Local Governance in Afghanistan - ReliefWeb

101 Pages·2011·2.79 MB·English

Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit
Synthesis Paper
Local Governance in Afghanistan
A View from the Ground
Dr Douglas Saltmarshe
June 2011
and Abhilash Medhi
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Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit
Synthesis Paper
Local Governance in Afghanistan
A View from the Ground
Dr Douglas Saltmarshe
and Abhilash Medhi
June 2011
Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit 2011
About the Authors
Douglas Saltmarshe is an AREU Senior Research Manager and has had links with Afghanistan since
1987. He is a Fellow of the Centre for Development Studies, University of Bath, UK.
Abhilash Medhi is an AREU Research Officer with extensive field experience in Afghanistan. He has an
MSc in Development Studies from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
About the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit
The Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU) is an independent research institute based in
Kabul. AREU’s mission is to inform and influence policy and practice through conducting high-quality,
policy-relevant research and actively disseminating the results, and to promote a culture of research
and learning. To achieve its mission AREU engages with policymakers, civil society, researchers and
students to promote their use of AREU’s research and its library, to strengthen their research capacity,
and to create opportunities for analysis, reflection and debate.
AREU was established in 2002 by the assistance community working in Afghanistan and has a board of
directors with representation from donors, the United Nations and other multilateral agencies, and non-
governmental organisations. AREU currently receives core funds from the governments of Denmark,
Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. Specific projects are being funded by the European Commission
(EC), the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the Humanitarian Aid Department of the
European Commission (ECHO), and the UK Department for International Development (DFID).
Editing: Oliver Lough
Cover Photograph: Abhilash Medhi: Government building in Feroz Nakhchir District, Samangan
AREU Publication Code: 1114E
© 2011 Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit. Some rights reserved. This publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted only for non-commercial purposes and with
written credit to AREU and the author. Where this publication is reproduced, stored or transmitted
electronically, a link to AREU’s website (www.areu.org.af) should be provided. Any use of this
publication falling outside of these permissions requires prior written permission of the publisher, the
Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit. Permission can be sought by emailing [email protected] or
by calling [phone].
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Acknowledgements
We would like to express our appreciation to AREU staff: Abdul Ahad Mohammadi, Ahmad Gul Asiar,
Alice Burt, Ihsanullah Ghafoori, Jamilah Poya, Muhibur Rahman, Mumtaz Wamiqullah, Najeeburahman
Sultani, Najia Hajizada, Rebecca Gang, Roya Mahtabi, Tamim Sharifzai and Zara Batul Nezami for
their assistance in field research and analysis, Royce Wiles for his support as librarian, and Jay Lamey
and Oliver Lough for editing and publication. Special thanks go to the AREU drivers who took us along
many long and hard roads.
We are also grateful for the assistance provided by the Organisation for Sustainable Development and
Research, Save the Children Fund, Solidarités, Oxfam GB, Afghanaid, the Lashkar Gah Stabilisation
Unit and the PRTs in Mehterlam, Musa Qala and Nad Ali.
Finally, many thanks to those who so kindly took the time and trouble to review this paper and for
their contributions to improving its quality and clarity. It should be noted, however, that any mistakes
and misinterpretations are those of the authors.
Douglas Saltmarshe and Abhilash Medhi
June 2011
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Table of Contents
Glossary ..............................................................................................................v
Acronyms ............................................................................................................vi
Executive Summary .................................................................................................1
1. Introduction ...................................................................................................8
2. The Research Project ......................................................................................10
3. Local Government .........................................................................................15
4. Security and Justice .......................................................................................21
5. Service Delivery ............................................................................................28
6. Representation .............................................................................................42
7. Policy Implications ........................................................................................53
8. Conclusion ...................................................................................................70
Annex 1: Maps of Research Provinces ..........................................................................72
Annex 2: Profiles of Research Provinces .......................................................................76
Annex 3: Division of Line Ministry Responsibilities ..........................................................82
Annex 4: Literature Review .....................................................................................83
Bibliography ....................................................................................................... 85
Recent Publications from AREU .................................................................................91
Figures
Figure 1: Institutional map ......................................................................................11
Figure 2: The long and short routes of accountability .....................................................31
Boxes
Box 1: The Blind Ones and the Matter of the Elephant ..................................................12
Box 2: Two cases of community-based dispute resolution ..............................................26
Box 3: Laghman focus group: Pashtun female teachers .................................................41
Maps
Map 1: Research provinces in Afghanistan ..................................................................14
Map A1: Day Kundi Province ....................................................................................72
Map A2: Wardak and Laghman Provinces .....................................................................73
Map A3: Faryab, Jawzjan, Samangan and Sar-i-Pul Provinces ............................................74
Map A4: Helmand Province .....................................................................................75
Tables
Table 1: Performance and implications of Afghan government development budget execution ....28
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Glossary
Amlak landownership department of the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock;
alternatively used for officer based in the department
arbab village representative, landlord; may be appointed by the community, and liaises
in a quasi-official capacity between community or government; may also fulfill an
executive role (see malik, qaryadar)
arbaki local militia
baad dispute-resolution practice; family of murderer gives either one or two unmarried
girls to victim’s family
burqa full-length women’s garment covering the entire body including the face and eyes
hajj pilgrimage to Mecca
hawza historical term for a military or police organisation
Huqooq law office, civil cases department of the Ministry of Justice
jihadi one engaged in holy war; sometimes equivalent to mujahiddin
jirga council of elders convened on an ad hoc basis to address problems
khan village leader or landlord
Kuchi nomadic pastoralists; usually Pashtun
malik village representative, landlord; may be appointed by the community, and liaises
in a quasi-official capacity between community or government; may also fulfill an
executive role (see arbab, qaryadar)
madrassa religious school
manteqa a variable unit of social allegiance or spatial territory that may unite villages
maraka gathering
Meshrano Jirga upper house of parliament
mujahiddin resistance fighters during the Soviet period
Mustofiat treasury department of the Ministry of Finance
Pashtunwali Pashtun code of conduct
qaryadar village representative; may be appointed by the community, and liaises in a quasi-
official capacity between community or government; may also fulfill an executive
role (see arbab, malik)
qazi judge
qawm unit of social solidarity that can be based on kinship, residence or occupation
saranwal prosecutor based in the office of the Attorney General
Sayed descendants of the Prophet Muhammad
seer unit of weight equivalent to roughly seven kilograms
shura community council
ulema educated religious leaders and arbiters of Sharia law
wali provincial governor
wasita reciprocal connections to those with power or influence
waqf land bestowed as a religious or charitable gift (plural awqaf)
Wolesi Jirga lower house of parliament
woluswal district governor
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Acronyms
AIHRC Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission
AIRD Afghanistan Institute for Rural Development
ALGAP Afghanistan Local Government Assistance Program
ANA Afghanistan National Army
ANDS Afghanistan National Development Strategy
ANP Afghanistan National Police
AREDP Afghanistan Rural Enterprise Development Programme
ARTF Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund
ASGP Afghanistan Subnational Governance Program
ASOP Afghanistan Social Outreach Program
BPHS Basic Package of Health Services
CBDR Community-Based Dispute Resolution
CDC Community Development Council
CERP Commander’s Emergency Response Program
CNTF Counter Narcotics Trust Fund
COIN counter-insurgency
CSO civil society organisation
DDA District Development Assembly
DCC District Community Council
DDP District Delivery Program
DDR Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration
DIAG Disarmament of Illegal Armed Groups
FP Facilitating Partner
GIRoA Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
HIA Hizb-i-Islami Afghanistan
HOO High Office of Oversight
HRRAC Human Rights Research and Advocacy Consortium
IARCSC Independent Administrative Reform and Civil Service Commission
IDLG Independent Directorate for Local Government
IMF International Monetary Fund
INGO international nongovernmental organisation
ISAF International Security Assistance Force
JCMB Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board
MAIL Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock
MoEcon Ministry of Economy
MoE Ministry of Education
MoF Ministry of Finance
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MoI Ministry of Interior
MoPH Ministry of Public Health
MoPW Ministry of Public Works
MoWA Ministry of Women’s Affairs
MRRD Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development
NABDP National Area Based Development Program
NDI National Democratic Institute
NDS National Directorate of Security
NGO nongovernmental organisation
NRAP National Rural Access Program
NSP National Solidarity Program
PAA Provincial Administrative Assembly
PAD Provincial Affairs Directorate
PAR Public Administration Reform
PBGF Performance Based Governors Fund
PDC Provincial Development Council
PDP Provincial Development Plan
PMU Project Management Unit
PRR Priority Reform and Restructuring
PRT Provincial Reconstruction Team
RTA Radio Television Afghanistan
SNTV single non-transferable vote
TAF The Asia Foundation
UNAMA United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan
UNCAC United Nations Convention on Corruption
UNODC United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
UNDP United Nations Development Programme
USAID United States Agency for International Development
WB World Bank
WFP World Food Programme
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Executive Summary
Contemporary Afghanistan is a complex environment characterised by powerful and competing
agendas. While there have been development successes, most notably in health and education, the
optimism that flourished in the few years after 2001 has much diminished. The country’s newly-
established democratic process has already been undermined by widespread vote rigging, and
conflict is causing increasing numbers of civilian and military deaths each year. Afghanistan remains
one of the poorest countries in the world, one that will be dependent on international aid for years
to come.
An autonomous and modernising Afghan state requires governance systems that are effective and
accountable. While there has been heavy investment in building a strong centralised state, this
has not been complemented by commensurate attention to local government at the provincial and
district level. As a result of this neglect:
• The separation of powers between the executive, legislature and judiciary is not clear at a local
level
• Local governance policy is too complex and confused
• Legislation on local representative bodies fails to devolve power or responsibility in any
meaningful way
• Donor policies have contributed to the lack of coordination of government structures
The main objective of this research has been to understand how local government has progressed
following the creation of the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG) and introduction of
programmatic interventions such as the National Solidarity Programme (NSP). It also seeks to identify
and examine the various formal administrative structures operating at the local level, and explore
how they interact with informal governance mechanisms. Finally, it aims to offer a comprehensive
overview of local governance in Afghanistan for those who may not be familiar with the sector.
The research was undertaken over a 14 month period finishing in December 2010. It took place in 47
districts of Samangan, Jawzjan, Sar-i-Pul, Laghman, Wardak and Day Kundi Provinces, with additional
time spent in two districts of Helmand. Key findings are presented under the following themes:
• Local Government Administration
• Security and Justice
• Service Delivery
• Representation
This executive summary presents certain key policy discussions and recommendations, drawn from
the main report, on:
• The Centralised State
• Responsibility for Local Government
• Planning
• The District
• Justice Delivery
• The Voting System
• Donors
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