National Solidarity Programme Nspiii Sub-Phase A (Rollout Of Remaining Coummunities In Farah And Nangarhar)

UN-Habitat has been working in Afghanistan since 1992.  Amidst armed conflict, UN-Habitat has continued to serve the people of Afghanistan without interruption for the past 20 years.  One of the major fall outs for the armed-conflict is the erosion of community institutions.  The conflict has increased the share of the number of people living in deprivation and has also eroded the social fabric people used to rely on during crisis.  Even during the difficult period of Taliban rule, the community development approach flourished in spite of tremendous odds.  The institutional manifestation of this approach was the Community Forum (CF) and CDCs that participating communities formed themselves.  In many ways, the CF/CDCs became the institutional platform for local people to exercise their right and responsibilities, and at the same time embrace good governance when there was not legitimate government.The UN-Habitat's community empowerment approach that emerged in the course of more than a decade of working with Afghan communities builds on this same spirit.  The approach has now become a flagship programme of the Government National Solidarity Programme. For the rehabilitation process, UN-Habitat not only focuses on the physical reconstruction, but also building social capital of the communities.  It is necessary to provide meaningful support for community engagement so that the process results into empowered community institutions, that have opportunities to address their most pressing priorities.