Right to Learn Afghanistan
Right to Learn Afghanistan (formerly Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan), founded in 1998, is a federally registered charity (Canada Revenue Agency #887718203RR0001) that works in Canada, Afghanistan and with displaced Afghan populations. Reach to Learn is an official partner in consultative status with UNESCO and a member of the Afghanistan National Education Coalition, a network of NGOs working to advance education in Afghanistan. Reach to Learn programs that have been recognized by the American Library Association and the Library of Congress, among others.
Right to Learn Afghanistan exists to make the right to education a reality for Afghan women and girls. We uphold the fundamental human right to a quality education by providing purposeful educational programs and access to opportunities that foster agency, dignity, and choice.
Since the fall of Kabul in August 2021, the world has watched as the Taliban has systematically taken away the rights of women and girls, slowly removing them from civil life. Afghanistan is now the only country in the world where girls are banned from receiving secondary education. A study conducted by UNICEF concluded that reducing investment in girls’ education increases the number of child marriages, as well as increasing poverty, child and maternal mortality rates. The impact of this decision will be far reaching, not only affecting this generation but many generations to come. Despite the challenges we face, Right to Learn holds strong in our conviction that everyone deserves the right to education, the right to determine the course of their own life, and the protection of their human rights. Together, we are part of a movement to empower women to fight for their rightful place in society, push their way into classrooms, insist they have the right to work, run businesses, vote, and live in dignity.
A dedicated team of staff locally and abroad manage our programs in seven key areas: (1) Darakht-e Danesh Academi; (2) Grants and Scholarships; (3) Bridge to Learning; (4) Advocacy and Public Engagement; (5) Safe Harbour: Protecting the Right to Education Through Resettlement. Since our founding in 1998, , we have trained over 10,000 teachers, distributed nearly 300 school library starter kits, provided literacy classes for nearly 5,000 students, furbished schools with science laboratory materials and libraries, and helped teachers get access to resources like lessons plans, textbooks and visual aides through our extensive library of learning resources: www.darakhtdanesh.org. Right to Learn Afghanistan has nimbly and strategically adapted our programs to meet the needs of Afghan women and girls including those who have fled to neighbouring regions. Our response efforts have included: ● Providing humanitarian assistance to students and their families including more than 950 Learning Plus Baskets with educational resources and nutritious food staples. ● Providing continued access to our Darakht-e Danesh Academi (DD Academi) and expanding virtual education opportunities through DD Library (an online library in nine languages), DD Courses (asynchronous professional development courses) and DD Classroom (an online high school) so that Afghan women and girls can learn, wherever they are. ● Hiring and training female teachers for our online learning programs, who would otherwise be denied employment because they are women. ● Providing internet access, laptops, tablets, and power banks to girls so they can continue their education from home, or wherever they are. ● Expanding our Shafia Fund scholarship program to meet a 680% increase in demand since 2021, to enable continued learning opportunities for young women in Afghanistan and those who have fled the country, who would not otherwise have the opportunity to study. ● Mobilizing Canadians as engaged global citizens and engaging decision makers as we advocate for the rights of Afghan women and girls and for the safe passage for at-risk Afghans looking to leave the country. ● Engaging higher education institutions with a solutions based toolkit to mobilize Canadian university resources and communities, and provide alternative access to higher educational opportunities for Afghan women. ● Establishing partnerships with NGOs in other countries such as Turkey and Pakistan to collaborate on program delivery to Afghan refugees. In our work we recognize the link between quality education and peace building; we believe that a literate population with free access to information, viable education and economic opportunities will be Afghanistan’s greatest stabilizing force and its best hope for achieving peace. Today Afghan women and girls face daunting conditions in seeking education; however, this does not change the impact that education makes. In fact, this makes their access to education all the more essential and life-changing. Literacy is irreversible, and it is intergenerational: literate mothers raise literate daughters. Social change is birthed through education, and women and girls who can access education will be the leaders of tomorrow. When you support our work you are investing in women and girls who will ultimately win their rights and therefore fight to build a society where women and girls can live in dignity and peace.
Right to Learn supporters and members move forward our mission in many ways, including through our Chapter network in communities across Canada. We have sustained a dynamic group of core volunteers, which has seen steady growth since our founding. These members serve in a variety of volunteer capacities from leading chapter meetings, to event planning, public outreach and education and advocacy activities. Other volunteers support the national office’s activities, including serving on one of the national committees, or providing online volunteer services such as research and communication. In addition, every year, hundreds of Canadians host Breaking Bread potluck dinners to fundraise for Right to Learn’s education projects.
Despite the complete upheaval of the political landscape since 2021, our mission has not changed, and in fact is more vital than ever. We exist to make the right to a quality education a reality and we know that education – particularly the education of women and girls – is the key factor in creating profound and lasting benefits for present and future generations.
With over 25 years of experience in meeting the educational needs of Afghan women and girls, we remain committed to strategically adapting and upholding the right to learn under any circumstances. As our programs continue to grow in scope and scale to meet demand, we are dedicated to restoring access to purposeful educational programs that foster agency, empowerment, dignity, and choice.
Find out more about Right to Learn Afghanistan on their website
