The purpose of this evaluation is to assess the effectiveness and design of ASGPs support for women-focused civil society organizations. This includes examining whether and how ASGP provided opportunities for gender equality and empowerment and reduced gender-related constraints through capacity-building, the development of plans and strategies, mechanisms and channels for women to access information and to network, and the participation of women in development as implementers and change agents. The evaluation provides specific recommendations that can contribute to future USAID program designs to promote womens empowerment and gender equality in Afghanistan through support to women-led and women-focused civil society organizations. »

Long-excluded from education, healthcare, employment, and participation in public life, Afghan women continue to suffer from isolation, illiteracy, poor health and extreme poverty. The U.S. Government is committed to removing constraints on women's potential because their contributions to Afghan society are essential.

The purpose of this Short-Term Technical Assistance and Training Task Order assignment was to visit select USAID programs in Afghanistan supported by the FY08 Women's Earmark and collect data on the activities. The consultant team met women beneficiaries at each site, in addition to the international (prime) and national (usually sub) implementing partners. Sectors reviewed included agriculture, alternative development, democracy and governance, microfinance, and education. This document reports the team's findings.

The Gender Advocacy in Afghanistan newsletter is produced by UNIFEM Afghanistan through support provided by USAID's Office of Women in Development. The newsletter presents factual information, statistics, and references relevant to four different gender campaign issues in order to facilitate gender-based campaigns by Afghan journalists, government, and civil society organizations.

Volume 9 contents:

• Millennium Development Goals and Gender
• Parliamentarians on Gender-Sensitive Legislation
• International Women's Day and Afghan Women

The Gender Advocacy in Afghanistan newsletter is produced by UNIFEM Afghanistan through support provided by USAID's Office of Women in Development. The newsletter presents factual information, statistics, and references relevant to four different gender campaign issues in order to facilitate gender-based campaigns by Afghan journalists, government, and civil society organizations.

Volume 8 contents:

• Women and Sexual Harrassment
• Suicide and Women
• Women Beggars in Afghanistan
• Women and the Supreme Court of Afghanistan
• Violence Against Women Database Initiative

The Gender Advocacy in Afghanistan newsletter is produced by UNIFEM Afghanistan through support provided by USAID's Office of Women in Development. The newsletter presents factual information, statistics, and references relevant to four different gender campaign issues in order to facilitate gender-based campaigns by Afghan journalists, government, and civil society organizations.

Volume 7 contents:

• Widows in Afghanistan
• Street Children in Kabul
• The Commitment to Combat Violence against Women
• Women and the Afghan Parliament
• A Workshop on Forced and Child Marriage

This report evaluates the work of USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2005. OTI committed $46.6 million of an overall $70 million Afghanistan budget to project grants that supported a range of activities, including the emerging political process laid out in the 2001 Bonn Agreement, civic education, government-facility rehabilitation, independent media, community infrastructure, women's resource centers, schools and kindergartens, and international sector specialists. The evaluation finds that OTI programming should have more systematically supported the participation of women in the political and decision-making process, since in the cases where it did, the results benefited Afghan society as a whole and stimulated greater social debate on the roles of women and the future of the country.

The Gender Advocacy in Afghanistan newsletter is produced by UNIFEM Afghanistan through support provided by USAID's Office of Women in Development. The newsletter presents factual information, statistics, and references relevant to four different gender campaign issues in order to facilitate gender-based campaigns by Afghan journalists, government, and civil society organizations.

Volume 6 contents:

• Child Marriage in Afghanistan
• Men and Public Harassment in Afghanistan
• Former Male Child Soldiers in Afghanistan
• Protection of Women in Afghanistan

The Gender Advocacy in Afghanistan newsletter is produced by UNIFEM Afghanistan through support provided by USAID's Office of Women in Development. The newsletter presents factual information, statistics, and references relevant to four different gender campaign issues in order to facilitate gender-based campaigns by Afghan journalists, government, and civil society organizations.

Volume 5 contents:

• Infertility and Women in Afghanistan
• Inheritance and Women in Afghanistan
• Women Police in Afghanistan
• Men and the Cost of Marriage in Afghanistan
• Understanding the Afghan Constitution and Parliament

The Gender Advocacy in Afghanistan newsletter is produced by UNIFEM Afghanistan through support provided by USAID's Office of Women in Development. The newsletter presents factual information, statistics, and references relevant to four different gender campaign issues in order to facilitate gender-based campaigns by Afghan journalists, government, and civil society organizations.

Volume 4 contents:

• Violence Against Women by Women
• Men's Employment in Afghanistan
• Women's Higher Education in Afghanistan
• Family Planning and Women's Health in Afghanistan
• Understanding the Afghan Constitution and Parliament

The Gender Advocacy in Afghanistan newsletter is produced by UNIFEM Afghanistan through support provided by USAID's Office of Women in Development. The newsletter presents factual information, statistics, and references relevant to four different gender campaign issues in order to facilitate gender-based campaigns by Afghan journalists, government, and civil society organizations.

Volume 3 contents:

• Violence Against Women
• Men and Disability in Afghanistan
• Pregnant or Nursing Mothers and Nutrition
• Understanding the Afghan Constitution and Parliament

The Gender Advocacy in Afghanistan newsletter is produced by UNIFEM Afghanistan through support provided by USAID's Office of Women in Development. The newsletter presents factual information, statistics, and references relevant to four different gender campaign issues in order to facilitate gender-based campaigns by Afghan journalists, government, and civil society organizations.

Volume 2 contents:

• Drug Addiction and Women
• Customary Law in Afghanistan
• Afghan Men's Literacy
• Maternal Health in Afghanistan
• Afghan Men and Women in Parliament

The Gender Advocacy in Afghanistan newsletter is produced by UNIFEM Afghanistan through support provided by USAID's Office of Women in Development. The newsletter presents factual information, statistics, and references relevant to four different gender campaign issues in order to facilitate gender-based campaigns by Afghan journalists, government, and civil society organizations.

Volume 1 contents:

• Trafficking in Persons in Afghanistan
• First Afghan Delegation to Global Women's Conference
• Forced Marriage for Men
• Campaign for Afghan Women to Work in the Government