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| AABRAR implemented a Disabled Cyclists
Messenger Service (DCMS) in the city of Kabul, to create employment
for disabled people. |
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Afghanistan’s turbulent
history
Living conditions for Afghans have been particularly difficult given
Afghanistan’s turbulent history. 25 years of war - resulting
from waring factions within Afghanistan, the Russian invasion, the
Taliban, terrorism and the US bombing in 2001 against the Taliban
and Al-Qa‘ida have impacted upon all people in the country.
More recently, Afghanistan has faced 7 years of drought which has
stunted agricultural development. The years of Islamic fundamentalist
under the Taliban regime has left scars on the country’s socio-cultural
fabric. High unemployment, low income, lack of access to education
and health facilities have been a devastating result.
These problems are exacerbated for disabled people who have the added
difficulty of trying to undergo rehabilitation with limited access
and poor facilities. The facilities in Afghanistan – particularly
in rural villages – have become scarce. Vital treatment such
as physiotherapy and medical treatment are often not accessible. Given
this, AABRAR provides these services free of charge to disabled Afghans.
Land mines
and disability
The insidious effects of land mines have had a devastating effect
on the citizens of Afghanistan. Many people have become disabled through
landmines in the country, with Afghanistan being one of the most heavily
mined countries in the world. This is shown by the statistics from
Landmine Monitor Report which highlights the disturbing reality in
Afghanistan:
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In 2002, the ICRC recorded 1,286 new casualties from landmines,
UXO and cluster munitions, of which 154 people were killed and
1,132 were injured. Of the recorded casualties in 2002, about
91% were male. Of those injured, at least 260 required a single
amputation, 51 a double amputation, and 75 lost their sight
in one or both eyes. Children under 18 years of age account
for more than half of the new casualties, 685 (53%) and 1,144
(89%) were civilians.
(Landmine Monitor Report - Toward a Mine-free World 2003:61)
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Land mines are everywhere in the country, also summarised by the Landmine
Monitor Report:
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Landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) are scatted throughout
Afghanistan in urban and commercial areas, villages and towns,
as well as in farmlands, grazing lands, and along transportation
roads. (Landmine Monitor Report - Toward a Mine-free World 2003:51)
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Most landmine victims are injured while farming, collecting firewood,
tending animals, or walking in the mined areas for other economic
related reasons (http://www.un.org/Depts/unsd/).
Mine victims are among the poorest people of Afghanistan and many
are the sole providers of their families prior to becoming disabled.
Land mine victims often experience a loss of independence and ability
to earn a livelihood. Thus while mines impact heavily on the individual,
they also have serious repercussions for the victim’s families.
These people desperately need jobs to provide for their families,
yet with the current job shortages in Afghanistan, combined with negative
attitudes to disability in many communities in Afghanistan, disabled
people often find themselves alienated from any opportunity to gain
employment.
AABRAR provides employment and vocational training in many different
fields to help people gain income. Follow the links below for details
of these activities.
Women and disability
Female land mine victims also experience a reduced capacity and often
cannot perform their usual household tasks and become increasingly
isolated and dependent on their families. UN statistics show that
almost 90 percent of women cannot marry after they are injured (http://www.un.org/Depts/unsd/).
These factors, combined with the negative social stigma attached to
disability in Afghanistan, cause disabled people to be one of the
most vulnerable and marginalized groups of society.
AABRAR is aware of the need for disabled females to have access to
an income. Therefore, we offer tailoring, ball making, and carpet
weaving projects in a safe and secure environment exclusively for
women.
Lack of awareness of
the needs of the disabled
In Afghanistan there is a lack of awareness of the rights and needs
of disabled people. AABRAR helps to promote the rights of disabled
people within Afghanistan and internationally at conferences and through
various workshops, public sporting events, and its magazine and television
dramas.
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