ISAF hosts women's shura to promote positive change | ISAF ...

By Staff Sgt. Nestor Cruz
ISAF Headquarters

KABUL, Afghanistan (Sept. 8, 2012) ? Afghan parliamentarians, professors, students and civil society activists gathered Sept. 4 at International Security Assistance Force headquarters for a women?s shura to discuss gender and corruption and their effects on society.

?Shura? is an Arabic word meaning ?consultation.? Muslims decide upon important issues in consultation with people who will be affected by that decision.

The shura, which was sponsored by ISAF?s Shafafiyat or ?Transparency? unit, was focused on education and the issues Afghan women face.

?The purpose of today?s shura was to get through some of the objectives and obstacles and identify those areas where limited actions could begin,? said Air Force Lt. Col. Todd Ewy, Shafafiyat engagement and communication officer. ?At the end of the meeting, we landed upon one or two ideas where [attendees] can begin gathering consensus and form a specific group of Afghan volunteers, people who want to commit to this area, which is very important.?

Army Brig. Gen. Ricky Waddell, ISAF Shafafiyat director, welcomed attendees to the shura and gave a few words of encouragement.

?I salute you and your desire for positive change and your patriotism,? he said. ?ISAF?s role here is easy, but you have the tough job. You must decide what to do and act upon it, which is tougher than simply hosting an event.?

During previous shuras, the Afghan women in attendance identified five areas of importance, said Ewy. The five areas include education, religion, health, human rights and rule-of-law.

?Today?s shura was specifically focused on education: corruption in the education system and issues with education,? Ewy said.

Shura attendees brought their concerns and ideas to the table resulting in a stimulating consultation.

?I think this particular group of people recognizes the problem,? said Mariam Al-Majid, ISAF Shafafiyat engagement and communication officer. ?They are very tired of the repeat corruption within the education system, and that?s why they all came because they are ready for the next step, which is taking action.?

Al-Majid said recognizing the problem was a positive step for everyone involved.

?If we don?t recognize the problems in the education sector, we have failed the Afghan people and the international community and are going to leave them in a vulnerable state,? she said. ?So having them here, recognizing the problem and recommending solutions is a giant step forward. We need to continue to march on and continue this discussion with our leaders.?

Ewy said encouraging people to take action effects positive change for a better future.

?We?re asking them to do something that?s big,? Ewy said. ?It can be dangerous, but what we are trying to outline for them is a way to do it that?s low risk and in small steps just to build confidence and momentum in the group. At some point they will have the capacity and ability to take on bigger challenges.

?But little by little - by advocating empowerment for stronger lives, by advocating civil society for stronger watchdog groups, by utilizing media in more meaningful ways - hopefully the combination of tactics and effects will be enough to make real change. You have to start small; you have to start building small successes.?

Source: http://www.isaf.nato.int/article/news/isaf-hosts-women-s-shura-to-promote-positive-change.html

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