UNDP | Afghanistan |Support to the Establishment of the Afghan Legislature (SEAL)

Thematic Area: Democratic Governance

[Last Updated July 2008]

SEAL II Start Date: March 2008
SEAL II End Date: February 2012
Project Location: Kabul, Afghanistan
Status of the Project : On going
Implementation Partner: N/A

Background

SEAL II is to support the development of a more effective Afghan Parliament. SEAL II builds on the original SEAL project, started in February 2005, which played a central role in helping to establish the Afghan Parliament, thus helping to lay the stable democratic foundations for Afghanistan.

This project will support the Afghan Parliament by strengthening Parliament’s legislative, oversight and representative capacities. Initiatives will target parliamentarians, the commissions, their support staff, and the parliamentary secretariats. SEAL works in close partnership with Parliament’s Secretariat to build the staff support for MPs and Senators.

SEAL project offers legal, procedural and other advice and services to Parliamentarians, and strengthens the skills of the professional staff. The Project also makes significant contributions to the material establishment of the National Assembly, including communication systems and investment in infrastructure and security equipment.

Expected outputs of SEAL project:

1. Enhanced parliamentary capacity to exercise its legislative responsibilities
2. Parliament effectively and responsibly oversees the activities of the Executive
3. Strengthened dialogue between parliament and citizens
4. Strengthened capacity for effective decision/policy making (e.g. budget process throughout the budget cycle, National Development Programmes and International Relations)
5. Effective administrative structures and processes are in place

Achievements:

Establishment of Parliament:

• Establishment of Parliament December 2005.
• Making Parliament operational.
• Development of infrastructure to serve MPs and staff.
• Major steps for a modern payroll and finance system.
• Effective Hansard service established.
• Video conferencing system connects Parliament to all provinces.
• Improved deliberating and reporting on the annual national budget.
• MPs and staff use telecom, computers, Internet.
• Security improved with modern equipment and training.
• Some needs of women MPs addressed through the Women’s Resource Centre (with UNIFEM).
• Amendment to the rules on oversight and investigation of government actions.
• Energizing committees with formulation of work plans for every sitting, for effective exercise of their oversight functions.
• Establishment and support of the Women’s Forum.

MPs capacity:

• MPs better understand their constitutional rights, responsibilities, and the legislative process.
• MP capacity improved through technical training and visits of other parliaments.
• MPs strengthen their role in governance (e.g. approval and implementation of UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC); improving role in budget process and oversight).
• Preparation of Member’s bills.
• MPs use legal, procedural and other advice.
• Women MPs improve their computer literacy.
• MPs communicate better through ICT training.
• Gender Committee improves relations with civil society.
• Submitted advisory opinions on major legislative decrees and Member’s bills.
• Personalized training for individual MPs in plenary deliberations.

Staff capacity:

• Secretariat capacity improved through technical training and study trips for staff across Finance, Administration, Management, ICT, Legal, Security, and Information & Public Relations.
• Secretariat staff communicates better through ICT training.
• Committee assistants trained in-country and in foreign jurisdictions, and continued guidance in committee deliberation.
• Improved research capability of the Legal and Professional Studies Department.

Parliament to the people:

• Public better informed of parliamentary activities and responsibilities (70 SEAL supported publications, monthly gazette, radio programmes, media training).
• Citizens participate in parliamentary business, legislation (visits to Provinces by committees, public hearings).
• Civil society organizations participate in parliamentary work (regular joint meetings).
• Youth Parliament broadens parliamentary experience to new generation.
• Public outside Kabul are involved in the legislative process.

Challenges and risks:

• Members of the National Assembly and the Secretariat have limited experience.
• An effective legal framework and procedures including Standing Orders and mechanisms for executive relations must be in place.
• Parliament does not have full financial autonomy.
• Security is volatile.
• Relatively low parliamentary staff salaries, compared to the open market, limit the hiring and retention of staff.
• Low research and policy analysis capacities at parliament.
• Delayed party and caucus formation inhibit the functioning of parliament.
• Limited local-based materials and experts necessary for comprehensive understanding of the legislative environment in Afghanistan.

Future priorities:

Increasingly SEAL is supporting the development of Members’ and staff professional capacities. This will include a staff development strategy and implementation, exposure to the norms of parliamentary culture and practice, support to the legislation and policy making work of Commissions (including in-country public hearings and the development of research ad analysis capacity) and targeted support to women parliamentarians and to citizen engagement.

Partnerships and resources (SEAL II 2008 - 2012):

SEAL budget: USD 15,316,166
Total commitment: USD 2250000
Total received: USD 650000
Funding gap: USD 13066166

Donor Amount in USD:

UNDP Core 650,000
Denmark 1,600,000

Possible donors:

• Sweden
• Australia
• Italy

Focal points:
Steve Lee, SEAL Project Manager (steve.lee@undp.org)
Yama Helaman, Programme Officer (yama.helaman@undp.org)

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Support to the Establishment of the Afghan Legislature (SEAL II)