Health service improvement; Education; and advocacy

Background

As a result of the long years of civil war, the medical and health system in Afghanistan has fundamen-tally broken down. In particular, there is a serious lack of medical and health facilities to provide basic services for women and children. JVC is providing aid for local level medical clinics with the aim of im-proving access to medical services in Afghanistan.

We are also conducting advocacy work towards Japanese society and international society regarding is-sues such as the persistently poor security situation, the relationship between Afghanistan and the interna-tional community, and the relationship between military actors and humanitarian aid organizations.

Training for traditional birth attendant

Summary of Activities

1. Assistance for the improvement of health provision for women and children

1. Support for local health clinics:
   : In Afghanistan, thanks to the lack of doctors and hospitals, it is particularly difficult for women to receive medical attention. JVC is cooperating with the health authorities in Nangarhar province to support a health clinic as part of a plan to enable everybody in the region to access medical services. In 2005, some female members of staff joined the clinic, and as a result more pregnant women and children started to use the service.
2. Providing training for female medical care pro-viders:
   In order to ensure that women may safely be able to receive medical care, it is important for female medical care providers to receive proper training. JVC is supporting the costs of salaries and equipment at a training center built by the Japanese government.
3. Support for traditional birth attendants:
   Afghanistan has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the world. JVC is providing training for the traditional birth attendants who supervise births in local areas. The training covers the skills and hygiene issues that are necessary to facilitate a safe birth. In 2005, we carried out follow-up training for the 45 women who had already received the training.
4. Safe water supply and hygiene education:
   In order to ensure safe drinking water, we are providing hygiene education and supporting the installation of wells. In 2005, we completed the installation of 45 wells in Goshta district. In 2006, we have been building 45 wells in another district.

2. Support for education

Up until now, girls have had limited opportunities for education, and so we are providing equipment for a girls' school as part of the effort to create an envi-ronment in which girls can study. In 2005, we sup-plied necessary items for class, such as desks, chairs and blackboards. In 2006, we have been working to improve the quality of teaching.

3. Advocacy

In Afghanistan, there are cases where humanitarian aid is implemented by military actors. However, there are problems with such aid, not only in terms of its quality, but also because it creates a risk that classic aid actors such as UN agencies and NGOs will be seen as one and the same as the military. JVC is car-rying out advocacy work towards the international community and the Japanese government in relation to this issue.