Afghan Women’s Educational Centre - AWEC

AWEC is a non- political, non- profit and non- governmental woman-headed local organization established in 1991 by a group of educated Afghan women, who rallied together to address the lack of facilities for Afghan refugees in Islamabad Pakistan. Beside providing basic education support (training, awareness raising, and literacy program), AWEC initially established a secondary school in Islamabad Pakistan to enable school-aged Afghan refugees living in the area to pursue a school education. AWEC has also been active in collaborating with other agencies and women in establishing networks and groups including AWN, Irfan Cultural Center, and Rozan. AWEC currently works in more than ten provinces of Afghanistan including Kabul, Wardak, Paktya, Logar, Faryab, Hirat, Nangarhar, Ghor, Parwan, and Balkh.

AWEC is one of the leading women’s NGO in Afghanistan and has extensive experience in the area of women empowerment including in advocacy and leadership; it has established community centers, women and youth ‘shuras’, and has built their capacity through training on advocacy, leadership, women’s rights, child rights, peace building, conflict resolution, and elimination of violence against women. It has contributed to building the capacity of national/international NGOs and civil society organizations, in leadership and advocacy. We work towards an inclusive society in which women have equal social, political, and economic rights with men, and to promote awareness and support for the democratic processes.

Strategy: Organizing and mobilizing women and youth groups for an empowerment process through community based activities and approach.

Projects: Women mobilization, income generation, formation of women forums and ’shuras’, awareness, capacity building and gender mainstreaming.