Glenn Sarka, an ICLAD-affiliated consultant, working under contract with the Asian Development Foundation, first went to Afghanistan in the fall of 2004 to work with the Ministry of Justice on a program to introduce judicial training and improve the court system, and to initiate a program to strengthen legislative drafting capacity.   

Glenn worked with the Ministry of Justice to identify forty-one drafters to participate in an initial workshop. Glenn selected seven of these drafters to help him facilitate the workshop, and provided them with preliminary facilitator-training. The first workshop, occuring in November, 2005, was led by Glenn Sarka, April Powell-Willingham and Ann and Bob Seidman. At this workshop, the presenters introduced the legislative problem-solving theory and methodology; and participants drafted research reports and laid the basis for drafting detailed bills to resolve a wide range of social problems, including: forced marriage, low school attendance, poppy cultifation, traffic congestion in Kabul, garbage collection in Kabul, property reclamation by returning exiles, and child abduction.

Between November, 2004 and February, 2005, Glenn and Eric Putzig, an ICLAD associate employeed by Checchi, continued working with the November workshop participants to finalize their draft research reports and bills.

At asecond four-day workshop in March, 2005, the teams edited each other's drafts and deepened their understanding of the legislative theory, methodology and techniques. The March workshop was conducted by Glenn, Eric and the Seidmans.

Both at the workshop and in informal and formal gatherings with interested persons from the Asia Foundation and Checchi, Glenn, Eric, Ann and Bob discussed future institutionalization of a project to strengthen Afghan drafting capacity and law-making institutions. Those conversations included possibilities of sending ministry and parliamentary staff personnel, along with civil society and university participants, to the four-month Residence Program. However, those plans remain tenative.

As a consultant for the State University of New York (SUNY)-Albany, Glenn continued working to strengthen the capacity of Afghan Parliamentary staff and the new legislators after their election until the fall of 2005.