Friedrich W. Affolter

Friedrich W. Affolter, Ed.D. "is a graduate of the Center for International Education of the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He specializes in community mobilization, education and transformational learning, and has published about socio-emotional policy dimensions of socio-economic development practice." As of November 2006, Friedrich has acted as task manager with a Civil Education Project in Angola under the auspices of the United Nations Development Programme.

In describing the nature of this project the United Nations Development Programme Website states that "Angola looks back at more than 40 years of armed struggle to shake of colonialist rule, as well as subsequent civil war, which left the country in physically, as well as socio-economically in ruins. In April 2002, the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola [UNITA] and the Angolan Armed Forces [FAA] signed a peace agreement ending more than thirty years of civil war. Since then peace building, promotion of democratic participation and the legitimacy on the political system and its key institutions have been a critical point on the public and institutional agenda. There is a need to foment dialogue among communities about this matter, as well as capacity development for Angolan citizens about their rights and duties through civic education. Civil society in Angola is still in the process to consolidate their action and still needs to strengthen their capacity to address the challenges that the country faces nowadays. At the same time, there has been a lack of coordination among them, as well as a weak synergic approach. Somehow, there is a need to build the capacity of the national civil society organizations in terms of project management, technical support and promotion of a synergic action among them.

In order to respond to this need, UNDP – with support of the Government of Angola and International Partners – has established a ‘Support to Civic Education’ [SCE] Unit and is about to launch a Civic Education Program. The project consists in disbursing grants for civic education projects to Angolan Civil Society Organizations, and to closely monitor the implementation process with the overall goal of building CSO capacity during an ‘on-the-project’ learning process.

Expected results:

Outcome : Greater promotion of pro-poor growth, human rights, good governance and decentralization in accordance with international norms by strengthening national capacities at all levels, and empowering citizens and increasing their participation in decision-making processes."

Resources and articles

 * Helping Children Outgrow War - (PDF) USAID Technical Paper, Edited by Vachel W. Miller and Friedrich W. Affolter (June 2002).
 * Resisting Educational Exclusion: The Baha'i Institute of Higher Education in Iran, published in "Diaspora, Indigenous, and Minority Education", Volume 1, Issue 1 January 2007, pages 65 - 77.
 * The Specter of Ideological Genocide: The Bahá’ís of Iran], accessed April 2, 2009

Related Sourcewatch articles

 * Baha'i Faith