New study supports community-based approach to education in Afghanistan
ATLANTA (November 23, 2009) - Today CARE, the World Bank and the Afghanistan government released "Knowledge on Fire: Attacks on Education in Afghanistan," a groundbreaking study that suggests that a community-based approach to education – like that supported by CARE – can improve social acceptance of education and mitigate the risk of attack on Afghan schools, teachers and students – especially girls.
"Education-related violence is an alarming trend in Afghanistan, with girls at particular risk of attacks and other scare tactics aimed at keeping them out of school. In fact, in 2008 alone, 670 education-related attacks including murder and arson occurred, causing hundreds of schools to close and parents to keep their children home," said Dr. Helene Gayle, president and CEO of CARE. "But this study suggests that an approach of building support for education at the local level can reduce the risk of attacks."
The study assesses the nature of education-related violence in Afghanistan, especially threats against girls; identifies factors that increase risk of attack; and recommends steps to reduce violence against students and educators, including:
- Raising awareness about the value and importance of education at the community level
- Engaging, supporting and training community leaders in risk reduction strategies
- Identifying appropriate locations for new schools
- Revising school policing policies for each community with the understanding that increased police or army presence can actually increase risk
"I've seen communities embrace education – including girls' education – when they're given leadership over local schools and ownership in improving security," said Lex Kassenberg, country director for CARE in Afghanistan. "And if we want to truly improve today's grave situation in Afghanistan, we must ensure that the whole population is educated – including girls. It is then that we can build stable societies where poverty and violence have no place."
The report comes as the U.S. Congress prepares to introduce the International Violence Against Women Act (IVAWA), legislation that would create a comprehensive strategy to reduce violence against women and girls worldwide, while supporting survivors with legal, health and economic services. Under the proposed strategy, teachers and administrators would be trained how to prevent school-related violence against women and girls.
"The introduction of IVAWA – and more importantly its eventual passage – will send a strong message that we will not stand by while innocent women and girls are abused and subjected to violence," said Dr. Gayle.
Research compiled for "Knowledge on Fire" included a literature review of secondary sources such as databases from the Afghanistan Ministry of Education and UNICEF; interviews with key personnel within the education sector; and a field study.
About CARE: Founded in 1945, CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. CARE places special focus on working alongside poor women because, equipped with the proper resources, women have the power to help whole families and entire communities escape poverty. Working in more than 72 countries, women are at the heart of CARE's community-based efforts to improve education, health and economic opportunity. Learn more at www.care.org.
Media Contacts:
Atlanta: Brian Feagans, CARE, bfeagans@care.org, +1.404.979.9453, +1.404.457.4644
Atlanta: Stephanie Libby, CARE, slibby@care.org, +1.404.979.9182
