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NGOsNongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have played an important humanitarian role in Afghanistan and in support of Afghan refugees since 1979. After the fall of the Taliban in 2001, many Afghan NGOs operating from neighbouring countries shifted to Afghanistan, as did international NGOs. The international community embraced these NGOs, both as implementers of development programmes in the absence of a functioning government sector, and with the aim of strengthening Afghan civil society as such, as a part of the broader reconstruction and development assistance. Most of the NGOs are involved in the provision of emergency relief and in the running of health, education and agricultural programmes. While the majority of the NGOs operating in the country are Afghan, the largest programmes are being implemented by international or multinational NGOs. The government of Afghanistan defines NGOs as part of the private sector, and weak NGO legislation has blurred the distinction between traditional NGOs and private profit-making construction companies registered as NGOs. The issue is further complicated by the fact that huge donor funds for reconstruction and development have been contracted out to international for-profit companies. This has proven damaging to NGOs, whose work and reputation have been affected by the image of profit-seeking companies enjoying the customary privileges provided to the not-for-profit sector. New NGO legislation was approved by the cabinet in December 2005, and a re-registration process is under way. As part of this process, approximately 700 NGOs are being re-registered, compared to the 1,600 previously registered under the old law. Following a series of accusations that NGOs had misused funds allocated for postwar Afghanistan, the NGO sector launched a code of conduct to regulate NGO activities. This laid out a set of standards for ensuring greater transparency and accountability, as well for improving the quality of services provided by NGOs. Some NGOs have involved themselves in peacebuilding, human rights and advocacy work, such as civic education for the Constitutional Loya Jirga and the election process. Four NGO-coordinating bodies exist: the Afghan NGOs Coordination Bureau (ANCB), the Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief (ACBAR), the Islamic Coordination Council (ICC) and the South West Afghanistan and Balochistan Association for Coordination (SWABAC).
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