Afghan Youth Debates: Helmand NGOs Praised for Bringing State and Voters Closer

Community leaders in Helmand say the work of civil society groups was hugely beneficial for building confidence in Afghanistan's recent elections.

Abdul Satar Saturi, a spokesman for a number of civil society organisations in this southern province, said their success had helped bridge the gulf between the state and the electorate, establishing a newfound trust between the two.

Speaking at an IWPR debate held on April 15, he told students that every Afghan who had voted had a right to feel extremely proud to have contributed to strengthening democratic values in the country.

He urged all those present to continue supporting the efforts of civil society groups, and insisted the April 5 polls would have suffered from far higher incidents of fraud if community organisations had failed to get behind the process.

"Civil society helps bridge the gap between the state and the nation and strengthens trust and confidence between the two," he told the debate. "The activities of civil society groups should be expanded throughout society, and every Afghan should be involved."

Abdul Manaf, a university lecturer in Helmand, agreed that the work done by NGOs had proved invaluable to achieving a high turnout and combating corruption.

He said democracy could not exist without their efforts, and reminded the audience of the gratitude and respect these organisations deserved.

"Civil society groups do not aim to acquire political power. Their only goal is to prepare the ground for greater democracy," he said.

Guest panellist Ahmad Shah Pasun added, "A major reason behind the transparency of this year's elections has been the work of civil society. These groups increased public awareness and employed staff to act as observers in polling centres. They reported fraud and other problems to officials."

Mohammad Karim, an agriculture student in Helmand, asked the panel whether they believed corruption had been a significant problem during the vote.

Shafiullah Safi, regional spokesman for the Independent Election Commission in the province, said forms had been placed in every polling station in Helmand to allow members of the public to register complaints, but few allegations of fraud had been made.

"The reason for the small number of poll violations was due to the presence of so many observers," he said.

Abdul Wali Paizhand is a university student in Helmand and an IWPR trainee.

This report was produced as part of Open Minds: Speaking Up, Reaching Out – Promoting University and Youth Participation in Afghan Elections, an IWPR initiative funded by the US embassy in Kabul.