Ongoing Conflict In Afghanistan Research Articles

Developing Culturally Appropriate Content for a Child-Rearing App to Support Young Children's Socioemotional and Cognitive Development in Afghanistan: Co-Design Study.

Optimal child-rearing practices can help mitigate the consequences of detrimental social determinants of health in early childhood. Given the ubiquity of personal digital technologies worldwide, the direct delivery of evidence-based information about early childhood development holds great promise. However, to make the content of these novel systems effective, it is crucial to incorporate place-based cultural beliefs, traditions, circumstances, and value systems of end users. This paper describes the iterative approach used to develop the Thrive by Five child-rearing app in collaboration with Afghan parents, caregivers (eg, grandparents, aunts, and nannies), and subject matter experts (SMEs). We outline how co-design methodologies informed the development and cultural contextualization of content to meet the specific needs of Afghan parents and the content was tested and refined in collaboration with key Afghan stakeholders. The preliminary content was developed based on a comprehensive literature review of the historical and sociocultural contexts in Afghanistan, including factors that influence child-rearing practices and early childhood development. After an initial review and refinement based on feedback from SMEs, this content was populated into a beta app for testing. Overall, 8 co-design workshops were conducted in July and August 2021 and February 2022 with 39 Afghan parents and caregivers and 6 SMEs to collect their feedback on the app and its content. The workshops were audio recorded and transcribed; detailed field notes were taken by 2 scribes. A theoretical thematic analysis using semantic codes was conducted to inform the refinement of existing content and development of new content to fulfill the needs identified by participants. The following 4 primary themes were identified: child-rearing in the Afghan sociocultural context, safety concerns, emotion and behavior management, and physical health and nutrition. Overall, participants agreed that the app had the potential to deliver valuable information to Afghan parents; however, owing to the volatility in the country, participants recommended including more activities that could be safely done indoors, as mothers and children are required to spend most of their time at home. Additionally, restrictions on public engagement in music required the removal of activities referencing singing that might be performed outside the home. Further, activities to help parents reduce their children's screen time, promote empathy, manage emotions, regulate behavior, and improve physical health and nutrition were requested. Direct engagement with Afghan parents, caregivers, and SMEs through co-design workshops enabled the development and refinement of evidence-based, localized, and contextually relevant child-rearing activities promoting healthy social, emotional, and cognitive development during the first 5 years of children's lives. Importantly, the content was adapted for the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan with the aim of empowering Afghan parents and caregivers to support their children's developmental potential despite the security concerns and situational stressors.

Terrorism Situation and Counter-Terrorism Police Cooperation in South Asia and Southeast Asia

New changes of terrorism situation in South Asia and Southeast Asia could be seen from the increase of numbers of terrorist attacks, the increase retaliatory terrorist attacks and the increase of the combined risks and linkage effects of terrorism and other non-traditional security issues. The terrorist threat in South Asia and Southeast Asia is expected to continue in the near future because the threats severely posed by the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan, the interaction and allying of terrorist organizations and terrorists’ exploitation of advanced technology. However, the practice of counter-terrorism police cooperation in South Asia and Southeast Asia was weak and fragile due to the poor performance of ASEAN counter-terrorism cooperation, the police cooperation within the framework of international organizations and cooperation at the bilateral and small multilateral level has not really meet the current challenges. The solutions offered in this paper are 4 ways to improve counter-terrorism police cooperation in South Asia and Southeast Asia: build a comprehensive and efficient counter-terrorism police cooperation mechanism, a stable and practical coordination mechanism, a joint counter-terrorism intelligence fusion center, a quality and level counter-terrorism police training mechanism of South Asia and Southeast Asia.

Relentless Violation of International Humanitarian Law During the Ongoing Conflict in Afghanistan

Relentless Violation of International Humanitarian Law During the Ongoing Conflict in Afghanistan

Relentless Violation of International Humanitarian Law During the Ongoing Conflict in Afghanistan

Relentless Violation of International Humanitarian Law During the Ongoing Conflict in Afghanistan

Teaching International Law in Times of Change and Crisis

This article is a contribution to scholarship on the teaching of international law, in general, and in Nordic countries, in particular. The article draws on lessons from international law as situated and embedded in national and regional politics and systems of governance. That is, although international law is international, it is approached and implemented differently depending on situation and location. The article emphasizes that contemporary teaching of international law should engage with how situation and location matters for how international law is approached and it should also reflect contemporary global challenges. The article uses the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan as an example, as well as experiences from teaching international law with the help of a peacemaking role-play focused on the conflict in Afghanistan.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION IN AFGHANISTAN. DO THEORIES WORK IN PRACTICE?

The ongoing conflict in Afghanistan poses a great danger to the Afghanistan state itself as well as for the neighboring countries. A decreasing interest from the United States of America, NATO and other key players due to a long war and other geopolitical challenges will leave Afghanistan with the minimum outer support for the future. The science of conflict resolution is offering a variety of theories that could lead endless wars and conflicts to an end. The ongoing conflict in Afghanistan is challenging those theories, while the resolution is crucial for the Afghanistan people right now. But are those theories reflected in the current actions of the US, NATO and Afghanistan governments? And do those theoretical actions lead to a better future regarding conflict resolution? The purpose of this article was to analyze the current policies of third parties influencing the current conflict in Afghanistan to determine the most relevant conflict prevention theory that could support conflict resolution most effectively in the future. To achieve the mentioned purpose, the following tasks were designed. First, the most relevant conflict prevention theories, applicable to the Afghanistan case, were analyzed and the main characteristics were identified. Secondly, the actions of NATO, US and Afghanistan, connected to the conflict resolution efforts, were identified and analyzed. After that, actions mentioned above were compared with theoretical approaches from different theories and certain trends were detected. Later on, research was focused to detect particular elements that were relevant to each theory and further actions concentrated on identifying the trend of these elements for each theory, while doing a comparative comparison analysis, which was based on selected timeframes. Afterward, the trends for each theory were compared and – by doing this – the most applicable theory was identified that could be later used in practice to resolve the current conflict. Research showed that:All conflict prevention theories showed that resolution is possible only if all parties are involved in the processes and practically commit to actions. Currently this is not the case in Afghanistan.Some conflict resolution theories consider similar actions that currently the NATO, US and Afghanistan governments are using in the region.One of the analyzed conflict resolution theories could be applied practically in the Afghanistan case. The conflict prevention theory is the most flexible and has the widest action set in comparison with other theories.The conflict prevention theory reflects the current US actions in Afghanistan, when the decreasing US support for the Afghanistan government in security, governance and in other sectors influences the weakening security situation. The effectiveness of conflict prevention theory is low due to the Taliban’s absence in the negotiations, and this fact does not influence any recognition that the most relevant theory that could support current conflict resolution in the most effective way in Afghanistan is the conflict prevention theory.

Abuse of power and conflict persistence in Afghanistan

The ongoing conflict in Afghanistan presents a paradox. While international efforts to stabilise the country have been steadily increasing since 2001, the same period has been marked by a return to violence and constant escalation of the conflict. The Taliban's growing strength is often attributed to the weakness of the Afghan state in extending authority and delivering public goods. Less attention has been paid to the ways in which power and authority are exercised and experienced in Afghanistan. In the current system of governance, abuse of power has become endemic and has emerged as a major driver of persistent conflict. This paper examines some of the key actors and forms of abuse and identifies a set of mechanisms by which abuse of power stimulates conflict persistence.

Fighting in Thin Air: Operational Wilderness Medicine in High Asia

The current conflict in Afghanistan is the first major military action in which the United States and other North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces have found themselves regularly engaged in combat at high altitudes. However, high altitude warfare is not a new concept in Asia by any means. This article will offer a short general historical review of high altitude warfare in Asia and then specifically address some of the operational challenges faced by troops carrying out missions at high altitude in the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan. Additionally, there will be discussion of evidence-based interventions being used to attempt to maintain optimal health of the warfighter at high altitude in this theater of operations. Years of research into how to alleviate the problematic nature of military operations in the high altitude environment has resulted in extensive risk management recommendations from the US Army, specifically aimed at preventing altitude-related casualties.

Women, Peace and Security in Contemporary Pakistan: Meeting the Challenge of Security Council Resolution 1325?

The adoption in 2000 of Security Council Resolution 1325 has rightly been described as a watershed moment. Not only does this resolution recognise women as potentially vulnerable in times of conflict, it specifically, and importantly, recognises women as political actors, as agents in peace processes and as key stakeholders in peace-building. More than a decade after its adoption, however, questions remain as to whether 'gender security' is an elusive goal in conflict and post-conflict situations. There is little to suggest that Resolution 1325 has heralded the kind of transformative change that was hoped for by many, and the challenges of effective implementation continue to arise. There is also the question of compromise in the negotiation of peace agreements and in post-conflict reconstruction. Nationalist sentiment, frequently reinforced by religious and cultural claims, all too often turns on questions relating to sexuality, gendered identities, roles and status. In times of crisis, in fragile states, women and girls become the repository of tradition, and gender identities become the markers of national and group identities, often presumed central to a process of nation-building. In the context of ongoing conflict in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the challenges in ensuring that peace processes meet the requirements of Security Council Resolution 1325 are particularly acute. Over the last year, the possibility of 'talking to the Taliban' has repeatedly been raised. For women and girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan, the stakes are particularly high in any such negotiations. This article explores the position of women in Pakistan and the role that militant religious forces have played in limiting the potential of democratic transitions since the foundation of the state. This article is based on a presentation to the annual conference of the Committee for International Affairs, entitled 'Governance for a more ethical world', which took place at the Royal Irish Academy, Dublin, 19 November 2010. Author's e-mail: s.mullally@ucc.ie Irish Studies in International Affairs , Vol. 22 (201 1), 53-66. doi: 10.3318/ISIA.201 1.22.53 This content downloaded from 157.55.39.210 on Sun, 31 Jul 2016 05:37:21 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 54 Irish Studies in International Affairs

Opium Trade, Insurgency, and HIV/AIDS in Afghanistan: Relationships and Regional Consequences

Global health and conflict studies share key linkages that have important research and policy implications but for which data are currently lacking. This analytical review examines the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan, using it as a basis to develop a conceptual framework that integrates security and public health concepts. The analysis draws on recent peer-reviewed and gray literature to assess the interrelationship among 3 variable clusters and their impact on the emergence of the HIV epidemic in Afghanistan. The evidence suggests that there is a complex indirect relationship linking illicit opium trade, the ongoing insurgency, and forced and spontaneous migration to the emergence of an injection drug use-driven HIV epidemic in Afghanistan. These findings demonstrate a clear need for an integrated cross-disciplinary and regional approach to the emerging threat of HIV/AIDS in Afghanistan, to inform more balanced and effective policy making in this and other regions of strategic global import.

Afghanistan's Insurgency and the Viability of a Political Settlement

The international intervention in Afghanistan has contributed to entrenched state weakness and rising insecurity. Despite increased references to the need for reconciliation with the Taliban and a political solution to the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan, few specifics have been offered by academics or policymakers. Building on research into conflict resolution and an analysis of the composition and motivation of the insurgency, this article addresses this gap by asking whether conditions are currently “ripe” for a negotiated settlement, how “ripeness” may be achieved, and, once achieved, how a political settlement might best be pursued.

Ethics and US Af-Pak Policy

Just war thinkinq applies to the conflict Afghanistan, D articularly that underdeveloped part of the just war tradition that deals with war's end and post-conflict (jus post bellum). This essay considers the some of the fundamental ethical challenges of the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan, arguing that by considering a jus post bellum framework of Order, Justice, and Conciliation we can address some of the great ethical issues faced by the US government in Afghanistan today. More specifically, this essay will focus on three ethical challenges: • The moral imperative of establishing and enduring political order. • The conflict between our ideals of justice and those of many Afghans. • Establishing a foundation for conciliarion among warring parties.

Conflict, Security, and Development.

There is no disagreement on the propositions; that development is a vital priority for all countries and societies; that a secure internal and external environment is needed for this purpose as an enabling environment, and; that where external and internal conflicts and potential conflicts exist, despite the alleged and controversial spin off from defense spending and its associated R+D, they act as a break on development and mitigation strategies are required. For Pakistan the parameters of the situation are bound by disputes with a larger India on one side, on the other side an ongoing conflict in Afghanistan between the Extra Regional Forces of the USA/ISAF/NATO and Afghan factions with its physical and ideological spill over accentuating internal conflicts with terrorist and extremist forces. All these situations and potential conflicts present mitigation challenges if we hope to give development the attention it deserves. How have we been faring, what is our scorecard, how can we do better? These are the fundamental questions posed by the subject of this Panel. On the first external front it is clear that the history of bilateral relations between Pakistan and India since the independence in 1947 has been beset by mistrust and characterised as a most difficult relationship. This has led to significant defense expenditure by both countries. It is clear that if relations can be improved or at least better managed in this age where globally confrontation is being increasingly replaced by cooperation, the “peace dividend” would be in the interest of both countries and improve the lot of their peoples a significant portion that live in conditions of poverty or on the margins of poverty. In this context since the peace process begun in 2004 through the composite dialogue process constituted an important element for managing this relationship and towards efforts for its improvement.

India, Pakistan, and counterinsurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir

With the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan a reliable ally to the South in Islamabad has rarely been as important for NATO countries as it is today. General Musharraf's porous borders and his difficulties controlling tribal minorities and religious radicals within his country bode ill for the future stability of the region. Tensions with India meanwhile remain, as do the nuclear arsenals aimed into the hearts of either country. If a nuclear war breaks out in the near future these two countries will likely be at its epicentre and it is therefore vital to understand precisely why hostilities exist between them. One of the major reasons is Kashmir. Understanding how both countries perceive the conflict in Kashmir is essential if one wishes to understand why they have gone to war so frequently in the past and why they might go to war in the future.

Sigmar Polke: history of everything: paintings and drawings, 1998-2003

Sigmar Polke is one of the world's most revered and influential contemporary artists. This book documents Polke's contemporary work, which continues and deepens the artist's famed explorations of how images are made, used, and thought about in our media-dominated culture. The works also pose intriguing questions about how the eye and mind become crucial players in the perceptual game we undertake daily. Using topical subject matter - such as the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan and the Middle East and the everyday presence of guns in American life - both for its inherent content and metaphoric possibilities, Polke has created a cohesively thematic yet ingeniously diverse group of monumental paintings and large-scale drawings. The source materials for these images are often drawn from American and European newspapers, magazines, and books. All of this work by Polke reflects a fiercely intelligent yet remarkably accessible interpretation of how we perceive and misperceive the social, political, and aesthetic worlds that we live in. In the text, Charles Wylie discusses how Polke's recent work presents a coherent visual essay on the literal and symbolic construction of images. Art critic Dave Hickey provides an interpretive essay on the artist and these new works. Both essays are interspersed with a useful compendium of Polke's source materials.

Management of small fragment wounds: experience from the Afghan border.

Fragmenting munitions have caused the majority of casualties in recent conflicts. These wounds are often multiple, many affecting only the soft tissues of the extremities. The management of these wounds is controversial; some surgeons advocate aggressive surgical treatment; others believe that a nonoperative policy is appropriate in selected cases. The International Committee of the Red Cross has a great deal of experience in treating the wounds of war. It maintains a war surgery hospital in Pakistan, close to the Afghan border, receiving wounded from the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan. This paper describes the number, distribution, and severity of more than 1200 fragment wounds. These injuries were sustained by 83 casualties who presented to the hospital during a recent flare-up in the fighting. The majority of these fragment wounds affected the limbs. Small-fragment wounds affecting only the skin and muscle were managed nonoperatively, with antibiotics and dressings. More than 850 wounds were managed in this way. There were complications in only two of the 63 casualties who had wounds that were treated nonoperatively. The complications were localized abscesses, one of which required surgical drainage. The policy of carefully assessing the wounds and treating selected wounds conservatively appears to have been both successful, in terms of saved surgical resources, and safe, with no life- or limb-threatening complications. This paper makes recommendations as to which wounds might be suitable for nonoperative management, but acknowledges that further work is needed to define the optimal treatment of these common wounds.