Afghanistan
Afghanistan’s history is intimately tied to world politics. The latest chapter of this relationship is the unprecedented statebuilding project starting in 2001. Despite much significant change in the country, many of the lofty ambitions declared over the last decade and a half have not been realized. Our research explores the intersections between international agendas and local transformations in Afghanistan in fields such as security, women’s rights and migration.
Current projects
Completed projects
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New Afghan Men: Marriage, Masculinities and Sexual Politics in Afghanistan
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[CoAR: Strategy development ]
![Protection of Civilians: From Principle to Practice](http://www.cmi.no/img/400/3497-poc-six.jpg)
Protection of Civilians: From Principle to Practice
![Violence against women and criminal justice in Afghanistan](http://www.cmi.no/img/400/10530-5577207534-9eb6ca2807-b.jpg)
Violence against women and criminal justice in Afghanistan
![Financing Education in Afghanistan: Opportunities for Action](http://www.cmi.no/img/400/10498-4324662037-3971a76fbe-b.jpg)
Financing Education in Afghanistan: Opportunities for Action
![Afghanistan. Focus on women - experiences from Norwegian funded NGO projects](http://www.cmi.no/img/400/10501-15165422227-2cfe814186-k.jpg)
Afghanistan. Focus on women - experiences from Norwegian funded NGO projects
![Policy Briefs Afghanistan](http://www.cmi.no/img/400/10506-4133479363-a4ec964452-b.jpg)
Policy Briefs Afghanistan
![The Price of Protection. Gender, Violence and Power in Afghanistan](http://www.cmi.no/img/400/10508-4190535026-e67ac9f845-b.jpg)
The Price of Protection. Gender, Violence and Power in Afghanistan
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Conflict Sensititive Training
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Development of Strategic Plan for CoAR Network 2012-15
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Organisational assessment Norwegian Afghanistan Commitee
![Achieving Durable Peace in Afghanistan](http://www.cmi.no/img/400/1591-DurablePeace.jpg)
Achieving Durable Peace in Afghanistan
![Theatre development in Afghanistan](http://www.cmi.no/img/400/10513-dns-logo.gif)
Theatre development in Afghanistan
![Intra-alliance Analysis: Policies and Approaches of NATO Allies in Afghanistan](http://www.cmi.no/img/400/3896-tea-for-two-by-US-Army.jpg)
Intra-alliance Analysis: Policies and Approaches of NATO Allies in Afghanistan
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Nordic Development collaboration in Afghanistan
![Violence in the post-conflict state](http://www.cmi.no/img/400/10516-4875828636-1625ce277e-b.jpg)
Violence in the post-conflict state
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Hydro carbon resources in Afghanistan
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Review of support for Afghans returning from Norway
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The limits of state-building in Afghanistan
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Religious Civil Society in Afghanistan
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Web pages: Afghanistan
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Evaluation of Afghanistan's National Solidarity Program
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Dutch Humanitarian Afghanistan Assistance (2001-2005)
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What Kind of Peace is Possible?
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Multidonor Evaluation of Humanitarian Assistance to Afghanistan
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Afghanistan: A Model for Peace Building? A Norwegian-German Conference
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Effects and Impact of Mine Action on Peacebuilding
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Norwegian NGOs in Post-Taliban Afghanistan: Review and Lessons Learned
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NORAD Review Afghanistan
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Mine Action for Peace - Afghanistan
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Web Pages: Afghanistan - Peacebuilding in a Regional Perspective
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Mainstreaming Mine Action
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Conflictual peacebuilding: Afghanistan two years after Bonn
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Alternatives to forced return (Roundtable conferance on Afghanistan)
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Afghanistan: Civil Society and Aid Coordination
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Evaluation report: Act International: Afghanistan appeals: ASAF 11 and 21
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Gendered differentiated assistance in situations of conflict
Towards an unpredictable future
15 years of unparalleled Western military and aid involvement in Afghanistan have left few able to predict what the future holds for the country. A year after the ISAF NATO mission formally ended, Afghanistan faces a deep crisis, politically, economically and militarily. Western capitals, concerned with the twin prospects of Islamist resurgence and increasing migration flows, have backtracked somewhat on their earlier pledges to withdraw from the country. Yet to move from what is essentially a stopgap measure to a more sustainable solution seems increasingly challenging.
CMI research aims to contribute to a better knowledge base for central policy discussions in and about Afghanistan. Most of our research is carried out together with Afghan colleagues and research institutions. Our work on gender relations focuses on how best to address violence against women, which has been a central focus for local and donor women’s rights work. We argue that while increasing the criminal accountability for acts of violence is important, such efforts must be coupled with the strengthening of women’s civil, economic and sexual rights if women’s vulnerability to violence is to be reduced. Today many women prefer to return to highly abusive situations rather than to face the impossibilities of losing their children or their ability to survive financially and socially.
Afghanistan continues to be at war, with both civilian and military casualties at record levels. Our research on military policy and the protection of civilians investigates the effect of military operations on civilians and to what extent and how military actors attempt to reduce civilian harm. CMI research has also persistently argued that more energy and political capital should be invested in finding a political solution to the conflict. The economic and security crisis has caused an exceptional number of Afghans to leave their country and apply for asylum in Europe. Our research on migration has focused particularly on how some Afghan asylum seekers come to see returning to the country as their best (or only) choice and to what extent they are able to reintegrate back into Afghan society.