Gender Equality

Issues and Opportunities

Health
Key Indicators:

Maternal mortality ratio has decreased to 400 deaths per
100,000 live births from 1,600 deaths per 100,000 live
births in 2002.

Infant mortality rate has declined to 74 deaths per
1,000 from 115 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2002

Under-five mortality rate has come down to 99
deaths per 1,000 live births from 157 deaths per 1,000
live births

contraceptive prevalence rate has reach 21.2% from
10% in 2002

fertility rate reduced to 5.1 from 6.3 in 2002

Skilled birth attendance has reached 39% from just
14% in 2002

Challenges and Opportunities in Health
1. Access to Healthcare - reaching remaining uncovered areas which are still without
access to basic healthcare facilities.
2. Invest in Health Human Resources - Invest in female
health professionals
3. Skilled Birth Attendants - Continue training midwives,
expanding midwifery school coverage to all
provinces,
4. Contraceptive Use - Continue and expand information
outreach regarding contraceptive options and benefits.

5. Legislation - Remove abortion from the Afghan penal
code, and further define medical and other justifications
for accessing safe abortion (i.e. after rape).


Education
Key Indicators:

Enrollments for primary and secondary education for 2012-2013 reached 8.99
million students out of which 3.6 million (40%) are girls

Girls account for 48% of primary school enrollments, 35%
of lower secondary, and 34% of higher secondary.

The literacy rate for the population aged 15 and above has
reached(45% for men and 17% for women).

Ministry of Educations NLAP for 2010-2014 aims to achieve
48% literacy, with an emphasis on improving the literacy rate
among women.

Challenges and Opportunities in Education
1. Access to Appropriate Education Facilities - Extend coverage of government schools to
become closer to communities, and ensure that boundary walls, water supply, separate
latrines, books, and supplies are available at each school.

2. Community-based Education - Expand the CBE
model for areas which do not currently have regular
government schools.

3. School Security - Work to minimize attacks on schools,
firstly by not using schools for purposes beyond
education,

4. Transition Years and Drop-out Rates - Provide
additional support for girls during years that show
statistically high drop-out rates, in an effort to
intervene at the highest risk points in the retention
of girls in school.

Employment
Key Indicators:


Labour force participation rate is 47% for women and 86% for men

Women own only 1.87% of land

women make at least 30% of the labor force working in the
agricultural sector.

Challenges and Opportunities in Employment
1. Women in Agriculture - Support agricultural value chains that allow for greater
participation of women and support the expansion of models proven to include
women in more diverse stages of the value chain such that their knowledge and
roles can expand.

2. Education for Social Sector Employment - Women's participation in health,
education, justice, other social services, and in the civil service is critical.

3. Skills Development - Link vocational training or other support to women's skills
development directly to markets, based on sound analysis.

4. Childcare, Mobility, and Woman-friendly Workplaces - The public sector should
lead the way in developing models of access to affordable childcare, safe
transportation options, and positive working environments for women, to help
attract women to formal employment and retain positions once they have taken up
work


Legal Rights and Voice
Key Indicators:

EVAW LAW

An estimated 57% of marriages are forced

46.3% of girls marry before the age of 18

87.2% of women have experienced some form of
violence like physical violence, psychological
violence, economic violence, social abuse, sexual violence and rape,

Women own only 1.87% of land



Challenges and issues in Legal Rights
1. Continued Legal Reform- Pass the EVAW Law through Parliament that provide
greater rights for women.

2. Female Legal Professionals and the ANP - Invest in female legal professionals of
various kinds. Invest in significant reform within the ANP

3. Greater Awareness of the EVAW Law - Since an estimated 80% of cases are still
adjudicated by traditional justice mechanisms, and awareness within the formal
legal system is necessary.


Challenges and Opportunities in Legal Rights
4. Data Collection - Develop a central database to record all relevant cases of crimes
that are codified under the EVA W Law

5. Support to a Legal Social Safety Net - Support shelters and their expansion to new
provinces, along with greater availability of legal aid. Help shelters develop
training. skills development, and other strategies that can help women safely and
sustainably leave shelters.

6. Establish a Target for Women in Appointed Positions The Government should set
minimum targets for appointing women to governor and mayoral appointed
positions.

Legal Right and Voice
Cross-Cutting Issues in all Sectors
Need for educated and professionally qualified women

climate of insecurity.

violence against women
Thank you