A three-day training workshop on “Professional Leadership Skills” was organized by Aurat Foundation on 4th - 6th June 2023 in Ziarat, Balochistan. The objectives of the training were to improve the leadership skills and activities of women waging peace, with a focus on ensuring the mental and general health of the women, supporting social networks, and, building women's capacities in peace-negotiation, leadership and, civic engagement skills, as well as expanding their income-generating opportunities through occupational training to improve socioeconomic status.

The session was conducted by Mumtaz Mughal, Director Programmes, AF, Malka Khan, Senior Programme Officer, Karachi, Mr. Waqar Ahmed, Programme Officer SHE The Peacebuilder, Mr. Saleem Shah, Communication Specialist, AF, Mr. Asim Malik, Director Outreach and Network and Naeem Ahmed Mirza, Executive Director, AF training team covered different topics of leadership skills including leadership, types of leadership, leadership qualities,advocacy, lobbying and networking, alliance building communication, and negotiation skills.

While taking the leadership session, Naeem Ahmed Mirza, Executive Director AF, shared that decades of studies show women leaders help increase productivity, enhance collaboration, inspire organizational dedication, and improve fairness. Despite these benefits, only 10% of Fortune 500 companies are led by women. A dedicated struggle is needed to bring women as peace and political leaders.

Women have their own potential to build peace in their homes, neighborhoods, communities, workplaces, and \society at large. Hence, their active participation in the peacebuilding process is essential to ensure sustainable peace. In Pakistani traditional society has not allowed both women and men to equally participate in society in developmental and political issues. Now, there is a need to speak up for each gender. It is important to ensure that both genders are involved in policy making and legislative work.

Malka Khan, Senior Programme Officer, Karachi, conducted the session by exploring the answer to the question; Why women should have an equal share of leadership decision-making? Why women’s participation in the peace negotiation process? Barriers to women’s effective participation in decision making? How WPAs can break these barriers and ensure women’s participation in decision making and peace talks? She divided the participants into groups. After thorough discussions in the groups, each group gave their presentation.

Mr. Waqar Ahmed, Programme Officer SHE the Peacebuilder, conducted the session on is negotiation skills. He defined the “Negotiation Skills” by sharing that negotiation is back-and-forth communication designed to reach agreement while leaving the other side intact and positive. After holding the brainstorming exercise, he will share the key elements of negotiation on power point:

Mr. Saleem Shah, Communication Specialist, AF, conducted the session on communication skills. Recognizing the importance of communication skills to leadership, this session deals with concepts and methods that will help the WPAs harness their skills.

Mr. Asim Malik, Director Outreach and Network The session will start with brainstorming exercise of What is networking? What are the benefits of networking as a group of WPA? He explained that a network provides a structure that allows members to cooperate, color plate share experiences, expertise, and resources, and pull their power together to bring about change. Networking is a means of securing greater national, regional, or international cooperation which can strengthen the impact of activities carried out by community-based organizations. He explained that successful networking helps to:

At the end of the workshop, certificated were given to participants and group photo was also taken.