Masterpeace Afghanistan

Masterpeace Afghanistan

Masterpeace Afghanistan is a Local NGO in Afghanistan; their vision is to inspire everyone to use their own talents and energy for peace building and togetherness.  They believe in “MUSIC above FIGHTING, DIALOGUE above JUDGMENT, BREAD above BOMBS, and CREATION above DISTRUCTION”.  They can be found on Facebook too.

Women play many roles in Afghan society.  They work as teachers and trainers in education and as family and civil lawyers in the judicial system. Within the medical field they are employed as midwives, nurses and doctors.  Women fulfill many roles as industrial professionals by making a variety of products including hand crafts, rugs, clothing and carpets.  Afghan women also participate in police and security work.

Positive changes that have come to Afghan women after three decades of war are their inclusion in education and industrial work.  We believe these changes are sustainable because the priority of our society is to become self-sufficient.   From an educational and economic perspective, there is still a great deal of work required to build the capacity needed to empower Afghan women.

The situation for Afghan girls and women remains deplorable, despite concerted efforts to improve their freedoms, rights and quality of life.  In a June 2011 global survey, Afghanistan was named as the “world’s most dangerous country in which to be born a woman.”[1] Afghanistan has staggering maternal mortality rates, poor and inaccessible health care, decades of conflicts, and “near total lack of economic rights,” rendering the country “a very dangerous place for women.”[2]  In addition, “women who do attempt to speak out or take on public roles that challenge ingrained gender stereotypes of what is acceptable for women to do or not, such as working as policewomen or news broadcasters, are often intimidated or killed,”[3]

We consider violence, the lack of education, poverty and the patriarchal nature of Afghan society to be some of the major challenges Afghan women face.  Beyond this, women also face a lack of security and the threat of armed groups opposed to the Afghan government such as the Taliban, Al Qaida , Haqani Network.

The vast majority of Afghan society needs to change its attitude to ensure equality and improvement for women.  This is especially true of village and tribal elders who are respected and influence most of the people in the society.  When these powerful people change their opinions and attitudes, Afghan people will begin to change their opinions and attitudes as well.

For both rural and urban women in Afghanistan to develop their futures, they must first be educated to provide them with tools needed to plan for the future.  They also need financial independence to make them economically self-sufficient.