Community Empowerment and Development for Peace Building

Background and Objectives

Urban areas in Afghanistan, particularly Jalalabad City, have been and will continue to be the destination for a high proportion of returning refugees, IDPs, and deportees. These groups settle in urban areas because many lived in urban conditions in exile and perceive urban areas as offering a higher level of security and a better quality of life. In fact, nearly a quarter of Afghanistan’s population, about 7.25 million people, now live in urban areas. Much of this growth is recent, and has occurred in the larger towns such as Jalalabad City. By 2015, with almost half of the population increase expected occur in urban areas, it is projected the urban population will be over 12 million, or about 30 percent of the total population.

This Project seeks to respond to the needs of the newly settled communities and supporting the planned development of Jalalabad. It also aims to create conditions which will contribute to peace and stability in the area.

Activities

The main activities include:
* Establishing 20 Community Development Councils (CDCs) in Jalalabad City, 60 CDCs in Nangarhar Province, and 10 CDCs in each Province of Kunar, Khost and Paktya;
* Holding City Development Forum meetings to take key investment decisions in a consultative manner;
* Establishing District Consultative Committee in each city district to take collective decisions to coordinate investments and actions from the programme and the Provincial Development Assembly;
* Preparing performance standard guidelines for the delivery of key services;
* Preparing Community Action Plans and finance block grants to support identified projects by the CDCs;
* Rehabilitating Jalalabad water supply scheme
* Providing shelters to 1,000 families of returnees and IDPs in Jalalabad.

Results (2009)

* Urban Shelter Construction Projects are completed;
* The Chamtala Basic Health Service Clinic has been completed;
* Urban Development Projects: In 4 districts in Nangarhar Province, 30 CDCs (15 each for male and female) in each district have been established and community-led sub-projects are implementation;
* In total, 120 CDCs have been established and registered with the Municipality of Jalalabad;
* 48 community-led sub-projects have been completed;
* In Kunar Province, 20 CDCs have been established and all 7 physical imrpovement community-led sub-projects have been completed;
* In Paktya Province, all 13 physical improvement community-led sub-projects have been completed
* Water Supply Scheme Project: Physical works have been implemented.

related links :

• [Photo Gallery] Community Empowerment and Development for Peace