The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 led to the destruction of the country and the loss of over one million lives. Since the Soviet's defeat and withdrawal in 1989, the country has been plagued with factional wars and foreign interference. This has led to further devastation, bloodshed and loss of lives. Various military factions have committed unspeakable crimes and violence against the people of Afghanistan. There have been grave violations of human rights of the Afghan people, particularly that of women and children.
Women's Alliance for Peace and Human Rights in Afghanistan (WAPHA) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit and independent organization. WAPHA purposes are: (1) to bring world"s attention to the plight of the Afghan people and the predicament of the forgotten Afghan women and children; (2) to promote peace and peace process activities both outside and inside Afghanistan and; (3) to advocate human rights on behalf of the Afghan people with an emphasis on women and children's rights.
WAPHA ADDRESS
P. O. Box 77057
Washington, DC 20013-7057
Tel: 202-882-1432
Fax: 202-882-8125
E-mail: zieba@aol.com
II. OBJECTIVES
A. SHORT TERM OBJECTIVES
WAPHA's short term objectives are: (1) to promote peace and peace process activities both inside and outside Afghanistan and to advocate the Afghan women's rights to be active participants in every aspect of the peace process; (2) to advocate respect for human rights in Afghanistan with a special focus on the rights of women and children.
B. LONG TERM OBJECTIVES
WAPHA's long term objectives are: (1) to advocate the rights of Afghan women to be active participants in every aspect of the processes involving the formation of the Afghan government; (2) to advocate the rights of Afghan women to be active participants in the governmental, educational, economical, political and other aspects of the Afghan sociocultural systems; (3) to advocate the rights of Afghan women to have equal access to education, work, health care and other aspects of the Afghan society; (4) to advocate the rights of Afghan women to be active participants restructuring of the Afghan society, rebuilding of Afghanistan and its nation; and (5) to advocate the rights of Afghan women to be equal members of the Afghan society and to actively participate in the internal and external affairs of Afghanistan.
III. GENERAL ACTIVITIES
To achieve the above objectives WAPHA intends to undertake the following activities:
A. PUBLIC AWARENESS
1. IN THE United States of America:
To raise the public awareness to the plight of Afghan people and to pursue WAPHA's objectives, the organization will undertake the following: (a) Promote United Nations' peace plan for Afghanistan; (b) sensitize the United States policy-makers to the plight of the Afghan people, particularly women and children; (c) Network and collaborate with the Unites States human rights organizations, women's groups, appropriate Muslim associations to co-sponsor information campaigns and joint-events on the situation of Afghan women, men and children; (d) disseminate information to the United States based international organizations, NGOs/PVOs (United Nations agencies, Europeans organizations, the World Bank, embassies, etc.); (e) sensitize the United States' public opinion by organizing lectures and talks in schools, charitable organizations, other public forums and churches. (f) Form conferences, seminars, press conferences and other like events to introduce WAPHA's objectives and message; (g) participate and present papers, talks, slides and films in other organizations' conferences, seminars and so on; and (h) form peaceful demonstrations to advocate peace and human rights of the Afghan people.
2. IN AFGHANISTAN AND ABROAD
To promote peace and advocate human rights WAPHA intends to:
(1) Establish contact and collaborate with Afghan organizations both inside and outside Afghanistan who advocate peace and unity of the Afghan people; and (2) to establish contact and partnership with human rights organizations and women groups both inside and outside Afghanistan.
ELECTIONS
Members of the Executive Board Committee and Directors of the Auxiliary Committees will be elected by public elections with secret ballot in a general assembly by the members of the organization every year.
The Executive Board Officers and the Directors of Auxiliary Committees will elect other members of each Auxiliary committee. In case of resignation, illness, death, and other unforeseen emergencies to an Executive Board Committee, or a Director of an Auxiliary Committee, the member who replaces that member will be elected by the Executive Board Officers and the Directors of the Auxiliary Committees.
VI. COMMITTEES
The Executive Board Committee is in charge of the decision making processes to put in action ideas to pursue WAPHA's objectives. The ideas and decisions must be for the benefit of the organization and receive majority votes from the Advisory Board, and members of the Auxiliary Committees. The Executive Board Committee will be responsible for the delegation of assignments and work to the Auxiliary Committees Directors in each meeting. The Auxiliary Committees Directors must report the progress of their committees' activities to the Executive Board Committee in each meeting. The Executive Board Officers are responsible for preparing agenda items for each meeting.
B. ADVISORY BOARD
The Advisory Board Officers are elected by the Executive Board Committee, the Directors, and members of the Auxiliary Committees each year. The Advisory Board Officers are to give advice regarding activities and plans of the organization.
C. AUXILIARY COMMITTEES
1. PUBLIC RELATIONS
Responsibilities: (1) To Establish contact with the United States Congress, the State Department, the Administration, United Nations agencies, Human rights agencies-domestic and international, other international organizations, NGO's, United States based foreign organizations, Embassies and so on; (2) to raise awareness of the American public on the plight of the Afghan people by contacting churches, schools and other public forums; (3) to establish contact with Afghan communities and organizations, women's organizations in the United States, abroad, and inside Afghanistan; (4) to send letters and reports regarding Afghan people's plight to the above mentioned national and international agencies
2. TREASURER
Responsibilities: 1. To keep account of the organizations finances; (2) to send letters and receipts to the contributors; (3) to keep records of the organizations spending and earnings; (4) to prepare quarterly reports of the organization's earnings and spending; (5) to file annual tax report to the IRS; and (6) to prepare annual reports of the organization's earnings and spending to the contributors
3. LITERATURE AND PUBLICATIONS
Responsibilities: To publish WAPHA"s news letter and other related materials; (2) to send the news letter and other related materials to the members; (3) to do research on the related issues and find contributors to write articles for the news letter; and (4) to prepare signs, fliers and other related materials for WAPHA's demonstrations, conferences and other activities.
4. SECRETARIAT
Responsibilities: (1) to keep records of the members' names, addresses, etc.; (2) to keep files of every committee's activities; (3) to send letters, fliers, and literature to organizations and people for conferences, seminars, and demonstration activities; (4) to distribute signs, banners and so on for the organization's various activities; and (5) to keep minutes and records of the organization's meetings.
V. MEMBERSHIP
WAPHA welcomes the membership of any sympathizer to the plight of the Afghan people and especially to that of Afghan women and children. WAPHA will accept the membership of non-partisan and non-politically affiliated individuals who understand and adhere to the letter and spirit of its charter. Member must be 18 years of age or older. The member must not discriminate on the base of religion, race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, and national origin. Member must be willing to work hard for the cause of the Afghan people without any expectation of personal, political or material gain.
MEMBERSHIP FEE:
The yearly membership fee is $80 per person, $40 for students and $120 for families.
SPECIAL PROVISIONS
* WAPHA's Executive Committee reserves itself the right to refuse membership as well as to expel a member if it is apparent that he or she no longer complies with WAPHA's mission and goals as stated in its CHARTER
* WAPHA's Executive Committee will be especially vigilant to refuse the advocacy of any political agenda within its programs and activities. Consequently, a member who tries to impose his or her political views, whatever they may be, will receive a first warning from the Executive Committee, following which he or she will be expelled if he or she persists in his or her political activism within the organization.
* For obvious reasons, WAPHA will not accept the membership of any Afghan individual who is or has been active in the Communist Parties in Afghanistan.
