On a purely new initiative to promote women leadership in Afghanistan, AHRDO&FES in collaboration with Kabul University have begun to conduct a gender balance program to empower new generation of women who will become advocates and voices for Afghan women rights and will form and lead New Afghan Women Leadership Society. The gender balance program is planned for the year 2010. Participants for the program are selected through a competitive and transparent process from among final-year and graduated female students from various faculties of Kabul University by an interview panel -to include representatives from AHRDO, FES and Kabul University.

Grounded on its firm belief in equal and fair civic, cultural and societal participation of women as sine qua non to the democratization and democratic consolidation process in Afghanistan, AHRDO’s goal of the project is to have more new generation of women involve in the important decision-making process, influence public policies, form and lead the organizational opinions so as to contribute to gender equality promotion, and real presence of women through strategic participation, employment and engagement in policy-making level.

In order to continue to support the New Afghan Women Leadership Society, the Gender Balance Program is based on long-term committment to cultivating skills and building capacity for Afghan women community. In fact, the value of this new initiative comes from this conceptual vista that shapes AHRDO's strategic goal of the program.

 The program has three major components:

1. Intensive Professional Training: A series of extensively in-depth training will be conducted on various topics such as Human Rights, Gender, Politics, Introduction of International / regional Organizations, Democracy, Transitional Justice, Advocacy and Participatory Theatre for social changes.

2. Capacity building for employment: this will cover topics such as Communication skills, Team-building, Office Management, Reporting, Facilitation skills and Research Methodology.

3.  Dialogue and meeting with high profile persons:  Meeting & Discussions  with high level decision-makers and experts  will include Parliament members, Afghan and International Civil Society Organizations, Independent human rights and social activists, UN organizations and Government Authorities.

 Expected Outcomes

1.    New generation of women leaders will be provided with necessary training and knowledge on different overarching issues, which remain central to their progress in the long run.  

2.    Upon the successful completion of this project, final-year female students will be equipped   with necessary skills, which will enable them to embrace potential job opportunities, supplement their study and enhance their social status. 

 3.    New generation of women will be provided with opportunity to maintain relationship with national and international actors, have their experiences and information boost their confidence and build new life.    

4. Young and female students graduating from Gender Balance Program will be greatly contributing to the development of vibrant civil society organizations, which form basis to build a functioning and multi-voice Afghanistan society.