Afghanistan Women Council

MOTHER AND CHILD HEALTH CLINIC
Shahrak e Khurasan, Kabul

Afghanistan Women Council has been operating a Mother and Child Health Clinic for Afghan mothers and children since 1986. It was created for Afghan refugees in Peshawar, Pakistan and has now established a clinic in a very remote area of Shahrak e Khrasan, 3.5 KM to the east of Kabul, where about 10,000 families live. Except the AWC clinic, there are no health facilities available for these women. Women in the area are provided with free health services. Our doctors see approximately 70 women and children each day. They do some minor operations, provide maternal and child health education, and family planning. The clinic has two female doctors, two nurses, a lab technician, a pharmacist, a cleaner and a guard.

Afghanistan Women Council (AWC) is a non-governmental, non-political, non-profit, non-sectarian Charity Organization founded in Peshawar, Pakistan to support the Afghan Refugees in 1986 by the efforts of a group of Afghan women led by Ms. Fatana Ishaq Gailani. It's aim is to assist Afghan women and children. The predominant objective of the organization is to empower women by building their capacity, improving their health, education and living conditions and by strengthening their socio-economic status in society by their multi-lateral involvement in developmental activities. AWC has worked in Afghanistan since 1992.

It is worth mentioning that AWC has won five international and two national awards for its excellent performance in the fields of human rights, women and children rights, women's empowerment, peace and democracy...

The International Women�s Day is a day when women are recognized for their achievements regardless
of divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. It is an occasion for
looking back at past struggles and accomplishments, and more importantly, for looking ahead to the
untapped potential and opportunities that await future generations of women. The 100th anniversary of International Women�s Day was celebrated around the world with much interest and commitment. Afghanistan Women Council also celebrated this day in Kabul at the hall of the Ministry of Culture and Information and in its offices in Kandahar and Jalalabad on March 5, 2008.
Around 400 women from the hall of Ministry of Culture in Kabul, 350 women from the AWC office in
Kandahar and 150 Women from the AWC office in Jalalabad along with a number of high ranking officials from the Afghan government, Parliamentarians, staff from the embassies, professors from Kabul University, women from the UN offices, NGOs and donor agencies, 100 business women from the AWC Micro-Finance program in the three locations and women from various walks of life came together to celebrate the women�s day. The celebration was entitled, Women�s Real Recognition and many delivered speeches in Kabul, Kandahar and Jalalabad.

A one-day conference was held to discuss the need for peace. It was attended by representatives from the government, from different political parties and the Taliban who also expressed interest in making peace with the government and the international community. AWC firmly believes that war is not a solution and that discussion is necessary for the establishment of a lasting peace.