Counterpart International is proud to be a key partner with the US government in the effort to build a more democratic, prosperous and gender equitable society in Afghanistan. Since January 2005 Counterpart has been the lead implementer of the US Agency for International Development-funded Initiative to Promote Afghan Civil Society (I-PACS).  In recognition of the success of I-PACS, USAID recently awarded a 33-month extension of the program to Counterpart International, extending the period of implementation through September 2010.

I-PACS includes international partners Creative Associates International, Inc. (CAII) and the International Center for Not-for-profit Law (ICNL), as well as two main local Afghan NGO partners, the Afghan Civil Society Forum (ACSF) and the Afghan Women's Educational Center (AWEC).

Counterpart is providing training and technical assistance to ACSF and AWEC to strengthen their role as Intermediary Service Organizations (ISOs), service centers which provide advanced training and technical assistance to 8 I-PACS Civil Society Support Centers (CSSCs) located throughout the Country. Resource Centers within each of the 10 partner organizations assist individuals or organizations who come in seeking technical assistance in core development skills. They also provide access to information on international development and free, public Internet access. This infrastructure allows Counterpart, the ISOs and CSSCs to provide capacity building training and technical assistance to a core group of 200 local Afghan Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), including NGOs, social organizations, Community Development Councils (CDCs) and shuras/jirgas (indigenous councils of elders), assistance which helps these organizations provide critical services to their communities.

Counterpart views the availability of grants to CSOs as an important part of organizational capacity building. Linking grants with lessons learned and capacity developed through training and partnership provides a more tangible impact than generic grant giving. Counterpart disbursed over $6.2 million in grant funding to support advocacy and community development projects throughout Afghanistan during Phase 1 of the program (2005-2007).

Raising awareness of I-PACS goals and objectives and the nature of civil society in the wider community is also critically important. Creative Associates completed a study of Afghan media outlets, and developed a strategy for maximizing I-PACS public outreach during the Phase 1 of the program. They are now working to train the I-PACS local partners in effective communication and media relations. Creative also works with media organizations to build their reporting capacity and create positive relationships between the media, CSOs and government, while educating the public on the type and role of the various international actors working in Afghanistan.

At the same time, ICNL works with the government of Afghanistan to establish a legal framework that enables national and international non-governmental organizations to effectively carry out their mandates in Afghanistan.

Mainstreaming a gender equity perspective throughout all I-PACS activities, for the promotion of Afghan civil society, is a cross-cutting theme for Counterpart International in Afghanistan. Half of the I-PACS local partners are women-led and/or women-focused NGOs, and more then half of all I-PACS grant funding is allocated to projects which directly benefit Afghan women.

Counterpart has also completed a wide-ranging assessment of Afghan civil society which is informing I-PACS program interventions throughout the life of the project. The assessment has been distributed to a wide variety of Afghan and international organizations, national and international government agencies and research institutions, and serves as a critical resource for the socio-economic development of the country (click here for the Afghan Civil Society Assessment) 

Through I-PACS, local Afghan organizations are increasing their capacity to meet the vital development needs of people all over Afghanistan. Just as significantly, local Civil Society Organizations are improving their ability to represent citizens' interests through constructive engagement with the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and ensuring citizen participation in political, social and economic decision-making. The end result will be a more participatory and prosperous Afghanistan for all its citizens.

(The information provided on this website is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the USAID or the United States Government)