We are excited to announce that on 6th May 2017 we signed agreements with the Afghan Government's Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) to support the implementation of their Citizens’ Charter Afghanistan Programme (CCAP). Before signing the agreement with MRRD, on the 3rd of May we also signed the agreement with IDLG (Independent, Directorate for Local Government) to implement the CCAP in Herat City in partnership with Oxfam (Oxfam leads).

We will deliver the programme in selected districts in Ghor, Herat, and Logar provinces, working in partnership with the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan, ActionAid, Oxfam, and local NGO, Coordination for Humanitarian Assistance.

CCAP, the Ministry's flagship programme, will strengthen local governance and put citizens at the forefront of decisions over the development of their communities. Over the next three years, we will be working with rural communities to elect inclusive councils, prioritise the development needs through a consultative process, and monitor the delivery of core services. These core services will include:

• Access to safe drinking water

• A universal standard of education in schools

• Access to basic health services

• At least one of:

  • Electricity from renewable sources

  • Safe road access

  • A small-scale irrigation infrastructure.

Collaborating for success 

Through CCAP, we will bring all groups together to collectively address the development needs of the entire community. By increasing the influence of the most marginalised groups – such as women, displaced families, and people with disabilities - in the decision-making process, we will ensure that resources are allocated fairly, lifting these groups out of poverty.

By increasing the capacity of communities to manage their development resources, and empowering them to take decisions through truly consultative processes, communities will be able to take ownership of their own development. In addition, community-led monitoring of government services will improve accountability and transparency, strengthening the relationship between citizens and their government.

Community-led development: Twenty years and counting

We began pioneering the community-led development approach in Afghanistan back in 1995, creating democratically elected councils at the village level to design projects and oversee their implementation. For the past 13 years, we have worked with MRRD as a partner in Afghanistan’s largest development initiative, the National Solidarity Programme, and we are committed to continuing to facilitate transformative economic growth in rural villages and strengthening local governance.  

The CCAP is an exciting step towards a peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan. In a country that has been beset by conflict for over 40 years, working collaboratively in this way is vital for rebuilding accountability, unity and strength.