Stability In Key Areas (SIKA) – West / Monthly Report – March 2015

The program, led by the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation & Development (MRRD) and the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG), began on January 29, 2012, and is scheduled to end on August 31, 2015. The program's primary objective is to assist provincial authorities and district-level government entities in improving governance programming and increasing the provision of priority basic services, ultimately increasing citizen confidence in and support for the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA). The SIKA-West program operates in four provinces: Farah, Badghis, Herat, and Ghor, incorporating 16 target districts. The program's area of operation includes Farah Province, where SIKA-West is active in Farah Center, Bala Boluk, Pusht-e Rod, Khak-e-Safayd, and Lash Wa Juwayn Districts. In Herat Province, the program is active in Pashtun Zarghun, Shindand, Kushk Rabat-e Sangi, Guzara, and Kohsan Districts. In Badghis Province, SIKA-West operates in Qadis, Muqur, and Qala-i-Naw Districts, while in Ghor Province, the program is active in Chaghcharan, Shahrak, and Du Layna Districts. During the month of March 2015, 14 GIRoA-led Komite Sobate Woleswali (KSW) meetings were held across the program's area of operation. These meetings, undertaken by IDLG and MRRD without logistical or financial support from SIKA-West, provided a forum for district residents and sub-national government entities to discuss current problems and grievances affecting residents within the districts. Participants in these KSWs included Provincial and District Governors, Line Department representatives, District Development Assemblies, MRRD District Social Workers, and community elders. The KSW meetings addressed various major problems affecting the districts, including security concerns, infrastructure development, and access to basic services. For instance, in Pusht-e Rod, the KSW members discussed the current security condition within the District and petitioned the District Government to increase the number of security check points on the Pusht-e Rod District main road. The DGO pledged to share these concerns with the Provincial Government and advocate for the residents. The SIKA-West program's efforts to promote stability in key areas of Afghanistan are critical to the country's development and security. By improving governance programming and increasing the provision of priority basic services, the program aims to increase citizen confidence in and support for the GIRoA. The program's success will have a positive impact on the lives of the Afghan people, contributing to a more stable and prosperous future for the country.