Aurat Foundation (AF) in collaboration with Women Learning Partnership (WLP) organized a three-day training of trainers with the focus on young women, students, entrepreneurs, journalists, health facilitators, climate activists, academia, teachers, lecturers, lawyers and women activists working as line managers representing all leading women rights organizations based in Islamabad. WLP and AF enjoy a longstanding partnership for the empowerment of women. They join hands to build the capacity of leading advocacy organizations and networks across Pakistan. The capacity-building trainings have trained several women's rights defenders and imparted advocacy and lobbying skills in community-based networks. This was held ToT by Aurat Foundation and WLP, held in Aurat Foundation office, Islamabad, from June 25, 2025, to June 27, 2025.

The participants were invited through a thorough process, for which letters were sent to the organization heads, including a concept note of the training, which laid out its goals and a brief review of its broader impact. Along with the invitation, a letter of commitment was also sent, which highlighted that the participants will carry out the activities at the grassroots level to achieve the long-term impact of the training program.

The group consisted of 20 participants, including 19 female participants and 1 male participant. Before the training total of 3 women leaders in the second tier from Afghanistan had committed to participating in the training. However, 2 of them withdrew at the 11th hour and only made it to Islamabad and participated in the training.

The training consisted of sessions on various topics, including Leadership, Democratic Culture, Harassment in the Workplace, Communication, Negotiation, and Climate Justice and others. The participants showed keen interest and actively engaged in group work and presentations throughout all sessions.

Naeem A. Mirza, the Executive Director of the Aurat Foundation, led a significant session titled "The Economy of Marriage." He elaborated on the burdensome nature of lavish marriage functions and the detrimental customs that are becoming prevalent in our society. Many parents feel overwhelmed by these traditions, which should be abandoned by the younger generation in Pakistan.

This training brought young activists together on a single platform to share their professional and personal experiences. They reflected on their insights regarding climate change and its impact on the people of Pakistan, discussing international commitments and COP agreements related to climate justice at a broader level. Participants raised concerns about the lack of policy implementation and the seriousness of these issues.

Ms. Maqsooda shared the success stories of previous trainees from the WLP and AF programs, highlighting how many of them are now leading various campaigns, organizations, and playing significant decision-making roles at both national and international levels. Additionally, she conducted a session on 200 years of women's history, exploring their evaluative journey over the past 200 years and assessing women's progress across all fields of life worldwide.

Training facilitators, Ms. Rabeea Hadi and Ms. Myra Imran, distributed certificates to the participants. Following the award ceremony, final evaluations were collected from the participants, and Rabeea Hadi expressed her gratitude with a closing message. She reminded them of their commitment to disseminate knowledge at the grassroots level and encouraged them to build on their learning by conducting additional training sessions, as proposed in their projects.