Fw: now-action-list Help the Women Refugees of Afghanistan!

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FYI! Mm / NSIF

----- Original Message -----

From: " National Organization for Women " <now@...>

<now-action-list@...>

Sent: Friday, October 05, 2001 6:07 PM

Subject: now-action-list Help the Women Refugees of Afghanistan!

Please feel free to forward the following to activists:

From the National Organization for Women Action Center:

Action Alert

Help the Women Refugees of Afghanistan!

October 5, 2001

Three and a half million Afghan refugees are fighting to survive in

bordering countries, and the number has been increasing every day since the

U.S. vowed retaliation for the September 11 attacks. Afghan women who fled

the ruling Taliban's oppressive regime comprise more than 70 percent of

those in refugee camps; many are already starving.

Before 1996, women were 70 percent of the school teachers, 40 percent of

the doctors, 50 percent of government workers and 50 percent of the college

students in Afghanistan. They were scientists, professors, members of

parliament and university professors. Since then, the women and girls of

Afghanistan have suffered horribly under Taliban rule -- forbidden to work

or attend school, prohibited from going outside without a close male

relative and cut off from health care. Violations of these and other strict

rules have resulted in beatings, torture and public executions.

The women and girls who escape these sub-human conditions must not be

allowed to starve in refugee camps. Expansion of the U.S. humanitarian aid

package and its proper distribution will help ensure that this will not

happen.

ACTION NEEDED:

We need your help to call on Congress and the administration to:

1. Expand humanitarian aid (particularly food and medicine) for the people

of Afghanistan (see Senator Biden's proposal below).

2. Ensure that some of this aid reaches the smaller indigenous nonprofit

organizations that are and have been providing aid under difficult

circumstances, especially the women-run groups.

The Congressional Swichboard number is at the end of this email, or go to

www.now.org/congress to send an email to your senators.

BACKGROUND:

As of October 5, the U.S. has committed $320 million in aid for Afghan

refugees living in refugee camps, but historically this kind of aid has

only gone to the huge multinational aid groups like the International Red

Cross, and none to the local groups providing ongoing direct services.

Reportedly the reason local groups don't receive any of the U.S. assistance

is that they are considered too small for U.S. agencies to monitor properly

- but we need to treat the current situation differently for several

reasons:

1. There are many Afghan women-run nonprofit organizations (called NGO's

or non-governmental organizations) that have been providing schooling and

medical care for Afghan women and girls across the border in Pakistan.

These organizations are desperate for funds, and a relatively small amount

of money goes much farther compared to large aid organizations that need to

have an expensive international infrastructure. In addition, these small

organizations will remain behind long after the aid is gone, and investing

in their growth and helping them to become self-sustaining will be a good

investment in Afghan civil society.

2. The monitoring requirement is reasonable, but we must not limit our

aid to behemoth aid organizations. For example, one organization of Afghan

women runs 50 schools and 10 hospitals across the border in Pakistan, but

they are considered " too small " to receive any U.S. aid. Such an

effective aid effort would be well worth the additional time and effort

that any necessary monitoring would require.

3. When there is a military threat, international aid workers often leave

an area and take their funds with them - just as foreign aid workers fled

Afghanistan after September 11. But for the local organizations, this is

their home. They will stay and provide help long after international

workers are gone - but we must help them build the infrastructure to do it.

THE FUNDING IS NOT SUFFICIENT

The $320 million aid package is simply not enough to help the growing

number of Afghan refugees - which is expected to soon reach 7.5 million.

It won't provide enough food, medical supplies or shelter, especially as

winter approaches.

Senator ph Biden (D-Del.), has proposed a $1 billion humanitarian aid

package that would be instituted immediately. Activists around the country

can help by contacting their senators as soon as possible to express

support for Biden's proposal, as well as to demand that any aid package

include assistance to smaller, direct-service NGO's as well.

Please call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be

connected with your senator's office. Urge your senators to

1. Expand humanitarian aid for the people of Afghanistan by supporting

Senator Biden's proposal for $1 billion in aid.

2. Ensure that some of this aid reaches the smaller indigenous nonprofit

organizations, especially the women-run groups, that will continue their

assistance long after our aid dollars are gone.

or go to www.now.org/congress to send an instant email to your senators.

P.S. Phone calls are very effective, so please make a phone call or two if

you possibly can.

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