OVERVIEW

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Promote program is a joint commitment by the U.S. and Afghan governments to empower 75,000 women across Afghanistan. The largest women’s empowerment initiative in USAID history, Promote equips women with the skills, experience, knowledge and networks to lead the country forward, together with their male counterparts, through the Transformation Decade (2015 – 2024) and beyond. Musharikat, meaning ‘partnership’ or ‘participation’ in Dari and Pashto, is one of a portfolio of Promote projects and is designed to build a cadre of national, provincial and local activists and civil society organizations (CSOs) to effectively advocate for women’s equality and empowerment in Afghanistan. Musharikat will partner with more than 50 CSOs and 5,000 activists across all 34 provinces to come together to prioritize and address the most critical issues limiting women’s ability to exercise their rights and fully participate in Afghan society.

ACTIVITIES

• Engaging female leaders from all 34 provinces to prioritize the most serious obstacles to women’s advancement and participation
• Building broad, issues-based coalitions that will engage more than 50 CSOs and 5,000 activists to tackle priority women’s issues and advance women’s equality in Afghanistan
• Strengthening the advocacy skills of CSOs and activists to effectively advocate on behalf of Afghan women through a focused, practical and experiential approach
• Supporting engagement with Afghan Government counterparts to formulate, reform and better implement legislation, policies, plans, and programs that empower women

EXPECTED RESULTS

• Formation of 12 Musharikat Issues-based Coalitions with participation of 50 women’s rights-focused CSOs and 5,000 activists from all 34 provinces
• Strengthening of Coalition members’ ability to advocate for the equality and empowerment of Afghan women
• Increased awareness of, and support for, women’s rights in all 34 provinces in Afghanistan
• Formulation, revision or enhanced implementation of at least eight laws, regulations or policies that address women’s rights and gender issues
• Engagement with 20 government entities to adopt gender-sensitive policies, strategies, budgets or programs that support and empower Afghan women
• Use of online tools, social media, and exchanges by Afghan CSOs and activists to strengthen linkages, trade information and ideas, raise awareness, and share advocacy strategies among women’s rights activists and organizations at regional, national and international levels