General Information 

AHRRAO was founded by a group of activists from northern Afghanistan with diverse ethnic backgrounds who have been working in the field of development and human rights for several years. The same group of activists has already in the past established an NGO, the Afghanistan rehabilitation of cultural centre (ARCC), and carried out human rights related dissemination and advocacy activities. 

AHRRAO team members have more than 18 years of work experience in deferent national and international organizations in Afghanistan. 

AHRRAO has been established in July 2010 with a clear objective to conduct high quality research and advocacy and as well as capacity building and awareness raising activities in the fields of human rights and the rule of law in Afghanistan.

In more concrete terms, topically our primary focus would thus be on the justice system, civil service provision system (e.g. education, health care and etc.), physical security and conflict resolution as these are the issues, which undermine most dramatically the legitimacy of the government and also affects the most fundamental human rights.

It is our intention to conduct high-quality, methodologically thorough investigations on the above mentioned areas of human rights. Research and analysis is, however, only the first step. Based on our research we shall develop constructive suggestions to solve the identified problems. Lastly, we intend to dedicate significant efforts to disseminate our findings and advocate for our solutions.

AHRRAO Vision 

A society based on democracy and the rule of law in accordance with human rights; a society where all people are aware of their rights and dare to claim them through the rule of law.

AHRRAO Values 

International Human Rights Standards and Afghanistan Constitution are the core of AHRRAO values. In addition, sensitivity to local norms and values as an ingredient to stakeholders ownership and as well as; project sustainability, efficiency and effectiveness are the key elements of AHRRAO’s values.

AHRRAO Mission 

To contribute establishment of a capable human rights based society for all citizens in Afghanistan through improving understanding and respect for human rights and the rule of law.

AHRRAO Objectives

In order to fulfill AHRRAO’s mission, the following objectives are carefully selected considering their conceptual relevance to achieve AHRRAO’s final goal:

1. Rule of Law is the key element of a stable society. Thus, AHRRAO selected the Rule of Law as its first objective to effectively contribute to sustainable development of Afghanistan. 
2. Elimination of Discrimination is key for state building in post war countries. According to history of Afghanistan, the country is deeply suffered from different types of discrimination which is resulted to civil war and large scale human rights violation. Therefore, AHRRAO is systematical working to eliminate all types of discrimination to provide the ground for a meaningful participation of citizens in Afghanistan state building process.
3. Gender Equality is the key element of economic, social, cultural civil and political development of a society. Hence, AHRRAO is concentrating on gender equality to contribute sustainable development of Afghanistan society.
4. Equal Right to Quality Education is the key element of nation building. An educated nation will respect the law, eliminate discrimination and respect the women rights. Therefore, AHRRAO is effectively supporting equal access to quality education for all Afghans to fulfill the organization mission. 

 

AHRRAO key activities to fulfill the mission

AHRRAO’s key activities are chosen based on a methodological logic to fulfill AHRRAO’s mission. 

1. Research 

To influence Afghanistan policies and practices, local norms and to affect citizens’ mindset and also, to promote culture of research, AHRRAO is conducting high-quality, policy-relevant researches. Depends on need, AHRRAO uses descriptive, causal and exploratory researches and as well as qualitative and mix method studies aiming to; A) understand the existent situation at the local and national level using noted types of research methods and B) to support Afghanistan government to understand the gaps and improve services in order to support peace and stability through good governance in Afghanistan.

Research reports will also be used as tool to take advocacy measures towards specific gaps resulting to human rights violation. It is also the main source of information specifying the needs of coordination, capacity building and awareness raising for specific gaps within the society and governmental institutions. 

For this reason, AHRRAO has an expert team of national staff and international partners who conduct high quality researches and analysis.

2. Advocacy 

To promote culture of learning and actively advocate for the implementation of AHRRAO’s research suggestions/recommendations in accordance with laws and legislations, AHRRAO is implementing and participating in advocacy programs at the local, national and international level to draw attentions of governmental institutions, civil society, researchers, youth, intelligentsia and international community to AHRRAO’s findings with regard to specific gaps resulting to human rights violation and AHRRAO’ suggestions and recommendations. Advocacy measures of AHRRAO also draw all stakeholders’ attention to demand of citizens in order to accelerate positive changes through supporting rule of law and sustainable development for Afghanistan.

To improve culture of result base advocacy, beside conducting national and international advocacy for Afghanistan, AHRRAO also train and capacitate local elites, local Shuras and elders and support them to advocate for their rights at the local and provincial level.

3. Capacity building and awareness raising

A society in accordance with the rule of law requires 1) citizens who are able to dare to claim for justice, rule of law and human rights and 2) capable governmental institutions who are able to respond to citizens’ demands in according to the legislations. Thus, AHRRAO conducts awareness raising programs to play a serious role on improvement of communities’ knowledge and capability in order to enable them to understand their rights and responsibilities, criticize local authorities and demand for their rights and the rule of law for all Afghans.

In the other hand, AHRRAO is capacitating governmental organizations, local Shuras and local civil society organizations to effectively respond to the citizens’ demands in accordance to the legislation. 

AHRRAO capacity building measures also include internship programs providing opportunities for young generation to participate practical learning and innovation opportunities and learn modern knowledge with human rights standards. 

To implement high quality capacity building and as well as awareness raising programs, AHRRAO has capable national trainers and has close partnership with a network of international human rights experts who can be invited according to the trainings needs and quality.

Also, AHRRAO has very good experiences of conducting high quality capacity building and awareness raising programs since 2010 in Afghanistan with implementation of many capacity building and awareness raising projects in different provinces of northern Afghanistan.

AHRRAO strategy

AHRRAO strategy consist of the following five implementation stages that continuously provides granted space for AHRRAO’s successful and result based project implementation:

Stage 1: Cognition and programming

Considering the complexity of Afghanistan society, understanding of the grassroots situation is the basic need of successful programming of result based activities. Because, Afghan communities are differed province by province and even district by district. Thus, understanding of the local norms, needs, opportunities and challenges are key to develop a successful operational program to effectively achieve AHRRAO’s objectives. Therefore, AHRRAO is regularly using its research outcomes to map the districts’ overall situation to understand the best fields of activities and invest on the areas where can fulfill the basic needs of the local communities and provide the best results towards organization objectives.

For this reason and before developing a project proposal; in addition to situation analysis, AHRRAO is conducting SWOT analysis to make a streamline progressive programming in accordance to organization objectives.

Stage 2: Fund raising:

Following developing of an effective organizational program. AHRRAO will develop project proposals to raise resources. To maintain resources for AHRRAO programs, AHRRAO fund raising team will develop donor maps to find out donors who their fundings match with AHRRAO programs or the fund raising team communicates the AHRRAO programs and developed proposals with different donors to draw their attention to the needs of specific projects for AHRRAO’s target communities. 

Stage 3: Capacity, Knowledge transfer and partnerships

AHRRAO core team members have expert capacities and knowledge. They have university degrees and years of work experiences in different fields of human rights, rule of law and brining good experience of research, advocacy, capacity building and coordination. However, we are committed to improve and update our knowledge and skills in the fields of methodological research, result base advocacy, capacity building and dissemination techniques.

For this reason we invited Dr. Malik Sitez, expert on International Law, Relations and human rights,           Dr. Kristóf Gosztonyi, a research team member for the SFB 700 C9 project at the Freie Universität Berlin (FUB) and Dr. Saleh Musleh, expert on Islamic Sharia Law and Islamic theology to join AHRRAO’s International Experts’ Advisory Board AIAB. AIAB is providing advises to AHRRAO management committee regarding methodological issues related to research and analysis as well as regarding advocacy, capacity building, awareness arising and coordination techniques. In addition, AHRRAO has a large scale network of international partners who are supporting AHRRAO in different field of expertise. 

Stage 4: Project planing and implementation

Stages 1-3 of AHRRAO strategy will provide a granted space for successful project implementation in the project target areas. Thus, AHRRAO management committee will update project’s work-plan in according to proposal timeline and requirements. All project activities being implemented by expert project team who are employed in according to AHRRAO internal policies and Afghanistan labor law. As an active partner to government and international donors, AHRRAO is strongly committed to implement projects based on the genuine result requirements of agreements with its partners and AHRRAO program which is built in accordance to Afghanistan National Development Strategy and SDG. All AHRRAO projects are being implemented using organization deep development, human rights, legislation knowledges and background of best practice application. 

Stage 5: Project result evaluation, reporting, insider recovery and returning to stage 1

Project evaluation is a key element for AHRRAO providing detailed information for result based reporting, understanding that whether the organization has achieved its objective or not, and enables the organization to reprogram its activities for future. Thus, AHRRAO M&E team conducts high quality and systematic monitoring and evaluation of its projects. The aim of the M&E is to; A) understand if, the project has accomplished in according to the project proposal and AHRRAO’s commitments to donors and government, B) understand if the project has followed AHRRAO objectives, C) provide a factual and result based report to donors and government of Afghanistan and D) enable AHRRAO Board of Directors to improve AHRRAO policies, procedures and reprogram AHRRAO future activities in light of conducted activities and lessons learned.  

AHRRAO Board of Directors and Management Committee

Board of directors

The AHRRAO Board of directors consists of five members. Specifically in bilateral meetings, this board oversees policies’ implementations, provide advices for the organizational challenges, and to assist with the leadership to general promotion of AHRRAO and supporting the organization mission through responding main needs of the AHRRAO.

The following refers to the list of AHRRAO’s board of directors.                                   

Name:	Position:	Organization:
Ahmad Khalid Poya	Deputy director	ASCRO
Hayatullah Jawad	Director	AHRRAO
Nasir Amini	Director	HID
Nooria Neda	Director	PLO
Yaqub Azurda	Journalist	Tamadon TV

 

The Management Committee:

The Management Committee of AHRRAO is included five members. On monthly meetings, the committee members, shares the information of ongoing projects/activities planned, provides feedbacks, oversees staff performances, discusses on planning, policy formulation and monitoring & evaluations, and ensures reporting systems are clearly understood.

 

The Management Committee members are:

AHRRAO Director	Hayatullah Jawad
Deputy director program	Rajab Ali Ebrahimi
Admin/Finance Manager	Adbul Azim Azimi
Head of Social department	Rashad Jawed
Monitoring officer	Abdul Matin Munir