News - Aurat Foundation

Club de Madrid (CdM)

Aurat Foundation, in partnership with Club de Madrid (CdM), is supporting inclusive implementation of Agenda 2030 in Pakistan under Shared Society Project. The session was attended by Ruben Campos, Programme Coordinator, Club de Madrid, Mr. Elbegdorj Tsakhiagiin, Club de Madrid Member, President of Mongolia (2009-2017), Ms. Romina Khursheed Alam, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister of Pakistan/ Convener Parliamentary Taskforce on SDGs, Naeem A. Mirza, Executive Director Aurat Foundation. Ms Mangla Sharma, Member Provincial Assembly of Sindh, Ms. Mary James Gill, Former Member Provincial Assembly, Ms. Tanzila Ume Habiba, Member of the Provincial Assembly Sindh. Ms. Abia Akram, Executive Director, Special Talent Exchange Programme, Pakistan, Shahzadi Rai, Transgender Activist, Mr. Ali Kemal, Chief SDGs Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives. The session was moderated by Ali Imran, Club de Madrid Senior Expert in Pakistan. The leaders of the vulnerable communities from across Pakistan to discuss and reflect on the VNR 2022.

Club de Madrid (CdM)

Meeting with Ms Romina Khurshid Alam, Convener national parliamentary taskforce SDGs

Ms Nousheen Khurram, National Program Manager Jazba and Mr Waqar Ahmed, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning officer met Ms Romina Khurshid Alam, MNA/Convener national parliamentary taskforce on SDGs at the National assembly building on 22nd June 2022. The visiting delegation from Aurat Foundation discussed different areas of collaboration with the honorable convener parliamentary taskforce on SDGs especially SDG 5 (gender equality).

Two-Days session on Role of Parliamentarians in Ensuring Gender Equality through Implementation of SDG 5 in Balochistan Province, Quetta

Aurat Foundation Quetta organized a Two-Days session on Role of Parliamentarians in Ensuring Gender Equality through Implementation of SDG 5 in Balochistan Province, Quetta in collaboration with South Asia Partnership Pakistan with the financial support of Global Affairs Ganada (GAC) on 15th & 16th July, 2021 in Quetta Serena Hotel.

The objective of this activity is that the role of parliamentarians and politicians, as publicly elected agents, representing voice of the common citizens, has been globally recognized as fundamental to the achievement of Agenda 2030. Because of their strategic foothold in the government, dialogue and debate led by the parliamentarians goes a long way, in mainstreaming and accelerating action plans on SDGs.

2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted on 25 September 2015 by Heads of States and Governments at a special UN summit. The foundation of the 2030 agenda lies in 3 Principles: Universality, Integration and Leaving No one Behind. The Agenda is a commitment through 17 SDGs and 169 targets to eradicate poverty and achieve inclusive and participatory sustainable development by 2030 world-wide.

Pakistan was amongst the first countries to establish a Parliamentary Taskforce on SDGs and declare the Global Agenda 2030 as its national agenda through a resolution of the parliament in 2016. This manifest highest-level political ownership of the global agenda and strong parliamentary accountability on the implementation of SDGs. National SDGs framework was approved by National Economic Council in March 2018 and provincial and states SDGs frameworks are in process of development and approval. The first secretariat of the Taskforce is established within the premises of the Parliament House at Islamabad. The Parliamentary SDGs Taskforces were established in all four provincial assemblies as well.

The parliamentarians in general, and Parliamentary Taskforces on SDGs in specific are mandated to review progress on implementation on SDGs, provide legislative support, aware fellow parliamentarians on Agenda 2030, ensure availability and commitment of resources for achieving the SDGs, and oversee the allocation and utilization of funds by the Federal as well as Provincial Governments.

Aurat Foundation, under Global Affair Canada supported Jazba Programme, is aiming to conducted two-day's session with the members of the Provincial Assembly of Balochistan on their role in ensuring gender-equality through implementation of SDG-5. The main objectives of the session are to analyse current situation of SDG 5 in Balochistan Province, aware about the parliamentary tools to ensure its implementation, develop an action plan and ensure a cross-party political support for gender equality in the province.

The session started with the recitation of Holy Quran. Mr. Allauddin Khilji, Resident Director Aurat Foundation Quetta welcomed the participants and introduction of participants. After the introduction Ms. Mumtaz Mughal, Director Programmes AF has given the brief introduction of AF / Jazba project. After this, Mr. Ali Imran (Consultant), has given a brief presentation on Global Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and he also briefed about the Members Provincial Assembly on their role in ensuring gender-equality through implementation of SDG-5.

Further, Mr. Ali explained the role of Parliamentarians in this regard. Discussion was held for the conservation of SDG 5 and participants shared their views and thoughts. He further said that the role of parliamentarians is very important in the consultation and decision making process of Gender Equality policy in Balochistan. He added that member of Provincial Assembly can provide legislative accountability representation and budget support to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 5. The SDGs need to play the full role of MPAs.

Mr. Qadir Nayel said that the biggest problem in Balochistan is data collection but the provincial government is working on it. The ongoing development work in my constituency is in accordance with the SDGs in our central council. There are also women from whom development schemes related to women have been included in the PSDP. We believe in SDGs.

Mr. Sana Baloch, Mr. Ahmed Nawaz and Mr. Zabid Reiki said that commissions are formed for implementation of laws but unfortunately after legislation here majority of laws are not rules of business. SDGs task force formed in the Provincial Assembly but in three years, there has not been a single meeting conducted. 25 MPAs are member in the SDG task force committee, but the majority may not know about the SDGs.

Participants discussed inherent and historical role of women. They also proposed interventions at research, policy advocacy and grassroots’ mobilisation for ensuring women’s role in SDGs. Many examples are shared that how small behavioral change lead to big evolution. The participants appreciated the work of Aurat Foundation, South Asia Partnership Pakistan and Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and had given their valuable input in this regard.

Meeting With Women Voter Network, Political Workers And Young Activists

Aurat Foundation organized the meeting with Women Voter Network, political workers and young activists of JAZBA on 12th July, 2021 at Rawalpindi district. The meeting comprised of two groups. One with the political workers and other with the women voter network. It was an interactive meeting that how JAZBA is working and what are the spaces that can be created with this project. It was participatory and healthy discussion.

The meeting was chaired by Mr. Arshad Gill from Global Affairs Canada. Many political workers, District and Tehsil representatives, lawyers, media personals and young activists and minority group was part of the meeting. The meeting was participatory, brainstorming with their experiences and ideas that enabled participants to innovate ideas and perspectives. Each of the participants was given chance to actively participate in the meeting to share their views and experience. There is an aura of comfort and mutual understanding among the participants that generated adherence and their full and devoted attention.

Ms. Shafaq, has given the overview of their work in JAZBA in two years and shared the achievements and challenges in their working.

Mr. Arshad talked about the spaces where still women can create their space. Participants talked about the barriers and hurdles to enhance the participation of women in Local Government system. How can we increase women seats and participation in Local government and what provision JAZBA can provide to its groups. The group talked about the minorities that what are the hurdles they are facing and what are the spaces for their participation to increase.

Mr. Arshad also talked to women voter network that how are they working and what are the ground realities in their communities. Mr. Arshad discussed about the hurdles and barriers for their working and how can they further enhance their outreach and working in their constituencies.

In the end, it was decided that these young activists will form women voter network through advocacy in their District Rawalpindi. These political workers will further mobilize and advocate for the increase in representation of women in Local government up to thirty three percent. This meeting was a guideline for the groups to continue their struggle for increase in women participation.

Integrating Vulnerable Communities Inputs to Inclusive Development Roadmap in Pakistan

Aurat Foundation and Club de Madrid organized an online session "Integrating Vulnerable Communities Inputs to Inclusive Development Roadmap in Pakistan".
The session brought together Kjell Mange Bondevik, former Prime Minister of Norway and Member of Club de Madrid with the leaders from religious and ethnic minorities to strengthen strategies and foster consensus between state and minorities around the need to implement the Sustainable Development Goals in an inclusive and participatory manner. Prime Minister Bondevik highlighted the need of interfaith harmony and establishment of forums for dialogue between state and ethnic and religious minorities. He also highlighted that the key legal, political and cultural steps are to be taken to create an inclusive environment for development. Norway has been successful to reduce inter-group tensions and to integrate the migrated and indigenous local Sami communities in Agenda 2030 dialogue process. He appreciated the contribution made by the Pakistan origin immigrants to Norway and vows his support for the integration of religious and ethnic minorities and interfaith harmony.
Mr. Naeem Mirza, Executive Director Aurat Foundation highlighted that the women from religious and ethnic communities are at the risks of multiple vulnerabilities and recommended that there should be exchange of information and knowledge between global north and south. He also said that women's empowerment can be better ensured with their political participation, at all levels.

Mr. Ramesh Singh Arora MPA highlighted that the religious and cultural tourism is key and it can support further integration of Sikh community development in Pakistan. He said that the sikh brethren from all over world acknowledges the warm hospitality and secure environment provided to them in Pakistan.
Ms. Mary James Gill, former MPA highlighted the need of socio-economic development of the marganlised groups within Christian communities. She also stressed for the inclusive curriculum and effective participation of minorities in the mainstream political discourse. Mr. Qadir Ali Nail MPA Balochistan underlined that there is significant decrease in the number of terrorist attacks against Hazara Community in the recent past. He stressed the need for inter-sectarian dialogue to ensure peace and development in Balochistan province.

Ms. Tanzila Qambrani MPA said that the Sheedi tribes in Sindh and Balochistan needs to be socio-economically developed. She also stressed the need of inclusion of minority groups in implementation and monitoring of Agenda 2030 in Pakistan.

Mr. Ali Imran, Senior Expert Club de Madrid said that the inclusion in anchored in two principles; first the Article 36 of the constitutions which binds that the state shall safeguard the legitimate rights and interest of the minorities and secondly Agenda 2030 principle of "Leaving no one behind". He said that in Pakistan's complex political culture and diverse society, it is particularly important to adopt an inclusive approach to include religious and ethnic minorities inputs to planning, implementation and monitoring of Agenda 2030.

Since Pakistan is going to present its Voluntary National Review Report (VNR) to High Level Political Forum in 2021, the panelist and participants stressed to include religious and ethnic minorities inputs.

Mr. Rafael Moreno from Club de Madrid summarized the discussion and vowed to continue Club de Madrid support to Pakistan under Shared Societies Programme. The session was attended by large group of civil society including academia, social & political activists, lawyers, women leaders, media, students and others.