Do you think if the people who were marching knew about these satistics, to witch would not be possible if it were not for the troops making the peace in order for the NGO's and others to do their thing in country, that they would change thier veiws?
Afghanistan Progress Statistics, valid through October 2007 – for updated version contact Brian.Shipley@international.gc.ca
DEVELOPMENT: increase prosperity and self-sufficiency
Education
- over 6 million children (1/3 girls) enrolled in school, 2007-08 (Afghan Ministry of Education); vs. 2001 figure: 700,000, boys only
- establishing 4,000 community-based schools & training 9,000 teachers (4,000 female); 120,000 children (85% girls) will benefit
- literacy courses for over 5,600 people (over 5,100 women) in Kandahar
Economy: - per capita income has doubled in three years
- microfinance program ( top donor): over 380,000 people are accessing savings & small loans service in 23 provinces including Kandahar; more than 2/3 are women; repayment rate over 90%; more than 10,000 new clients on average each month
- 1,500 women developing home-based gardens
- alternative livelihoods programmes to develop agriculture
Community Development & Infrastructure
- National Solidarity Program: over 17,500 Community Development Councils elected; over 29,000 local infrastructure projects approved nationwide; over 12,700 already completed
- 529 councils, 544 completed projects in Kandahar province: including over 1200 wells, over 150 km of irrigation canals and systems, and 500 culverts
- more than 10 vocational training initiatives in Kandahar
- almost 6,000 km of roads are being built or refurbished nationwide
- National Area Based Development Programme: infrastructure in 12 districts of Kandahar province: 4 bridges and 2 dams under construction
- 70,000 farmers have received seeds and fertilizers
- key Kandahar-Spin Boldak highway being rebuilt & paved
Health: - 7.3 million children targeted for polio vaccination nationwide through March 2009, including approximately 350,000 in Kandahar province
- adding obstetric care unit next to Kandahar City Hospital; 14 maternal health care professionals received obstetrics training
- 4,000 new medical facilities have opened nationwide since 2004
- 83% now have access to basic medical care (vs. 9% in 2004)
- infant mortality down 22% since 2000: 40,000 more babies survive every year; under-5 child mortality down 26%
- over 200,000 recipients in Kandahar of emergency food aid since Dec 2006
Refugees: over 5 million have returned since 2002; over 339,000 in 2007 alone with UNHCR assistance ( -supported)
- 90% of returnees find jobs within six months of return
Humanitarian demining: nearly 1.2 billion square metres of land cleared since 1989; 55% reduction in monthly victims, 34% decrease in highly-affected communities
– support includes targeted demining in Kandahar province; more than 680,000 square metres cleared since March 2005, benefiting over 4000 people
GOVERNANCE: justice, rule of law, and human rights
Elections: over 10 million Afghans registered to vote in free and fair elections for President (2004) and Parliament (2005); 347 women were candidates for lower house
Legislature: 30 parliamentary commissions established; 300 MPs and 500 staff received training
Freedom of Expression: at least 7 television and 40 radio outlets now broadcasting (including 1 CF radio station in Kandahar); more than 350 newspapers and magazines publishing
Gender Equality: Women’s Rights Fund: 30 projects funded, including radio programs, awareness training, and legal aid assistance
Corrections: 2 civilian mentors/trainers in Kandahar, 1 advisor on corrections for UNAMA in Kabul
Rule of law: 75 prosecutors trained, 68 public defenders, 90 judges (including 16 women); 75 judges trained in specialized procedures, 20 judges trained as trainers of others
Afghan National Police: - complement of 10 civilian and 24 military police trainers/mentors at Kandahar PRT
- over 475 ANP have received training through the PRT
- Police OMLT: comprised of CF combat arms units and military police who will work at the district levels to help develop ANP training
- Senior police advisers: 1 at Canadian Embassy, 2 at CSTC-A (US-led training and reform), 1 deployed to new EU Police Mission HQ in Kabul (up to 11 more to come)
- support for police salary payments nationwide (Law and Order Trust Fund - LOTFA)
- funded the construction of 11 Afghan National Police checkpoints and 6 sub-stations allowing the ANP to establish presence and conduct operations in and around Kandahar City
SECURITY: consolidate peace and extend Afghan government control over territory
Afghan National Army: coordinating and mentoring the training of soldiers at the Afghan National Training Centre in Kabul; helped train over 35,000 graduates so far
- Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team (OMLT): approximately 150 CF personnel mentoring 5 ANA kandaks (battalions) + HQ element in Kandahar province
- ongoing combined operations with ANA and ANP in Kandahar province
- denying Taliban and other enemy forces both sanctuary and secure lines of communications in Zhari and Panjwayi districts
Peace: 63,000 former combatants disarmed/demobilized; 85,000 light weapons collected; 16,000 heavy weapons secured ( -supported)
