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The security situation in Afghanistan has continued to deteriorate in the last years despite the ... more The security situation in Afghanistan
has continued to deteriorate in the last
years despite the attempts from many
international actors to stabilize it. The withdrawal
of NATO-led International Security Assistance
Forces (ISAF) on 31 December 2014 officially
marked Afghanistan as a post-conflict nation.
However, whilst the war was officially declared
over, the internal conflict among different
actors intensified. In 2016, the security context
of Afghanistan can be described by a growing
number of attacks on civilians, health facilities
and humanitarian workers. With a number of
areas under de facto control of Armed Opposition
Groups, the Afghan state is supposed to take more
responsibilities in the management of foreign aid.

The withdrawal of foreign troops was to be
accompanied by a gradual transfer of the
management of international aid to the
Government of Afghanistan (GoA), through a rapid
“Afghanization” of the system, which focuses solely
on increasing investment in governance and state
building. This transition is to be completed by 2024.
During the Senior Official’s Meeting held in
Kabul on 5 September 2015, the National Unity
Government (NUG) repeated its call for continued
donor support, under a narrative of self-reliance
and economic development. President Ashraf
Ghani called for donor governments to reaffirm
their support towards reinforcing security,
governance and the rule of law, stability in
finance, economic development, private sector
and aid effectiveness. As a result of the Kabul
meeting, the Self-Reliance Mutual Accountability
Framework (SMAF) was adopted, detailing the
partnership between donors and the Government
regarding the reconstruction of Afghanistan in the
next decade.

In the meantime, the civil society actors emphasize
the need for greater donor accountability towards
human rights and humanitarian needs of the
Afghan people. Donors need to recognize that
Afghans continue to suffer in a state of emergency
which cannot be erased from Afghanistan’s
journey to development progress and economic
independence. The current aid system does not
sufficiently address the real needs of Afghan
people: as more funding is currently allocated to
development aid and although this funding is very
necessary, the programs designed according to
this model often do not take into account recurring
urgent needs of the people and are not flexible
enough to respond to reappearing emergencies.

In addition, although the state building and
governance approach, dominating development
programs, seeks to provide long term economic,
social and political solutions for the people of
Afghanistan, the immediate needs in this highly
unstable country have to be addressed promptly.

This report provides an update on the humanitarian
situation in Afghanistan past 2014 and once again
highlights the poor national planning to respond
to what the reality of needs is in the country of
chronic crisis. Through analysis of recent political
events as well as evidence from ACF programs, the
report demonstrates that the Afghan population’s
humanitarian needs are still undermined and
should be addressed urgently.

ACF Co-Authors: Jovita Sandaite, Aurélie du Châtelet, Magali Garcia, Lucile Grosjean

In the research analysis of ‘Methods not Motives’ by Shelley and Picarelli, I set out to explore ... more In the research analysis of ‘Methods not Motives’ by Shelley and Picarelli, I set out to explore some of the core themes around criminology and terrorism as raised by the article. With consideration to the context in which these themes were presented, I seek to explore the (i) Defining and labelling of terrorism and terrorist groups post 9/11 (ii) comparisons between organized crime and terrorism (iii) impacts and implications of policing terrorism as a global/local crime.
The stated aim of the ‘Methods and Motives’ research piece was to explore the relationships between transnational organized crime and corruption and their intersections. The researchers arrived at the conclusion that although organized criminal organizations and terrorist groups often adopt similar methods, they are inherently striving for divergent ends. Shelley and Picarelli assert that the wider application of the study is to provide a basis for further research into relational consequences for policymakers and practitioners from both the US and the larger global community, to substantiate the need for scholarly research on this relationship between organized crime groups and terrorist organizations in an effort to develop an effective counter terrorism strategy.

From 1976 almost 70 thousand asylum seekers have traveled to Australia by boat in order to seek p... more From 1976 almost 70 thousand asylum seekers have traveled to Australia by boat in order to seek protection. Since this period consecutive governments have adopted a range of policies designed to prevent asylum seekers reaching Australian territory, and deter them from claiming protection. Fulfilling their election promise to ‘Stop the Boats’, the coalition government has adopted a number of extraterritorial border control measures, under the powers of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DoIBP). The newly formed Australian Border Force, is the primary DoIBP inter-locker charged with the responsibility for implementation of what is perhaps Australia’s most politically aggressive border protection policy and task force yet - Operation Sovereign Borders.

Multiple nutrition surveillance systems exist in humanitarian settings; however, the validity an... more Multiple nutrition surveillance systems exist in humanitarian settings; however, the validity and usefulness of data produced by these systems are often questionable. Afghanistan does not currently implement a standardized nutrition surveillance system. Afghanistan’s first comprehensive National Nutrition Survey(NNS) was conducted in 2013; a smaller national survey was conducted in 2004, however the 2004 survey was not widely endorsed by the humanitarian community in Afghanistan. Aside from the two national nutrition surveys, nutrition surveillance is currently only undertaken in part by various actors in the nutrition sector, including nutrition service implementing partners, INGO’s, and UNICEF through the National Nutrition Cluster. Where surveillance has been conducted by various nutrition partners, there remain significant discrepancies between survey and data findings.

Given the absence of a formalized, systematized, and coordinated nutrition surveillance system in Afghanistan, there are many questions around data validity and not much is known about the nutrition situation, particularly for the most vulnerable populations of pregnant and lactating women and Children under 5.

The lack of accurate and updated data on the nutrition situation in Afghanistan is one of the primary challenges to national nutrition policy design and implementation. Owing to poor understanding of the nutritional status of children across the country, decision-making regarding nutrition remains largely based on assumptions, rather than on evidence arising from the field. This affects the prioritization of nutrition interventions particularly those aimed at pregnant and lactating women and children under 5. In this literature review I seek to demonstrate the grounds for research into national nutrition surveillance implementation and the correlating impacts on nutrition programmatic responses, for pregnant and lactating women and children under five, in Afghanistan. In order to achieve the aforementioned I will outline and review relevant literature and grounds for analysis as listed below.

I. Outline on global perspective on nutrition surveillance systems and methodologies and relation to programming for nutrition.
II. Afghanistan context and approaches to nutrition surveillance and nutrition programming
III. Identify data discrepancies to indicate grounds for investigation on the efficacy of the approaches to nutrition surveillance in Afghanistan.
IV. Provide reasoning for the selection of the target population of pregnant and lactating women (PLW’s) and Children Under 5.
V. Findings of the literature and research potential

Proposal for the funding of investigative project for determining national nutrition surveillance... more Proposal for the funding of investigative project for determining national nutrition surveillance and nutrition programmatic responses, for pregnant and lactating women and children under five, in Afghanistan.

A critical analysis of the failures of traditional justice system approaches and responses to peo... more A critical analysis of the failures of traditional justice system approaches and responses to people with disabilities in Australia, including barriers to justice delivery and recommendations for reform.

"The ethnographic account described below is a result of several months of participant observatio... more "The ethnographic account described below is a result of several months of participant observation within a residential care setting from August 2008 – January 2009. The research addresses one key critical incident. I carried a select range of research techniques including; interviews with key consultants (Clinical Co-ordinator), examination of, and reflection on the culture of the organisation through conversations with staff and personal reflection.

The critical incident and research is intended to examine what role ethics plays in the daily care of the client. Further I will explore the ethical dilemmas faced by staff and the effect the community of practice has on the application of care to the client. In examining the ethical dilemma that arises between client rights and carer service delivery, the impact of the infringement of the client’s rights will be explored."

There has been much talk in the development sphere from donors of recent times, lamenting the dif... more There has been much talk in the development sphere from donors of recent times, lamenting the difficulties in attaining project sustainability, long after donors and funding structures are withdrawn from communities. There are a plethora of factors which may affect development projects sustainability, though of recent years, there has been much more emphasis placed on post project evaluations and post project impact assessment, all of which have paved the way to mitigating the obstacles and challenges which threaten project sustainability.

In the following paper I will seek to explore the core contributing factors which negatively impact project sustainability with a focus on the core areas of donor funding, values based project development, stakeholder engagement, capacity building, external factors affecting sustainability. Considering the core areas explored, I will also seek to reflect on if projects can truly be sustainable in practice.

Globalisation and its impacts on the poor have long been contested. While some argue that global... more Globalisation and its impacts on the poor have long been
contested. While some argue that globalisation has opened up free markets removing barriers to corporate trade and financial investments in developing countries, giving the opportunity for poor to lift themselves out of poverty, the opposition debates that the benefits of globalisation does not trickle down to benefit the poor, instead privatizing wealth in developing countries. In critically analysing the current effects of globalisation in developing nations and internationally operating corporations working within these states, I endeavour to highlight both the positive and negative impacts of globalisation.

A concept paper sets forth to shape a project to re-engage youth within the Temotu region, as a s... more A concept paper sets forth to shape a project to re-engage youth within the Temotu region, as a starting point for addressing assumed key issues around youth and sustainable agriculture.

This projects overarching objective is to provide a forum for community members to practice community mobilisation and facilitation of their own discussions through the rhetoric of agricultural sustainability.

ACF Co-Authors: Jovita Sandaite, Aurélie du Châtelet, Magali Garcia, Lucile Grosjean