The Social Institutions Department (SID)
works to bolster and advocate support in the arenas of public
health, education, higher education, and women’s affairs,
by assisting governmental and nongovernmental entities in both
the U.S. and Afghanistan and serves to connect relevant individuals
and entities and to create opportunities for mutually beneficial
relationships that will support these vital aspects of Afghan
society. Since basic human needs must be met as a first priority
in the order of state building, the SID creates support for
education and public health, especially for women, in order
to reduce disease, poverty and illiteracy.
The SID works closely with its counterparts in
Afghanistan to ensure that its work aligns properly with each
respective Ministry. The SID has worked in close collaboration
with the Ministry of Public Health, Ministry of Higher Education,
Ministry of Women’s Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs. The SID also works with a number of think tanks, NGOs
and academic institutions based in Afghanistan and the U.S.
to address key issues relating to Afghanistan. The Department
fosters relationships with organizations, schools and individuals
who have an interest in improving the Afghan education system,
as well as promote the creation and sustenance of programs and
institutions that address the specific needs of women and children.
Recent accomplishments include initiating an Afghanistan
lecture series with the South Asian Studies Department of the
Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies;
strengthening bilateral relations between the U.S. and Afghanistan
through the first U.S.-Afghan Strategic Partnership meeting
in March 2006 on issues relating to governance; hosting roundtable
events with the Minister of Public Health, Minister of Women’s
Affairs, and board members of the newly established American
University of Afghanistan; working closely with the Georgetown
University Afghan Reconstruction Initiative in placing interns
in the Ministry of Public Health; and playing a key role towards
organizing the first Mental Health Conference for Afghanistan
in May 2006.
