Visible Rights - Afghanistan (2010)
Location: Africa and the Middle East, Afghanistan
Keywords: Advocacy, Children, Rights, Young People
Project Background
Local Partner: MSPA
Project Manager: Jane Martin
Facilitator: Jenny Matthews
Generously Funded by: PQ Blackwell, Body Shop Foundation, Evan Cornish Foundation, Open Gate, Souter Charitable Trust
Objectives:
• To strengthen the capacity of children and MSPA staff to use photography as a means of self communication, advocacy and awareness raising
• To build the voices and participation of children in community development
• To advocate for improved rights of children in line with UNCRC
In May, facilitator Jenny Matthews delivered a course of workshops in Kabul. She and Waheed, a member of MSPA staff, trained 13 boys and girls, all aged 16 or under, to take photographs and write testimonies illustrating what life in Afghanistan is really like – from a child’s perspective.
The young participants were enthusiastic from the off and anxious to get their hands on the cameras and start taking pictures. Before they could be let loose with the cameras, they had to learn a few basics – for example, the rules of picture-taking, background, light and how to take pictures when moving. Breaking up these more formal ‘lessons’, was an outing to a local park. The girls were especially adventurous and asked a lot of people if they could take their photo. A local radio producer was on hand to help them.
“We learnt a lot about taking pictures”, one participant said, “for example, background, light, dark, shadows, which angles to use, we are very satisfied. We hope that the pictures (of poor children) will then go to school and their living conditions will improve.” The participant is referring to the project’s proposed advocacy strand which will use photographs from the project to draw attention to how the rights of children might be improved - in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Project photo gallery
Project Outputs
After the workshops, all the participants reported increased levels of self confidence and communications skills. One said later: “This was a good project; we learnt a lot of things before we didn’t dare speak but this encouraged us.”
Exhibitions of the photographs and messages produced by the young people who took part have been held in 5 schools in Kabul, and leaflets and posters featuring the photographs and information about child rights have been widely distributed to many more schools, as well as to important government and public venues throughout Kabul. The school-based exhibitions alone reached over 30,000 young people, as well as a large number of school teachers and parents, and the printed materials continue to carry the work to thousands more. The photographs and accompanying captions and information raise important questions about child rights, and it is hoped that the young people and adults who have come into contact with the exhibitions, leaflets or posters will have a heightened awareness of what rights children from all walks of life in Afghanistan have, and will consider where these are not currently being met.
Quote from students attending a school-based exhibition (translated by MSPA)
Exhibition Venues
Bibi Ayesha Girls High School, Ahmad Shah Baba Mena,Kabul (6473 students) - 16th - 21st October 2010
Ibrahim Khalilullah High School for Boys (6000 students) - 21st - 28th October 2010
Alam Faiz Boys School (6000 students) 28th October - 4th November
Manocheri Girls School (6000 students) 28th October - 4th November 2010
Lycee Esteqlal Boys High School (7000 students), 6th - 11th November 2010
The Lycee Estaqlal School, which is located close to the Ministry of Education, requested for the photos to remain on permanent display in the school. This request was accepted, and the school are keeping the photos as an extended exhibition in the school’s exhibition gallery.
Photo-wisdom
PQ Blackwell generously supported the Visible Rights Project through the publication of Photo-wisdom, a beautiful photographic book in which some of the finest photographers of our age discuss the purpose and technique of their photography. An advance and share of royalties from all sales of this book went to PhotoVoice in order to support this project. To purchase a copy of Photo-wisdom and to preview it online please visit Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Photowisdom-Master-Photographers-Their-Art/dp/0473150948