Sowing the Seeds of Change
Despite the need for our services, referrals to our center were very low in the Afghan province of Kapisa. So, WAW sent staff into the villages to speak at schools and with community leaders to raise awareness about the challenges and abuse that women and girls face, and the services we provide. As a result of this grassroots outreach program, client referrals increased by 160%, and, the seeds of WAW’s women’s rights training program were sown.
Today, WAW has trained over 396,500 individuals through our Women’s Rights ARE Human Rights training program.
As a result of our Women’s Rights ARE Human Rights Training Program, self-referrals by women and girls and referrals by family members, tribal elders, the police, and government ministries to our Family Guidance Centers increased exponentially.
WAW has successfully trained hundreds of thousands of individuals from every segment of Afghan society: women and men, community and religious leaders, government and public officials – in 10 out of the 16 provinces where WAW operates. This expansive Women’s Rights Training Program has doubled our impact and reach in these provinces, as well as sowed the seeds of long-term cultural change at the grassroots level.
WAW’s Approach to Women’s Rights Training
WAW’s Women’s Rights ARE Human Rights trainings are localized and tailored to address specific community and beneficiaries’ concerns in each province. Since the program was launched in 2009, each of WAW’s provincial offices develops its own training materials to reflect the unique needs and challenges of their local communities based on pre- and post-training assessments, which include detailed beneficiary feedback.
Because most of our participants have little to no education, trainings are conducted over at least one full day to ensure full comprehension of the content. Training materials are also written in simple, well-understood language, and heavily utilizes graphic representations to explain the many topics covered.
In addition to these accessible trainings, WAW works on many other levels to expand support for women’s rights. WAW raises awareness of services and protections available to women and girls through all its centers where survivors of human rights abuses and gender-based violence are provided with access to comprehensive social and legal services.
WAW also integrates education on women’s rights under Islam and about the Elimination of Violence Against Women (EVAW) law into all of its trainings, as well as early/forced marriage, child marriage, children’s rights, and women’s legal rights.
Women’s rights enshrined in all of Afghanistan
Through all our programs and WAW’s Women’s Rights Training Program, in particular, we are:
- Empowering survivors of human rights abuses and gender-based violence.
- Building a nation of advocates and allies for women’s rights.
- Transforming cultural norms of violence and oppression into norms of peace and equality.
Participants
WAW offers its Women’s Rights ARE Human Rights Training Program to:
- Religious, tribal, and community leaders;
- Public officials, including prison officials, prosecutors, and ministry officials;
- Government and law enforcement agencies; and
- Hospital workers, school teachers, students, and other community members.
What our clients have to say:
“Knowing my rights makes me realize that I don’t have to accept violence as normal and legal. I’m glad I am not alone and there are people to help women like me.” – WAW Women’s Protection Center Client
