Women and Development

As an organisation we are highly committed to the active involvement of women in the development process. However, Afghan society's conservative nature poses unique challenges when it comes to putting this into practice. To overcome social and cultural hurdles to women’s involvement, we work closely with communities to ensure that we have full understanding and support for our projects before they begin.

Central to our work with Afghan women is the establishment of Women's Resource Centres where women can take literacy courses and learn basic skills related to business planning, social organisation and community management. Through these centres, we are not only creating a safe place for rural women to meet, but also providing training in the skills they need to set up their own small businesses. This in turn allows women to contribute financially to their own households as well as to the wider community. Learn more about our Women's Resource Centres here.

We also work to ensure that women's voices are heard equally when it comes to all our projects from the initial design right through to implementation and evaluation at the end.

As part of this work we help rural women form ‘Majlis-e-Zahna’ (women's groups) which provides them with a platform to discuss the challenges, opportunities and constraints of local communities. Through ‘Majlis-e-Zahna’ women are actively involved in the prioritisation and planning of development activities such as agricultural training, improved water supplies and irrigation channel building among others.

Saffron cultivation presents unique opportunities for female involvement in saffron production and processing. In support of greater female involvement in saffron farming, DACAAR has provided technical training to 250 women, conducted field visits and provided facilities for saffron drying. In addition to building the self-confidence of women, the economic impact is significant, providing women with an independent income source, job opportunities and thus contributing to the overall improvement of livelihoods for entire households.

Case Study

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Women and Development

As an organisation we are highly committed to the active involvement of women in the development process. Ho...

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Hygiene Education

At DACAAR, we realise that it takes more than the provision of safe water to transform lives. Th...

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A tanker provides desperately needed water to families in a returnee settlement in Nangarhar province as part of DACAAR’s emergency response efforts.
A tanker provides desperately needed water to families in a returnee settlement in Nangarhar province as part of DACAAR’s emergency response efforts.
Women make candles to sell in the local market as part of DACAAR's vocational training activities to facilitate economic empowerment of women.
Women make candles to sell in the local market as part of DACAAR's vocational training activities to facilitate economic empowerment of women.
A well is being drilled in a returnee settlement in Nangarhar province as part of DACAAR’s water supply and sanitation activities. Wells provide vulnerable families with clean and easily accessible water, reducing mortality and the burden on women and chi
A well is being drilled in a returnee settlement in Nangarhar province as part of DACAAR’s water supply and sanitation activities. Wells provide vulnerable families with clean and easily accessible water, reducing mortality and the burden on women and chi
A beneficiary demonstrates his newly acquired welding skills provided through DACAAR’s rural development capacity building activities.
A beneficiary demonstrates his newly acquired welding skills provided through DACAAR’s rural development capacity building activities.
DACAAR installs hand pumps, like the one featured, in order to provide villages with safe, clean water.
DACAAR installs hand pumps, like the one featured, in order to provide villages with safe, clean water.
A trainer from DACAAR’s hygiene education team delivers a message about proper hygiene and sanitation practices to families in Nangarhar province as part of DACAAR’s continued effort to reduce the mortality and morbidity caused by waterborne diseases.
A trainer from DACAAR’s hygiene education team delivers a message about proper hygiene and sanitation practices to families in Nangarhar province as part of DACAAR’s continued effort to reduce the mortality and morbidity caused by waterborne diseases.
A beneficiary of one of DACAAR’s Natural Resource Management uses drip irrigation to grow crops in Faryab province. Training farmers to effectively use limited water resources is a key element of DACAAR projects to improve the livelihoods of the Afghan pe
A beneficiary of one of DACAAR’s Natural Resource Management uses drip irrigation to grow crops in Faryab province. Training farmers to effectively use limited water resources is a key element of DACAAR projects to improve the livelihoods of the Afghan pe
As part of DACAAR’s rural development activities, farmers are provided with training in Saffron growing as an alternative to opium farming. The project also trains women to be essential actors in the growing and harvesting of saffron.
As part of DACAAR’s rural development activities, farmers are provided with training in Saffron growing as an alternative to opium farming. The project also trains women to be essential actors in the growing and harvesting of saffron.
DACAAR promotes community empowerment by working directly with village councils in the implementation of all projects.
DACAAR promotes community empowerment by working directly with village councils in the implementation of all projects.
As part of DACAAR’s Water Supply and Sanitation activities a motorized pipe scheme and reservoir were installed to provide families in Faryab province with clean and easily accessible water.
As part of DACAAR’s Water Supply and Sanitation activities a motorized pipe scheme and reservoir were installed to provide families in Faryab province with clean and easily accessible water.