHRC understands HRE as multi-layer process:
Working with Ministry of Education
Raising awareness of G.public & Govt.
employees, Judiciary, & Legislative
Establishment of HR units within
govt. insts.
Closely working with ANA & ANP
National consultation on
Transitional justice
Construction of HR monuments
Advocacy for improvement of
laws/draft of new laws
Enhanced outreach efforts
Regular monitoring of electoral processes
Regular reporting and media
appearance on HR relevant issues
Celebration of HR days
Translation & Publication of
literature on HR
Enabling traditional
mechanisms to protect HR
National HR Award for HR defenders/activists
Challenges:• Politicization of HR,• Labeling HRE as un-Islamic,• Project-based app. vs. Process-oriented app.• Absence of a tangible political will from the
government towards HR and HRE,• Preference of Informal Justice over Formal
Justice in remote parts of the country,• Approval of Amnesty law by the Parliament,• Slow pace of judiciary reforms,• Monopoly of various media set-ups by
notorious warlords and HR abusers,• Inadequate resources for HRE.
Ways FORWARD:
• Active engagement and support of the UN relevant agencies,
• Enhanced coordination between NHRIs in highlighting best practices of HRE (regional & international levels),
• Active engagement of CSOs in the Education (literacy and HRE) & Health sectors (general awareness raising efforts),
• Treating HRE and Civic Education as a process.
