Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit

Research and Reflection from Afghanistan

Welcome to the AREU Blog, where our staff talk about experiences in the field and comment on their areas of expertise. As such, the posts do not necessarily represent an official AREU position, but can provide insight into research in Afghanistan. You can subscribe to the blog using the RSS icon, which will also include updates on new AREU publications.

Conversations with a hashish-addicted youth

05/16/2013 | Mia Ihsanullah Ghafoori

Observations from the field

As soon as the car came to a halt, I looked around for a taxi. I spotted a bare red car down the road and went to ask if it was free. When I peered into the window I saw two men, barely in their 20s, smoking hashish – the oily smell, so distinct from cigarettes was my first clue. It is a less common sight in Jalalabad, but not at all unusual, so we negotiated the fare and started the drive.

The Making of the 2013 A to Z Guide

03/31/2013 | Maria Hunskaar

After hundreds of emails sent, copious amount of tea consumed at government offices, and countless hours spent agonizing over InDesign, the latest edition of the A to Z Guide to Afghanistan Assistance is in your hands. Compiling this eleventh edition has been an interesting journey through the myriad of actors, programmes, and organisations working towards building a stable Afghanistan.

New AREU Office Location

11/20/2012 | AREU Communications

Please note that as of November 2012, AREU has relocated.
We are still in Shahr-i-Naw and we look forward to receiving you at our new location.

Linked here is a map. Should you have any trouble locating us, please ring us at +93 (0)799 608 54.

Women and Elections II: Women for Women in Bamiyan

11/30/2011 | Oliver Lough

AREU is running a series of blogs examining some of the issues emerging from its research on women’s participation in parliamentary and provincial council elections. Each offering a snapshot of a different candidate or community, these case studies will form part of a paper to be released at the end of this year.

Women and Elections I: Agency and Capacity in Balkh

11/22/2011 | Oliver Lough

Over the next few weeks, AREU will be running a series of blogs examining some of the issues emerging from its research on women’s participation in parliamentary and provincial council elections. Each offering a snapshot of a different candidate or community, these case studies will form part of a paper to be released at the end of this year.

Water Institutions Put to the Test in the Panj-Amu River Basin

10/13/2011 | Vincent Thomas

Just a few years after the unprecedented dry spell of 2008, drought has struck again in northeastern Afghanistan. With rainfed areas severely affected, irrigated areas of “the grain basket” of Afghanistan become an ever more critical resource for local livelihoods and the country’s food security. In this context, a recurrent challenge for water institutions is the issue of how to share water among canals that flow from rivers crossing Takhar, Baghlan and Kunduz Provinces.

Kapisa Example Highlights Obstacles for Democratic Local Governance

22 August 2011 | Jay Lamey

AREU recently released a report on local governance in Afghanistan. A major focus was on the issue of representation and how local people could have their voices heard and needs met by government bodies operating in districts and provinces, especially since these are often constrained by Afghanistan’s highly centralised state structure. Shortly after the release of the AREU report, a Radio Liberty feature article on a district council in Kapisa Province provided a fascinating illustration of the challenges it faces.

Describing Life to Outsiders (or: The Man Behind the Curtain)

26/07/2011 | Sogol Zand

In Afghanistan, the way people describe their lives to outsiders can sometimes be very different to the reality of their lived experiences. Working out what really goes on, rather than the idealised picture of themselves that people might want to present, is a key challenge for researchers trying to uncover the nuances and complexities in Afghan life.

Letter from the AREU Board, 21/07/11

21/07/2011 | AREU Communications

An update on recent developments at AREU

Jalalabad’s “Grab-Town” a Difficult Case of Illegal Settlement and Land Dispute

20/07/11 | Wamiqullah Mumtaz

In March this year, as we started our study on urban governance in Jalalabad, one of our first tasks was selecting an interesting site. We chose Qasimabad, and the findings from our research there shed light on many issues related to informal settlements in urban contexts.

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