Exploring Afghanistan's Complex History And Culture: Educational Opportunities In Dc

Afghanistan is home to one of the youngest populations in the world, and education is critical to boosting the country's economic growth and democratic development. However, societal challenges, including years of conflict and instability, have hindered equal access to education, particularly for women and girls. The Taliban's recent U-turn on education for girls has resulted in global condemnation and protests in some Afghan cities. The United States has shifted its focus to humanitarian aid and targeted assistance to meet basic human needs and prevent economic collapse. Organisations like For the Nations DC are also supporting Afghan refugees in the DC area, with daytime English programs, trauma recovery, and other services.

Afghan refugees in DC

The withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and the subsequent Taliban takeover have resulted in thousands of Afghan refugees arriving in the DC area. Local agencies, nonprofits, and businesses have been working to support the resettlement of these refugees, and there are several ways that people can help.

Donations

Monetary donations are being accepted by various organizations, including:

• Adventist Community Services of Greater Washington (ACSGW)
• Afghanistan Youth Relief Foundation
• Catholic Charities Diocese of Arlington
• ECDC African Community Center DC Metro
• Homes Not Borders
• Husayn for Humanity
• Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA)
• Solutions in Hometown Connections (SHC)
• International Rescue Committee's Welcome to Maryland Fund
• World Central Kitchen

In-kind donations are also being accepted by some organizations, such as:

• Catholic Charities Diocese of Arlington (accepting household items, furniture, and connections to housing)
• Homes Not Borders (accepting furniture)
• International Rescue Committee (accepting donations through an Amazon wishlist)
• Local businesses such as The Berliner and Lapis (accepting new and lightly used items)

Volunteering

Volunteer opportunities are available with organizations such as:

• Catholic Charities Diocese of Arlington (volunteers can help with apartment set-ups, airport pick-ups, and providing housing, counseling, and food)
• ECDC African Community Center (helps connect volunteers with opportunities)
• For the Nations DC (seeking volunteers for childcare, site hosting, adult English teaching, and other roles)
• Lutheran Social Services (seeking professionals to provide trauma-informed counseling)
• Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (DMV chapter)
• Mustafa Center in Annandale, Virginia (seeking stand-by volunteers to help with resettlement)
• Farsi and Dari translators are also needed at Dulles International Airport and the Annandale Campus of Northern Virginia Community College

Other Ways to Help

Some organizations are also suggesting other ways to help, such as contacting politicians to advocate for the safe relocation of refugees, or donating to organizations providing support within Afghanistan, such as Emergency, Global Giving's Afghanistan Emergency Fund, and Islamic Relief USA.

US-Afghanistan relations

The history of US-Afghanistan relations can be traced back to the 1830s when Josiah Harlan, an American adventurer, became the first recorded person from the US to explore Afghanistan. However, official diplomatic relations between the two countries were not established until 1935, under the leadership of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Afghan King Mohammad Zahir.

In the following decades, the US provided foreign aid to Afghanistan for economic development, which ended before the 1978 Saur Revolution. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 marked a turning point, as the US began to financially support the Afghan resistance and admit Afghan refugees for resettlement.

Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the US invaded Afghanistan, overthrew the Taliban government, and captured Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. This led to the reconstruction of Afghanistan and the resumption of its diplomatic relations with the world. The US played a leading role in this process, providing billions of dollars in aid and supporting the new government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

In 2012, the US and Afghanistan signed the Enduring Strategic Partnership Agreement, committing to a long-term relationship and designating Afghanistan as a major non-NATO ally. However, the US-Afghanistan relationship faced challenges, particularly due to the Taliban's refusal to expel Osama bin Laden and its support for international terrorism.

In 2021, the US and its allies withdrew their forces from Afghanistan, leading to the Taliban's takeover of the country. Since then, the US has shifted to a position of pragmatic engagement, focusing on humanitarian aid and targeted assistance to meet basic human needs. The US has not recognized the Taliban as the official government of Afghanistan and continues to engage with them to ensure their commitment to counterterrorism and human rights, particularly for women, girls, and minority communities.

US humanitarian aid to Afghanistan

The US has provided extensive humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, especially in the wake of the Taliban takeover in 2021. The US has been the largest provider of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, with the aim of preventing a complete economic collapse and addressing basic human needs.

Since the Taliban takeover, the US has shifted its focus to humanitarian aid and targeted assistance, working through UN agencies and NGOs to deliver aid. As of July 2022, the US had provided $775 million in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan. This aid includes support for food security, agriculture, health, and education. The US has also contributed to improving human rights, particularly for women, girls, and minority communities.

In January 2022, the US announced an additional $308 million in humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan, bringing the total US aid since October 2021 to nearly $782 million. This aid was channelled through the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to humanitarian organisations providing essential services such as shelter, healthcare, and emergency food aid. The US also provided one million additional COVID-19 vaccine doses through COVAX, bringing the total contribution to 4.3 million doses.

The US has urged the Taliban to allow unhindered humanitarian access and independent provision of assistance to all vulnerable people, especially women and girls. The US also called on the Taliban to ensure safe conditions for humanitarians and freedom of movement for aid workers of all genders.

In addition to humanitarian aid, the US has a long history of providing foreign assistance to Afghanistan. Since 2001, Afghanistan has been the largest recipient of US foreign aid funds, with a peak of $15.3 billion in 2011. Military aid constituted a significant portion of this assistance, with economic aid also playing a role.

Afghan girls' access to education

Girls' access to education in Afghanistan has been a prominent issue since the Taliban seized power in August 2021. The Taliban has reneged on its promise to allow Afghan girls to attend secondary school, barring them from further education. This has caused emotional scenes outside schools, which were widely shared across social media and news outlets as proof that the Taliban had not changed.

The Taliban's interpretation of Islamic law and Afghan traditions has resulted in contradictory declarations and a lack of cohesion in their messaging around girls' education. While they have allowed primary and tertiary-level female students to return to educational establishments, they have imposed harsh restrictions on how female students must dress, travel, and even talk on the phone. They have also begun retooling the curriculum to prioritize religious studies.

The international community has made the education of girls a key demand for any future recognition of the Taliban administration. Donors are seeking ways to induce the Taliban to respect human rights, with a particular emphasis on girls' education. Here are some approaches that can be taken to support girls' access to education in Afghanistan:

• Fund education without funding discrimination: Donors should fund primary education and community-based education classes, which serve both girls and boys. Regarding secondary education, donors should only fund provinces where they can verify and monitor that girls' secondary schools are open and fully functioning.
• Support communities fighting for girls' right to education: Donors should provide incentives to communities and the Taliban, such as distributing aid through schools to boost attendance. They should also support communities that are already pushing the Taliban to permit girls' education.
• Stand by Afghans under threat for defending the right to education: Donors should take measures to protect human rights defenders in Afghanistan and restore or continue funding for organizations advocating for education.
• Monitor all aspects of access to education: Donors should press for effective monitoring from the UN and other institutions to support this work and push for more robust mechanisms to track abuses against rights defenders.

Despite these efforts, there are still several barriers to girls' access to education in Afghanistan. In some parts of the country, a shortage of schools and insufficient transportation are the main obstacles. Geographical barriers, especially in mountainous areas, also make it difficult for children to reach classrooms. The lack of female teachers, especially in rural schools, is another significant barrier. Only 16% of Afghanistan's schools are girls-only, and many lack proper sanitation facilities, further hindering attendance. Traditional norms and practices related to girls' and women's roles in society, as well as socio-cultural factors and beliefs, also undermine girls' education. Additionally, child and forced marriage, and discriminatory gender norms continue to affect girls' enrolment and attendance.

To address these challenges, organizations like UNICEF and USAID have been working to improve access to education for girls in Afghanistan. UNICEF has established community-based schools and accelerated learning centres within a three-kilometre range of each child's community. They also support the government's Community-Based Education (CBE) programme. USAID has helped increase access to education for three million Afghan girls and has provided scholarships to nearly 11,500 women to attend teacher training colleges, extending learning opportunities to girls in rural areas.

Afghan diaspora in the US

The Afghan diaspora refers to Afghan people who live and work outside of Afghanistan. The largest and oldest communities of Afghans outside of Afghanistan are found in Germany, followed by the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Russia, Turkey, Canada, the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands, Australia, and Austria.

The Afghan community in the United States was minimal until large numbers were admitted as refugees following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. The states of California, Virginia, and New York have historically had the largest number of Afghan Americans, with smaller communities in Texas, Arizona, Oklahoma, Washington, Georgia, Michigan, Idaho, Missouri, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Florida, North Carolina, Massachusetts, and others.

The Afghan population in the US is generally estimated to be over 300,000, with some sources giving a more specific figure of around 250,000. The community has grown dramatically in recent years, nearly quadrupling between 2010 and 2022, from 54,000 to 195,000. This increase is largely due to the decades of war and political instability in Afghanistan, as well as the withdrawal of US and allied troops in 2021.

The largest community of Afghans in the US resides in Fremont, California, with approximately 40,000 Afghans. Fremont has a high concentration of Afghan businesses and a section of the city has been nicknamed "Little Kabul".

Afghan Americans have faced discrimination, particularly following the September 11 attacks in 2001. They also often experience challenges with learning English and attaining education, and have lower incomes than native and overall foreign-born populations.

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