graduation ceremony of Training on Delegitimizing Oppressive Discourse Training for Afghan Women Women’s Rights Activist on Women’s Rights in Islamic Legal Framework

Summary:

The graduation ceremony of 43 women who had completed 9 months training on Delegitimizing Oppressive Discourse Training for Afghan Women Women’s Rights Activist on Women’s Rights in Islamic Legal Framework, took place on September 10^th, 2017 at 1:00 PM in Safi Landmark Hotel.

The ceremony was attended by 43 graduates of nine months training beneficiaries, representative of MoHE, representative of MoCI, members from other government institutions, CSOs and master trainers of this program.  The ceremony was successfully completed in accordance to the agenda and plan.

Preparations for the Graduation Ceremony:

Noor educational & capacity development ORGANIZATION (NECDO) commenced its preparations for organizing the Graduation Ceremony of the Trainees three weeks in advance. The following activities were considered:

1. Preparing the attendees/participants’ list, registration list and agenda of the graduation ceremony.
2. Booking venue for the graduation ceremony.
3. Assigning a team to take care of the logistics and administration of the Graduation Ceremony (provision of banner, stationary, refreshment, setting the sound system, etc…)
4. Preparing a presentation on the nine months training program of 43 women.
5. Inviting the expected participants by sending them invitation letters through emails and other communication channels.
6. Inviting the media to widely reflect the graduation ceremony of 43 women who have obtained 9 nine months trainings on Delegitimizing Oppressive Discourse Training for Afghan Women Women’s Rights Activist on Women’s Rights in Islamic Legal Framework.

Explanation:

The ceremony started by the recitation of some verses from holy Quran by Ms.Yalda Mukhtar one of the beneficiaries and the graduates. Afterward, Dr.Jahanbeen, the technical advisor of NECDO, welcomed the guests, introduced himself and then said, “This program started on first of July 2016 and ended 31^st August 2017. At the beginning of this program an expert was hired to develop training materials. This person had prepared best materials for learners. Afterward the most qualified master trainers had been hired to train the learners. The master trainers had received an effective initial training (ToT) on how to train the students in accordance to the modern and participatory methodologies. After ending this process, the most eligible candidates from different institutions were identified through pre-established eligibility criteria, to get the nine months training.  At the beginning an entry exam was conducted by NECDO among 86 eligible women who had applied for this program. After the entry exam 43 women were selected to the program. The training program accordingly started as per an effective schedule (morning and afternoon shifts) was set in line with working schedules of the students. The main subjects covered in the training program were:

1. Afghanistan and its obligation towards Women’s right including related conventions (Convention on Elimination of Discrimination against Women)
2. Comparative study of International conventions and treaties on women’s right
3. Women Position in the Lights of Quranic Text:(Translation and interpretation of Sura Al-Nissa, Maryam, Al-Noor)
4. Women Position in the light of Hadith Text
5. Women Movement in Afghanistan current Affairs:

• The outcomes and the challenges in the past 30 years
• Future of Women’s right Movement in Afghanistan next 20 years
• Basics of Arabic Language

6. Communication skills
7. Leadership skills
8. Presentation skills
9. Advocacy and Networking, etc.

Besides, during the nine months training program, the students were provided with the opportunities to attend 4 important dialogues and many relevant workshops inside and outside the organization”.

Dr. Jahanbeen summarized the outputs, outcomes and impact of the nine months training program as per below:

The Outputs:

1. Training of 43 women/trainees on Women’s Rights in Islamic Legal Framework.  The people who benefited from this project were women activists, women from CSOs and newly graduate of Law and Sharia Law Faculty.
2. Establishment of a Network by the students through which they will serve as Women’s Rights activists.
3. A group of young women got trained in a unique program in which both modern studies regarding women and vast information from Islamic and traditional text were comparatively studied.

The Outcomes:

1. The beneficiaries will definitely build on the knowledge and capacity they have received from this program and serve their respective communities.
2. Introducing the beneficiaries who did not have jobs as fellows in the relevant organizations.
3. Provided job opportunities to some of the graduated students in the relevant organizations.
4. The trainees undoubtedly will apply all the lessons they have learnt through this training, in their working areas.

The Impact:

After completing this program the beneficiaries most probably will cause positive/desired changes in their working environments, families and communities.

Beside this Dr. Faramarz Jahanbeen shared the following recommendations of NECDO with the audiences:

1. Extension/Repetition of the program. NECDO believes, that people will be enlightened to maximum extent on women’s rights in the future if such programs are being implemented repeatedly in all over the country.
2. We highly recommend the graduated students to transfer their newly gained knowledge to others to maximum extent.
3. The media, Imams, religion leaders and relevant authorities should enthusiastically work for women’s rights, in the light of Islam.

Subsequently, Mr. Ahmad Zia Anwari, the Human Resources General Director of the ministry of culture and information had a brief speech on Women’s Leadership. He said,

“ The leadership plays an important role in a society and is evaluated in the light of the progress of the talent and worth of that society. It shows that how a country has developed and has progressed. Societies need talented and qualified leaders because only leaders can lead a society to prosperity and success, and can achieve its goals. A successful leader can make successful society and organization. If a society doesn’t have a good leader on that time the society will be back warded and the people wouldn’t be able to achieve their goals. A leader has the key role in a society as Gandhi was one of the best leaders for his community and did lots of good things for his country’s development. A good leader should use his strength for the dignity of his community and added that God has given more and more strength to us, which must use these strengths’.

Afterward, Mr. Tariq Istanikzai, Director of the Ministry of Higher Education, presented his speech on the topic of the importance of implementing the educational projects, he said,

“Women make half of our society. Implementing such trainings is very important for women awareness in the society. In a society where women are educated and have the knowledge about their rights, such societies are progressed and developed societies. When woman is educated for sure her children would be educated also because she is the one who raise the children.  Educated mothers will dictate educated, talented and well-mannered children for society.  Women of our country need more like you youth leaders to work for their better future. This country can be developed by educated and active youths like you. And women leaders have more talent and capacity. All women should work and know about their rights”.

At the end, Ms.Patoni Haydari one of the graduates of this program shared her opinions about this program as such: “I and my classmates are very glad that we were part of this training and we learned a lot of things from this program on women’s rights from Islam perspective, and would suggest such opportunity to be provided to other women and sisters of mine who are awaiting such an opportunity”.

The ceremony ended officially at 4:00pm and the graduation certificates were distributed to all trainees.

A Brief View on the Project:

Delegitimizing Oppressive Discourse Training for Afghan Women Women’s Rights Activist on Women’s Rights in Islamic Legal Framework:

NECDO successfully implemented the Delegitimizing Oppressive Discourse Training for Afghan Women Women’s Rights Activist on Women’s Rights in Islamic Legal Framework; the project commenced soon after the contract was signed on July 2016 and ended in August 2017. The project was implemented in Kabul province. The beneficiaries of this project were Women activists and youth graduates of Sharia and Law faculty.

Overall Goal of the project: To Empower Women Rights Activists by providing them advanced Islamic education on national and international conventions and women’s right in Afghanistan as well as modern studies on women.

Objectives:

1. To promote women leadership and empower 43 women’s rights activists from among NGO women employees who work on women related issues and female graduates of Darul-Ulums and Sharia and Law Faculties, on Women Rights and Islam in order to build them as leaders, women right activists to defend women’s right issues in Afghanistan from Islamic perspective
2. To create a network from the trained 43 women to work as advocates to defend women rights from Islamic perspective in their respective organizations and in their social life and will develop a strategic plan to keep the network and make it even stronger.

Overall Expected Results of the Project:

1. To promote women leadership and empower 40 women’s rights activists from different areas.
2. To create a network from the trained 40 women to work as advocates to defend women rights from Islamic perspective in their organizations and social life.