Women’s Education KLE brings confidence to southern Afghanistan

KANDAHAR PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN

03.15.2014

Story by Cpl. Mariah Best 

ISAF Regional Command South

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Advocates for women’s education, health and human rights traveled from different regions and provinces across southern Afghanistan to attend a Women’s Education Key Leader Engagement, March 13, 2014, at the Kandahar International Airport, Afghanistan.

The event was hosted by the U.S. Embassy’s Southern Regional Platform to recognize the accomplishments of a variety of supporters who contribute to women’s education, and to discuss ways to continue to expand and better female education throughout the southern regions.

The KLE started off with a discussion between the advocates and Ambassador Edward Alford, RP (S) senior civilian representative for Regional Command (South) and (Southwest), and was followed by a certificate presentation and lunch.

Amanda Cranmer, RP (South) political economic officer, facilitated the event to give teachers, principals, trainers, and advocates, an opportunity to voice their opinion on ways to better education.

“We had ladies come in by the truckload from tens of kilometers out to voice their cause and talk with the ambassador,” Cranmer said. “One of the ladies flew in from Helmand.”

Many of the advocates highlighted a variety of concerns during the discussion, but a reoccurring theme was confidence.

“We need to give confidence to our youth, we need to give them direction and education. If the department of education supports and gains confidence of children, they will go to school,” Dr. Laila Afaq, director of the Kandahar Women’s Organization, said.

Afaq talked about the importance of relevant teaching materials, especially when it comes to women’s literature.

“New educational material is needed; there are no books about women. They need to understand that women can work in any department and work in any field,” Afaq said.

Instilling confidence in young girls to pursue education is what Afaq said is needed, but there is more to it than just educating the females.

“The solution is to focus on educating everyone, not just the women, but educate the men,” she added.

Ehsanullah Ehsan, director of the Kandahar Institute of Modern Studies, agreed that a continued investment in education makes a powerful difference.

“Invest in people, invest in capacity building, invest in teachers,” Ehsan said. “Quality education will lead to quality training which will lead to improved curriculums.”

Ehsan elaborated on how people are a better long-term investment than any building or structure could be.

“Lots of buildings have been built for education but if we don’t understand the value of the building, it is of no use. Invest in people,” Ehsan said.

Cranmer said that out of the approximately 45 Afghans that were in attendance, at least a fourth of them were males who were very passionate about women’s rights and education.

“This was a very positive experience. Everyone was very outspoken and articulate, and to me that is huge progress,” Cranmer said. “They all understand their rights, their needs and their wants.”

For Cranmer, the event was about listening to what the advocates had to say about what was working with the current education systems.

“I’d say things are going pretty well when Afghan women talk to a senior U.S. official and tell him exactly what is on their mind,” Cranmer said.

Cranmer said that the female turnout that they had and the number of females who spoke up on issues they were passionate about is a bright contrast compared to 12 years ago.

“We have women crying out demanding to be heard, and the men listened,” Cranmer said.

Cranmer pointed out that education is not just limited to a school building, and knowledge is not limited to a book.

“Many of the vocational trainers have overcome adversity themselves and now teach for free in their homes for people who are too poor to get education or skills elsewhere,” Cranmer said.

“They are getting beggar ladies off of the streets and they are getting trained,” she added.

Cranmer explained that no matter the focus of the advocates, they are all contributing to short- and long-term effects for the next generation of Afghan women.

“It goes to show that they are not going to back down, and they are going to make sure girls and women are getting an education,” Cranmer said.

Cranmer recognizes that although women’s rights and education have made significant progress over the past decade, there are still issues and concerns that need to be addressed.

“(Today) was about finding out what is working and what’s not working,” Cranmer said. “Women’s rights and education has a lot of chapters, but this is not the end of the story yet.”

• Date Taken: 03.15.2014
• Date Posted: 03.15.2014 12:50
• Story ID: 122065
• Location: KANDAHAR PROVINCE, AF