A Consultative Working Group (CWG) meeting was organized by Aurat Foundation (AF) on 1st June 2023 at the Pearl Continental (PC) Hotel, Lahore.

Objectives of the CWG meeting

The main objectives of the consultative working group (CWG) are given below.

1. to build working relationships among women peace architects and diverse state and non-state actors, and
2. to support critical thinking around women's inclusion in TVE strategies and policies.

Participants profile

A total of 72 people participated in the CWG meeting in Lahore. There were six (06) Women Peace Architects (WPAs) from Punjab while the staff of Glow Consultant, Aurat Foundation, SFCG, and Officials of USAID Consulate and Embassy also participated.
Apart from the above, current and former Members of Provincial Assembly (MPAs), former inspector general of Punjab Police (IGP), prominent lawyers and members of academia also participated in the CWG.
The representatives of USAID embassy from Islamabad and team of SFCG also participated.

Proceedings of the CWG meeting

List of Speakers:

3. Sher Ali, Reporter the News International
4. Sumaira Samad, Secretary Women Development Department (WDD), Govt. of Punjab
5. Nabeela Javeed, Secretary, Punjab Commission on the Status of Women
6. Dr. Raghib Hussain Naeemi, Principal Jamia Naeemia
7. Moulana M. Abdul Khabir Azad, Chairman Ruet-e-Hilal Committee (Imam Badshahi Masjid)
8. Dr. Bushra Jamil, Superintendent Police, Punjab Police
9. Sarmad Saeed, Former Inspector General of Police (IGP)
10. Ghalib Bandesha, Former Inspector General of Police (IGP)
11. Prof. Dr. M. Nizamuddin, Pro-Rector, Superior University
12. Mian Imran Masood, Vice-Chancellor, University of South Asia
13. Bushra Butt, Ex-MPA, PML-N, Punjab Assembly
14. Mr. Nadeem Ashraf, Member National Commission of Human Rights Punjab

The participants were different walk of life included supreme court, high court bar association, media, civil society, women headed ngos, lawyers, women peace architects, representatives of political parties, ex. Councilors and parliamentarians, acedmia, sports, youth and others.

Recommendations of CWG meeting:

15. Women Development Department and PCSW ensured that women will be included in the peace committees as per the Punjab Fair Representation Act 2014.
16. Police representatives said that they will are willing to get their field staff trained on common ground approach (CGA).
17. Participants also recommended that “Peace” as a subject should be in training curriculum of police training.
18. Gender sensitization and CVE training sessions should be integral part of police and other law enforcement agencies.
19. There is a dire need to build the capacity of CTD department.
20. Members of the academia gave their consent that peacebuilding should be added as a separate chapter in their curriculum. It should be add from primary to high school curriculum.
21. A module on human rights should be sensitively developed without segregating women rights as separate from human rights; and our heroes should not remain limited to men, but female figures should also be included in curriculum.
22. The civil society representatives and WPAs said that women should be included in the decision-making process and should be included in the district peace committees.
23. Promote inclusion of women in the decision-making positions in their respective governments as well as in regional and international organizations.
24. The parliamentarians and former members of provincial assembly’s said that a peace caucus should be formed in the national and provincial assemblies.
25. A training programme should be initiated for parliamentarians on National Action Plan and security policies
26. The Khateeb of Badshahi Mosque gave a recommendation that during the Friday prayer sermon (khutba) there should be a brief section on peacebuilding and the importance of peace building.
27. Community awareness and sensitization programme on peace and tolerance should be needed to initate at community level.
28. A larger awareness programmes should be launched on NPA, provincial laws related to CVE through media and civil society organizations.
29. Implementation of CVE related laws should be on priority and funds should be allocated in this regard.
30. There is no evidence or data to prove that the purpose of the law to control hate speech and misuse of sound system by extremists has been achieved.  There is complete absence of Parliamentary oversight/ report to Assembly and the Provincial Assembly is not being informed on the utility and enforcement of CVE related laws.  There is need to devise a mechanism to monitor the progress of law.
31. We need to have female role models and ambassadors at every level of institutions that we support.
32. There is need to make more Women Peace Architects to accelerate women’s role in peacebuilding and countering violent extremism in society.

Best practices should be highlighted through mass media.