Danish Committee for Aid to Afghan Refugees
Encyclopedia
Danish Committee for Aid to Afghan Refugees (DACAAR) (Danish: Den danske komité for hjælp til afghanske flygtninge) is a non-governmental, non-profit, apolitical humanitarian organisation, which has been working in Afghanistan for the last 25 years. It currently employs around 700 people of which 98% are local Afghans. Its core activities are water and sanitation projects and rural development
activities. DACAAR works on encouraging and enabling larger community participation in its projects and the involvement of both men and women in the decision making process. Gender mainstreaming
is also being promoted through a newly established Gender Unit. Currently DACAAR is working in 14 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces.
(DRC), Danish People's Aid (DPA), Danish Association for International Co-operation (MS) and Caritas Denmark. In 2010 DACAAR had over 700 employees working in 14 of Afghanistan's 34 provinces.
DACAAR started as a small sewing centre for Afghan women living as refugees in Peshawar
, Pakistan
in 1984. Two years later DACAAR started its first water supply programme for Afghan refugees in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, North West Frontier Province (NWFP) in Pakistan. Over the next three years the programme was expanded to most of the camps in NWFP and included maintenance of water supply and water distribution systems. In 1989 the Soviet withdrew its troops from Afghanistan and DACAAR returned to Afghanistan to start up programmes in the rural areas. The main office remained in Peshawar but over the coming years, field offices were gradually opened across Afghanistan. In 1994 the Taliban took over control of most of Afghanistan and by 1996 all of DACAAR's activities were in Taliban controlled areas. DACAAR continued to work with the Afghan people, where it was possible. By the late 1990s DACAAR stopped its relief work to focus on development work in Afghan communities involving the local people in the projects. In late 2001 the Taliban regime was overthrown by allied forces and a new government was formed in Kabul. In November 2002 DACAAR moved its main office from Peshawar to Kabul, and in 2006 DACAAR stopped working in Pakistan to focus on its work in Afghanistan.
farming.
, and since then 11 more centers have been established. The women can take literacy courses; learn about business planning, social organizing and community management. They also receive training in agricultural management and water supply. Through these skills women are enabled to contribute financially to the households. The centers also have women’s groups, where rural women can discuss the challenges they encounter in the local communities. DACAAR has provided technical training to 250 women, conducted field visits and provided facilities for saffron drying. All centers have nominated its own management committee and chair woman, who is responsible for the daily leadership of the centre. After two years, the centers are designated to become self-sustainable.
(NSP), which focuses on the needs of rural areas in Afghanistan. DACAAR is a facilitating partner and involved in democratically elected Community Development Councils (CDCs) of villages and has trained local people in accounting, community management, minute taking and chairing meetings.
Rural development
Rural development in general denotes economic development and community development actions and initiatives taken to improve the standard of living in non-urban neighbourhoods, remote villages and the countryside...
activities. DACAAR works on encouraging and enabling larger community participation in its projects and the involvement of both men and women in the decision making process. Gender mainstreaming
Gender mainstreaming
Gender mainstreaming is the public policy concept of assessing the different implications for women and men of any planned policy action, including legislation and programmes, in all areas and levels...
is also being promoted through a newly established Gender Unit. Currently DACAAR is working in 14 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces.
History
The Danish Committee for Aid to Afghan Refugees (DACAAR) was formed in 1984 to support the more than 5 million Afghans, who had fled to Pakistan and Iran and the 2 million, who were displaced within Afghanistan during the Soviet invasion. DACAAR was founded by the Danish Refugee CouncilDanish Refugee Council
Danish Refugee Council is a private Danish humanitarian organisation, founded in 1956. It serves as an umbrella organization for 33 member organizations....
(DRC), Danish People's Aid (DPA), Danish Association for International Co-operation (MS) and Caritas Denmark. In 2010 DACAAR had over 700 employees working in 14 of Afghanistan's 34 provinces.
DACAAR started as a small sewing centre for Afghan women living as refugees in Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
in 1984. Two years later DACAAR started its first water supply programme for Afghan refugees in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, North West Frontier Province (NWFP) in Pakistan. Over the next three years the programme was expanded to most of the camps in NWFP and included maintenance of water supply and water distribution systems. In 1989 the Soviet withdrew its troops from Afghanistan and DACAAR returned to Afghanistan to start up programmes in the rural areas. The main office remained in Peshawar but over the coming years, field offices were gradually opened across Afghanistan. In 1994 the Taliban took over control of most of Afghanistan and by 1996 all of DACAAR's activities were in Taliban controlled areas. DACAAR continued to work with the Afghan people, where it was possible. By the late 1990s DACAAR stopped its relief work to focus on development work in Afghan communities involving the local people in the projects. In late 2001 the Taliban regime was overthrown by allied forces and a new government was formed in Kabul. In November 2002 DACAAR moved its main office from Peshawar to Kabul, and in 2006 DACAAR stopped working in Pakistan to focus on its work in Afghanistan.
Water supply and sanitation
DACAAR provides rural communities with access to safe water. To date, over 40,000 water points have been installed across Afghanistan and provide clean and safe water for over 7 million Afghans. Water points are tested in DACAAR laboratories in Kabul to find out if it is of an acceptable quality. All of the projects involves men and women of local communities, and establishes community based maintenance systems.Hygiene education
DACAAR teaches local Afghan population the importance of simple hygiene practices in reducing water borne diseases. Most of the hygiene educators are married couples, which makes it possible to reach men, women and children. DACAAR related hygiene educators make visits to families to deliver key hygiene messages and giving training in refreshing routines and how to overcome any hygienic problems.Natural resource management
DACAAR assists farmers in managing their natural resources, in order to help them build a self-sufficient income for the household. Farmers receive technical training in how to design and manage more efficient irrigation systems. DACAAR also helps the farmers with saffron cultivation instead of poppyPoppy
A poppy is one of a group of a flowering plants in the poppy family, many of which are grown in gardens for their colorful flowers. Poppies are sometimes used for symbolic reasons, such as in remembrance of soldiers who have died during wartime....
farming.
Women and development
Since 2005 DACAAR has been running the Women’s Resource Centers, which provides women with training skills in running small business. The first centre was introduced in Ghazni provinceGhazni Province
Ghazni is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. Babur records in his Babur-Nama that Ghazni is also known as Zabulistan It is in the east of the country. Its capital is Ghazni City...
, and since then 11 more centers have been established. The women can take literacy courses; learn about business planning, social organizing and community management. They also receive training in agricultural management and water supply. Through these skills women are enabled to contribute financially to the households. The centers also have women’s groups, where rural women can discuss the challenges they encounter in the local communities. DACAAR has provided technical training to 250 women, conducted field visits and provided facilities for saffron drying. All centers have nominated its own management committee and chair woman, who is responsible for the daily leadership of the centre. After two years, the centers are designated to become self-sustainable.
Capacity building
In 2003 the Afghan government introduced the Afghan National Solidarity ProgrammeAfghan National Solidarity Programme
The Afghan National Solidarity Programme is an initiative by the government of Afghanistan which aims to rehabilitate and develop around 5 000 villages in Afghanistan. The programme has been funded by $600 million and, over three years, hopes to develop local democratically-elected institutions...
(NSP), which focuses on the needs of rural areas in Afghanistan. DACAAR is a facilitating partner and involved in democratically elected Community Development Councils (CDCs) of villages and has trained local people in accounting, community management, minute taking and chairing meetings.
Emergency response
Since 2002 more than five million Afghan refugees have returned to Afghanistan. Many of them are living in refugee camps, while waiting to receive land from the government. DACAAR is providing these camps with safe and clean water. DACAAR also helps with emergency humanitarian relief to rural communities such as providing food to starving families and clean water during floods and other natural disasters.Water and sanitation activities
- FarahFarah ProvinceFarah is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Farah. Farah is a spacious and sparsely populated province that lies on the Iranian border...
- HeratHeratHerāt is the capital of Herat province in Afghanistan. It is the third largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 397,456 as of 2006. It is situated in the valley of the Hari River, which flows from the mountains of central Afghanistan to the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan...
- Faryab
- BalkhBalkhBalkh , was an ancient city and centre of Zoroastrianism in what is now northern Afghanistan. Today it is a small town in the province of Balkh, about 20 kilometers northwest of the provincial capital, Mazar-e Sharif, and some south of the Amu Darya. It was one of the major cities of Khorasan...
- Takhar
- KabulKabulKabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
- LaghmanLaghmanLaghman can refer to:* Laghman Province in Afghanistan* Laghman, a place in Jowzjan Province, Afghanistan* Lamian and variants thereof as soup...
- KunarKunarKunar may refer to:*Kunar Valley, Afghanistan and Pakistan*Kunar Province, Afghanistan*Kunar River, Afghanistan and Pakistan...
- Nangarhar
- Badakshan
Rural development activities
- HeratHeratHerāt is the capital of Herat province in Afghanistan. It is the third largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 397,456 as of 2006. It is situated in the valley of the Hari River, which flows from the mountains of central Afghanistan to the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan...
- Badghis
- Faryab
- Parwan
- LaghmanLaghmanLaghman can refer to:* Laghman Province in Afghanistan* Laghman, a place in Jowzjan Province, Afghanistan* Lamian and variants thereof as soup...
- Nangarhar
- Paktia
- Sar-e-pul
Partners
DACAAR has worked closely with the Agency Co-ordinating Body for Afghan Relief (ACBAR), the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation & Livestock (MAIL), the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation & Development (MRRD) and the Ministry of Women Affairs. DACAAR receives funding from a wide range of donors, including Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), the National Solidarity Programme (NSP), the European Commission, and the Royal Norwegian Embassy among others.See also
- Danish Refugee CouncilDanish Refugee CouncilDanish Refugee Council is a private Danish humanitarian organisation, founded in 1956. It serves as an umbrella organization for 33 member organizations....
- Danish International Development Agency
- Afghan National Solidarity ProgrammeAfghan National Solidarity ProgrammeThe Afghan National Solidarity Programme is an initiative by the government of Afghanistan which aims to rehabilitate and develop around 5 000 villages in Afghanistan. The programme has been funded by $600 million and, over three years, hopes to develop local democratically-elected institutions...