RESOURCES
Afghanistan at a Glance
BBC's thumbnail sketch of the geography, history and people that make up modern Afghanistan.
Timeline of Afghanistan from 1919-present
A concise timeline from PBS's Newshour covering the key events of the last century in Afghanistan.
In-Depth History of Afghanistan
Library of Congress' indexed and extensive archive covering everything from prehistoric politics to current climate. A terrific search engine within the Afghanistan site ensures that you will satisfy every desire for information.
BBC on South Asia
A great source for current news in Afghanistan, comprehensively covering local and international issues affecting the country. Dari language translation available.
World News Atlas Afghanistan Timeline
Amazing resource for the top story of the day in Afghanistan, and the site includes a database reaching back to the year 2000.
The New Yorker Magazine Speaks Out About Afghanistan and 9/11
Check out the magazine's archive of articles written by authors, poets and politicians. Look for John Lee Anderson's "City of Dreams" and "After the Revolution" for interesting articles and beautiful narratives set in modern Afghanistan.
Faces Uncovered: A Photo Essay of Afghani Women
Time Magazine's Photo Documentary on post-Taliban Afghani Women Women play a crucial and multifaceted role in the re-establishment of Afghanistan's post-war society.
RECOMMENDED BOOKS
Afghanistan's Endless War: State Failure, Regional Politics, and the Rise of the Taliban
by Larry P. Goodson
This comprehensive academic text written and prepared before Sept. 11 and the subsequent U.S. air strikes on the Taliban examines the past few decades, delving into the interwoven historical, political, economic and geographic factors that precipitated the country's woes.
Health Care in Muslim Asia
by Ronald W. O'Connor
Afghanistan had the world's highest rates of infant, child, and maternal deaths when Management Sciences for Health began its project to train and support health workers. This book effectively uses that project to discuss the problems and potential for health development in remote, war-torn areas.
Afghanistan in the Course of History, Vol. I and Vol. II
by Mir Ghulam Mohammad Ghobar
A classic modern text that provides scholars and enthusiasts with a concrete and sympathetic insight into the complex history of Afghanistan.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Emergency
Emergency, the Italian human-rights organization featured in "Afghanistan Year 1380," provides surgical care and rehabilitation for civilian war victims. With programs in Iraq, Afghanistan, Sierra Leone and Cambodia, Emergency focuses particularly on the treatment and rehabilitation of victims of antipersonnel mines. The Emergency website is available in four languages.
ONLINE RESOURCES
HEALTH CARE & HUMAN RIGHTS
Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders)
Medecins Sans Frontieres delivers emergency aid to victims of armed conflict, epidemics, and natural and man-made disasters, and to others who lack health care due to social or geographical isolation. Check out the "Field News" area of the website for updates about MSF's work throughout the world. A traveling exhibit of the MSF Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines may be in your area soon.
Physicians for Human Rights
Physicians for Human Rights educates health professionals and medical, public health and nursing students and organizes them to become active in supporting a movement for human rights and creating a culture of human rights in the medical and scientific professions. PHR membership is open to all. Check out the "Education" section of the website to learn more about health and human rights, as well as the "Research and Investigations" section for reports on over 50 countries.
WOMEN'S ORGANIZATIONS
The Afghan Women's Mission
Created in January of 2000 in response to the need for adequate health care facilities for women in Afghanistan, The Afghan Women's Mission is an association of foreigners who support the activities of the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan. Click on "Breaking Afghani News" for the latest articles and information on the state of Afghani affairs.
The Feminist Majority Foundation
An organization dedicated to women's equality, reproductive health, and non-violence, the Feminist Majority Foundation began its Campaign to Help Afghani Women and Girls in 1997. The campaign has worked to put pressure on the UN and the US Government to provide aid and support for the empowerment of Afghani women. The "Afghan Crafts" section provides the opportunity to support Afghani women directly by buying handmade crafts online. 100% of all sales go to providing income for the women who made them and schools and health care for their community.
Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan
The Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan was established in 1977 to advocate the rights of women in Afghanistan and increase their involvement in the social and political activities, through campaigns of protest and awareness. In addition to its resistance, it has brought schools, hospitals and other services to Afghani refugees in Pakistan. With the collapse of the Taliban last year, RAWA now finds itself striving to make certain that women have a role in the new government.
AFGHANISTAN
American-Arab Anti Discrimination Committee
ADC is the largest Arab-American grassroots organization in the United States, and is dedicated to combating defamation and negative stereotyping of Arab Americans. The "Educational Resources" section contains valuable background information about Islam.
LANDMINES
Adopt-a-Minefield
Coordinated by the U.N. Association of the USA, the U.N. Development Programme, and the Better World Fund, Adopt-a-Minefield raises funds for mine clearance operations. Every dollar raised is forwarded to the United Nations. The website is a great source of information on landmine history, current solutions, major players in the anti-landmine campaign, and it offers curriculum units for grade school through high school.
Clear Landmines
Visitors to the Clear Landmines website can make free donations (once a day) to the effort to eradicate landmines by the "click of a button." The funds are administered and distributed by the Canadian Landmine Foundation, and the site also has free banner ads you can place on your site.
International Campaign to Ban Landmines
The ICBL website is available in eight languages, and you can find a calendar of international events, films about landmines, contacts in your country and community, and the Landmine Monitor, a measure of nations' compliance with the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty. Check out the U.S. Campaign at: www.banmineusa.org. Don't miss our interview with ICBL founder and Nobel Peace Prize winner Jody Williams.