A 1-Day activity was conducted with visually impaired children at Government Girls Blind School, a boarding school, at Shams Abad Rawalpindi, Pakistan.  It was held on 8 September, 2015, as part of celebrating International Literacy Day.

The activity was organized and conducted by Aurat Foundation in joint collaboration with Garden of Hope Taiwan. In total 58 blind girls studying in grade 5th to 10th and 12 teachers participated in the activity. The activity was divided into two sessions where theme of session one was ‘Child Abuse & Violence Against Women & Girls’. This session was conducted by Ms Rabeea Hadi of Aurat Foundation. Session two was conducted by Mr Muhammad Zeeshan, Psychologist working with Pakistan Foundation Fighting Blindness, and theme of session two was importance of education.

The broader objective of the activity was to educate girl children with disabilities who are more prone to violence and discrimination. The need was realised after the reports that children in Pakistan, irrespective of their gender, are being subject to heinous sexual violence.

The staff and students expressed concern over the hygiene situation of the school. They said that drinking water, bedrooms, kitchen and washrooms of the school lacked hygienic environment and requested us to communicate their concerns with donors and sponsors. They also expressed concerns over minimum provision of recreational activities for the students because of unavailability of funds.

Aurat Foundation and Dastgir Legal Aid Center along with two acid victims and their families held a press conference, on August 25, 2015, Karachi, to demand medical treatment and financial help for the victims.

“Acid is so easily accessible, anyone can buy it whenever one wants. We want it to be sold only under license, with the buyers also submitting a copy of their national identity card to the sellers”, said Mahnaz Rahman, Resident Director, Aurat Foundation.

It was demanded that shops selling acids should be sealed. The law is in place but not implemented. There are also many glitches in the system, which allows the perpetrators to flee without being convicted. “We need better police investigations, trials and treatment for victims.  Offenders should be given severe punishments, to set an example for the future and financial help should be provided to the victims”,  said Mr Saifuddin, City Head, Dastgir Legal Aid Center..

Pakistan Religious Freedom Initiatives: Leaders of Influence organized a meeting of Religious Freedom Caucus (RFC) on 22nd August, 2015 at Moven Hotel Pick, Karachi. Among the prominent participants were Ms Syeda Shahla Raza, Deputy Speaker Sindh Assembly, Ms Iram Khalid, MPA PPP, Ms Nusrat Abbasi, MPA- PML-F, Ms Kulsoom Chandio, MPA PPP, , Mr Ali Imran, TAF Consultant, Ms Shahnaz Sheedi, SAP-PK Sindh, Mr M. Parkash N.L.D, Mr Saleem Michail, Justice Helpline, Mr. John, B.T.I, Mr Nadeem Shaikh, President Justice Helpline, Ms Nadia Tariq Ali  and Mr M. Kashif Kamal represented The Asia Foundation in the meeting.

Ms Mahnaz Rahman, Resident Director, Aurat Foundation’s Karachi office received ‘Women Excellence Award’ at the International Conference on Women Leadership, held on Pakistan’s Independence Day, the 14 August 2015. The Award, which was presented by Ms Reham Khan, is given to seasoned women professionals in various categories on the exemplary services rendered by them in their respective fields.

Other recipients of the Award include Ms Maryam Nawaz, Dr Fehmida Mirza, Ms Mahira Khan and Ms Tahira of Army Public School, Peshawar.

Ms Sherry Rehman, Senator PPP, and Mr Nisar Khuhro, Minister  for  Information, Sindh,  were among speakers at the conference, and Ms Reham Khan was the Chief Guest. 

Dr Abdul Hayee Baloch, former Member National Assembly (MNA) and Senator, visited Aurat Foundation Quetta office on 13 August, 2015. He discussed  in details  the ‘new emerging political dimensions of Balochistan in the perspective of Gwadar Mega Project and Pak-China economic corridor’.

During the discussion he highlighted lacunae in electoral and local government systems of Pakistan. He said that, members of provincial assembly do not want to transfer the powers to grass root level and keep the budget intact which causes failure to local government system.

Showing his concerns on Gwadar Mega Project and Pak-China economic corridor he said that, those will benefit China only and do not provide any development to Balochistan and Pakistan.

Current political situation in Balochistan, Pakistan’s foreign policy with neighbor countries and provincial autonomy was discussed during meeting. Dr Abdul Hayee said that, there is a major security risk in Balochistan right now and democracy is the only way to overcome the issues currently prevailing in province. He said that, his struggle will continue for the rights of Balochistan. He stressed that, every individual should play his/her part for the prosperity of Balochistan and Pakistan.

He praised the efforts of Aurat Foundation for playing key role in the development of society and thanked staff for sparing their time for meeting. At the end, Mr  Haroon Dawood,  Resident Director AF, Quetta, handed over publications and reading material to Dr. Hayee. 

Aurat   Foundation’s Karachi office organized a demonstration to condemn acid attack on 19  years  old  Rahila  Rahim.  The demonstration was held on Friday, August 7, 2015, near Sindh Assembly building.  Several civil society organization and human rights activists also joined in the demonstration to express solidarity with  the families of victims.  While speaking on the occasion, Ms Mahnaz Rahman, Resident Director, said it is a very painful situation that during last two month 4 acid burn cases are reported in Karachi. She lamented on the non-implementation of the Acid Control and Crime Prevention Bill, 2010, that was passed by the National Assembly in May 2011.

Six-month-old Mohammad Hadi with deep scars left by acid burns on the left side of his face was in Rahila Rahim’s lap when acid was thrown on her face. Rahila was severely injured and deformed in the attack. The assailant was her ex-fiancé, angry at her for refusing to marry him.

Rahila’s family along with infant nephew were present at the demonstration. Her sister Nausheen Aftab, the baby’s mother, said that he was scarred for life. Meanwhile, Rahila, the real target of the heinous attack, has lost one eye and her face is unrecognizable. “She can barely see from her good eye, too. She was a very pretty girl. We can’t bear to see her now,” her sister said.

Another victim Sidra’s mother, Kaniz Bano, said her daughter was just going somewhere with her sister when they were approached by a boy in their Baldia Town neighbourhood. “He asked Sidra to marry him and when she refused he threw acid on her. My daughter’s entire face is destroyed with her losing sight in one eye,” the mother said.

Farzana, mother of 15-year-old Zakia, another acid attack victim, said that her daughter was doing laundry at home and she herself was out for grocery shopping while her husband was at his job when four men and three women sneaked inside their home from the door left open by their younger children playing in the street.

A fourth case highlighted by the protesters was that of air hostess Zainab. There, too, she had refused a marriage proposal.

The protesters raised slogans about acid being cheaper than flour here. “It’s so easily accessible. The shops selling it don’t even think twice. We want it sold under licence only with the buyers also submitting a copy of their national identity card to the sellers,” said Malka khan of the Aurat Foundation.

“These four acid attack cases happened over a period of two months only. The victims are facing a fate worse than death,” she added. “We want the toughest punishments for the attackers.”

Women Parliamentary Caucus (WPC) on Wednesday stressed for the enhanced role of Parliamentarians in the implementation and oversight of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).    

The demand came forward in a study circle for women parliamentarians organized by WPC in collaboration with Aurat Foundation (AF), Trocaire, DFAT, Trocaire and Australian Aid. The purpose of the study circle was to acquaint the women parliamentarians on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the transition to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The study circle started with the introductory remarks by Secretary WPC MNA Shaista Parvez and AF Director Advocacy Rabeea Hadi which was followed by in-depth presentation by Chairperson Parliamentary Taskforce on MDGs MNA Maryam Aurangzeb.

Maryam highlighted government’s efforts and action plan to implement MDGs and SDGs. She highlighted some of the technical issues with the MDGs. She said that global development agenda can only succeed when it is streamlined with the national agendas and Parliamentarians can play an important role in this regard.

She talked extensively about the reasons for Pakistan’s failure to achieve most of the MDGs goals. She termed lack of attention by the governments, dearth of resources for the set targets, major shift of responsibilities as a result of devolution and lack of ownership and oversight by Parliamentarians as basic reasons behind this below par performance.

Highlighting challenges to implement global development agendas, she said that after devolution, implementation of major development goals has been shifted to provinces whereas federal government is responsible to report for the international treaties. Maryam said that collection of data from provinces is a huge challenge. “Out of 41 indicators of MDGs, data for 33 indicators was not available,” she said adding that there is still no forum where federal and provincial ministers can discuss and coordinate their efforts.  

Besides lack of data, she said that the government departments lack capacity to analyze the available data. She said that the government is working to improve curriculum for civil servants and judiciary to equip and aware the government machinery for emerging challenges. Maryam urged for better coordination among civil society, media and Parliamentarians for effective implementation of global development agenda.

Shehryar Ghazi from Rutgers WPF and Rabea Hadi from AF highlighted the role of civil society organizations (CSOs) in achievement of these goals. They also discussed the need for increased interaction among parliamentarians and CSOs to enhance their knowledge and learn from each other.

They acknowledged the essential role of Parliaments in sustainable development through enactment of legislation and adoption of budgets and ensuring accountability for the effective implementation of international commitments.

They said that for Pakistan to enjoy the demographic dividend, holistic investments must be made to improve lives of adolescents and youth especially their health. They said that Pakistan has achieved key milestones in achieving gender equality including progressive laws pertaining to rights for women and policies to increase political and civic participation of women. The legislative efforts (new legislation and effective implementation) must be sustained.

They pointed out that indicators of maternal health in Pakistan have experienced slow progress which has resulted in MDG5 being off-track in all provinces. “In order to improve the health status of women and young girls it is necessary to integrate maternal and reproductive health in national and provincial plans,” suggested Shehryar Ghazi.

The women parliamentarians appreciated the study circle and expressed their desire to hold more study circles on women centric issues. Furthermore they agreed on raising SDGs specific issues through calling attention and questions.

Aurat Foundation’s project ‘Pakistan Religious Freedom Initiatives: Leaders of Influence (PRFI)’ organized a three 1-day training sessions with police officials from South, East and West police zones  of  Karachi,  from 27th to 29th July 29, 2015, at Hotel Movenpick, Karachi. The main objective of these training sessions was to sensitize employees of law enforcement agencies, especially police officers on the rights of minorities and to increase awareness amongst them about laws that have been passed recently.

In order to conduct these sessions various trainers from all over the city were contacted including Mr Niaz Siddiki, former IG Sindh, Ms Fouzia Tariq, HR defender, Mr Faizullah Korejo, SSP Investigation, and Mr Naeem Zeeshan, Police Trainer. Moreover, since the aim of the training sessions was to target police officers from all over Karachi, police officers from South were invited to attend the first day, officers from West were the participants on the second day and on the third day officers from East attended the sessions.

On each day, the meeting started with the recitation of Holy Quran. Ms Mahnaz Rahman briefed the police officers and the rest of the participants about Aurat Foundation’s work.   

Ms Erum spoke to the participants about PRFI which is being run by Aurat Foundation and she shared the objectives of the workshop.

Ms Fouzia Tariq gave the presentation on Human Rights Constitution of Pakistan, UDHR, Mr Niaz Siddiki covered the Child Marriages Restrained Act 2013, Domestic Violence Act 2013, Acid burn Act 2011,and its impact on minorities, Mr Faizullah Korejo discussed with police officials the minorities cases and Mr Naeem Zeeshan took the session on gender.

Pakistan Religious Freedom Initiatives: Leaders of Influence (PRFI) held a meeting with government officials and other stakeholders on July 24, 2015, at Marriott Hotel, Karachi. Meeting was  attended by Ms Saira Shahliani, MPA PPP; Mr Aijaz Ahmed Mangi, Secretary Labor; Mr Muhammad Sadiq, Director Minorities Affairs; Mr Anwar Ali Babar, Official Minorities Affairs; Ms Musarat Jabeen, Deputy Director, Women Development Department; Ms Anis Fatima, Assistant Director, Planning and Development Department; Mr Ghulam Haider Memon and Mr Abdullah Shah Ombudsman Sindh; Ms Farhat Moosa, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics;  Mr Abdul Rahim Moosvi, Sabiha Shah from Women Development Foundation, Pakistan; Mr Syed Moazzam Ali, Consultant TAF Project; and from AF Ms Mahnaz Rahman Resident Director, Karachi office, Ms Erum Javed Project Manager and Ms Fareeda Tahir Associate Programme Manager.

Ms Mahnaz Rahmanspoke about the various projects that AF is currently working on, with a special focus on Gender Equity Program, which is funded by USAID. While  introducing the project,  Ms Fareeda  Tahir said that PRFI is a project of Aurat Foundation in Sindh supported by The Asia Foundation.  She said that the purpose of the project was to deal with the issues that non- Muslims in Pakistan face.  It is for this purpose that she also mentioned some of the issues such as forced conversion, forced migration, hate speech in curriculum which have been identified through a  KAP survey including focus group discussions which was conducted at the grassroots level in districts such as Tando Allahyar Karachi etc by their consultant Mr Moazzam. She said that for many months now they’ve been working with their legal consultant Ms Maliha Zia Lari, parliamentarians, the relevant government departments, parliamentarian, civil society and other organizations in order to come up with a comprehensive law that deals with the issue of forced conversion in Sindh.

At this point the Secretary Labour said that all government departments had received a notice about the five percent quota for Minorities, therefore all the relevant departments are working hard to implement this quota. After this, Mr Moazzam, who was the consultant responsible for conducting the KAP survey to identify the issues of Minorities, spoke about the KAP survey and the focus group discussions that were conducted across various districts of Sindh.

Ms Sabiha Shah addressed the participants and said that the mindset of people needs to be changed through awareness.

Pakistan Religious Freedom Initiatives: Leaders of Influence (PRFI) organized a meeting with officials of Social Welfare Department, Government of Sindh on July 24, 2015. The meeting was attended by Ms Riaz Fatima, Deputy Director, Mr Anwer Alam, PCRDP, Mr Nasir Hussain Qazilbash, PRCDP and from AF Ms Mahnaz Rahman, Resident Director AF and Ms Fareeda Tahir, Associate Programm Manager were there.

Ms Mahnaz Rahman briefed the members of the Social Welfare Department about Aurat Foundation’s work. While giving the project introduction, she said that Pakistan’s Religious Freedom Initiative is aimed at dealing with the problems that non Muslim Pakistanis face, such as forced conversion, hate speech in curriculum etc. Ms. Fareeda Tahir, Associate Program Manager shared that the Religious Freedom Caucus (RFC) is the same as Women Caucus in the Sindh Assembly, and that it will be established at the parliamentary level and across party lines. This will include members of the Provincial Assembly from the mainstream parties and religious minorities. This caucus will serve as an advocacy platform for the religious freedom in Sindh and will lobby with other parliamentarians for tabling important legislation and draft bills, undertake advocacy toward desired changes in party manifestos and also setting up minority wings in their respective parties.  

Ms Riaz Fatima briefed the Aurat Foundation staff about the work being done by the Social Welfare Department. She said that 78 women welfare centers are being run all over Sindh. Ms Riaz Fatima informed that the public sector is constantly failing to implement the 2% quota that has been set to provide employment to the disabled Pakistanis. At this point, Ms Riaz Fatima gave some recommendations to help improve employment opportunities for minorities in Pakistan such as applying affirmative action in the case of minorities as well. She said that there should be a separate interview and a separate test for minorities. She also mentioned that in interior Sindh, religious minorities are the majority in terms of population. She then spoke of the medical assessment project which is being run by the Social Welfare Department. Under this project, tests are administered which certify if people are disabled according to the rules set by the Pakistani government so that they may be eligible for jobs under the 2% quota set by the government. Moreover, now there is a monogram which is engraved on their CNIC as well to make the process of getting a job easier. However, she mentioned that the Certificate can only be made once the CNIC has been made therefore the applicant needs to be 18 years or older. Lastly, she mentioned that the Social Welfare Department also provides career counseling so as to facilitate disabled people when they are applying for jobs.   

On June 22, 2015, Aurat Foundation’s Karachi office organized a consultation on  youth policy in Sindh.  The consultation was centered on the Youth Policy in Sindh, what has been achieved with regards to empowerment of youth by various stakeholders and how the empowerment of youth is important in the larger scheme where development on a national level is concerned. During the meeting, youth policy in the status quo was discussed and so were plans for the future of the policy and subsequently the youth of Pakistan.

The participants were welcomed by Ms Malka Khan, Regional Coordinator LISTEN, Sindh and Baluchistan.  Ms Mahnaz Rahman, Resident Director AF, spoke on the LISTEN project and Youth Policy.  She said that there was an immediate need for a policy in Sindh that addresses the problem of the youth and that with the support of 2012 Legislators’ Policy and the advice of civil society any such policy could be implemented easily. When discussing the details and the significance of such a policy, she said that a policy for the youth shall empower them economically, socially and politically and make them aware of their rights and responsibilities.  The youth policy should include short term and long term goals and should provide central aid. In Sindh, the Department of Youth Affairs is taking basic steps for youth empowerment. However, it is essential that other departments and organizations also work hand-in-hand for this cause. This collaboration will ensure that an effective link for communication for all youth related activities is established, and that public funds are utilized in a better way.

Mr Noor Bajeer, Executive Director CSSP, said that the struggle for youth policy is ongoing. Then, Bargael NGO shared a draft with the participants and the youth affairs department. It was said that this draft has been pending since 2012 and that it was drafted after a discussion with MPAs and youth representatives.

Dr Sikander Mandrio promised that he is going to work on the youth draft which will deal with education and social welfare. He said that rural youth should be uplifted, and the Student Unions should be restored. Moreover, at least 5% of minority social protection should be present, agricultural and health issues should be focused in the policy and it should reflect the need of student unions for educational institutions.

Mr.Rizwan Jaffer, Founder of Youth Parliament, said that they have been working on youth policy for quite a few years now and that they formulated the Youth Parliament through which many young people are involved. He said that youth of Sindh should be made a part of policy-making which is why the Youth Parliament project was conceived and is being implemented by the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development And Transparency (PILDAT). 

In a historic move, taking notice of barring women to cast their vote, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) today declared the May 7, 2015, by-polls in PK-95, Lower Dir-II, as null and void and directed re-polling there.

This was a judicial and political victory for women after 49 years, when in1966 women were barred to cast their vote in Karachi and a petition was filed in Sindh High Court against this political discrimination.  Women’s right to vote has been denied of right to vote in many areas of Pakistan.

“This is a historic decision towards women’s political empowerment and would have far reaching impact on women’s struggle for political rights”, said Shabina Ayaz, the resident director of the Aurat Foundation in Peshawar.  She also  valued the  timing of  the  decision in the context of  complaints from women  against  denial from  voting  during  recent local  government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, that the  decision would encourage the  women  voters and candidates to file their complaints where  they were  denied of casting vote.  “Aurat  Foundation has been monitoring  general and local government  elections, raising women’s disfranchisement  issue and giving  recommendations continuously since 1991”,  she further  said.  A petition was also filed in Peshawar High Court in  2001 against barring women from casting  vote during local government  elections.     

The ECP took sui-motto   after various women’s rights activists sent requests demanding that the election be declared null and void in by-polls of  PK-95 where women were barred to cast their vote. The  case was heared by ECP under the Chief Election Commissioner, retired Justice Sardar Raza Khan.  Seven  women’s  rights activists appeared as petitioners, namely Ms Shabina Ayaz from Aurat Foundation,  Ms Bushra  Goher, MNA ANP, Ms Tahira  Abdullah, Ms Khawar Mumtaz, Chairperson NCSW, Ms Irshad Begum, from ABKT, Ms Farbana  Bari  and  Mr Sikandar from SAP-PK.   

Lower Dir’s powerful men have a history of excluding women from the election process. In the 2013 general election they signed a deal not to allow women to vote. All political parties — religious and those that call themselves secular were part of it. The deal was signed on May 10, 2013 and bore the signatures of Dr Nazir of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Aizaz-ul-Mulk Afkari of the Jamaat-i-Islami, Haji Abdul Rahman Khan of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Malik Rehman of Pakistan People’s Party, Abdul Wahid of Awami National Party and Dr Deedar Mohammad of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. According to the agreement, any party violating it would be fined Rs.5 million. 

The representatives from Aurat Foundation met with government officials and politicians, specifically MPAs, to discuss the issue of religious freedom for religious minorities. Notable personalities that attended the meeting included MPAs such asMs. Mahtab Akber Rashidi PML-F, Ms. ShamimMumtaz PPP, Ms. Iram Khalid PPP along with individuals likeMr. Mohammad Umar who represented PPP at the event.  Apart from these dignitaries, Ms Mahnaz Rahman, Residential Director AF, Ms Erum Javed, Project Manager PRFI/TAF, Mr Imran Sangrasi and Ms Fareeda Tahir, Associate Program Manager AF also attended the event. 

The meeting started off with an introduction of the participants and the project itself. One of the representatives of the Aurat Foundation, MsFareeda Tahir stated that the project that they were currently working on, called Pakistan Religious Freedom Initiative, is being funded by The Asia Foundation She mentioned that historically Aurat Foundation was seen as just working for the rights of women. However, it is due to this project that Aurat Foundation is also being recognized as a champion of the rights of minorities. Under this project, AF is currently working on issues that include but are not limited to hate speech, forced conversion, forced marriages, quota problem, the behavior of the police and the response of the various political parties in light of this issue.

Ms Tahir said that another way in which they were working on tackling the problemwas the introduction of new legislation that would improve the conditions for religious minorities. It was for this purpose, that they had hired Ms. Maliha Zia Lari as a consultant, so that new bills could be drafted. She further mentioned that at the moment, non- Muslims were being hired for jobs in the government through a 5% quota. To ensure that this quota was set, they had met with the Secretary for Education, Secretary for Social Welfare, Secretary for Women Development, and government officials like Ombudsman Sindh,etc.

She then talked about their plans for the future which included making a Religious Freedom Caucus in the Sindh Assembly which is similar to the Women’s Caucus, present within the Assembly already. Moreover, she stated that this Caucus would include members of the provincial assembly from the mainstream parties and it would also include representatives from religious minorities. While talking about its significance, she mentioned that the caucus would serve as a platform for not just advocating religious freedom in Sindh but would also help in lobbying with other parliamentarians when it is time to draft bills, table important legislation and the establishment of minority wings in various political parties.

Ms ShamimMumtaz MPA-PPP said that there was a Minorities and Religious Affairs Committee in the Assembly at the moment and that Mr Ramesh is the Chairman of the Committee. MsMahtabRashdi then addressed the audience, and expressed solidarity with the cause. She also said that the staff of Aurat Foundation could be allowed to participate with permission from the concerned authorities. Finally, the meeting concluded on a positive note with a vote of thanks by Ms Mahnaz Rahman.

Aurat Foundation organized a meeting with officials of the Police Department, Sindh, on May 4, 2015 at Marriott hotel, Karachi. The meeting was organized under the ‘Religious Freedom Initiatives: Leaders of Influence’ project  and was participated by Mr Nusrat Mangan, IG Prison, Ms Sheeba Shah, Senior Superintendent,  and other police officials namely Ms Masooma Changazi ,  Ms Azra Memon, and Ms Habiba Hasan.  Aurat  Foundations was  represented by  Ms Mahnaz Rahman Resident Director, Ms Erum Javed, Manger, Ms Fareeda Tahir, Associate Program Manager and Ms Anis Fatima.

Mr Nusrat Magan, during the discussion, said that there were many casts in Hindu community  like Kohli, Bheel, Magwar, Brahman and Bhagri , and they have difference practices, and hence, identifying their issues  needs a grass root research.

Mr Nusrat Magan said that teaching all religions in the schools is also not a good practice as it separates students with each other. We should not teach any religion in schools.

Aurat Foundtion’s  Karachi  office, under its Pakistan Religious  Freedom Initiative: Leaders of  Influence project,  organized a meeting with the Secretary, Education Department, Government of Sindh There was a meeting held in Secretary Education, Mr Fazlullah Pechuhu, at Tughluq House, Sindh Secretariat,  Karachi, on April, 6, 2015.

Ms Mahnaz Rahman, Residential Director, Aurat Foundation, briefed  the participants about the  basic objectives  of  the  project. Ms Fareeda Tahir, Associate Progrm Manager, AF, while  giving details of  the  project, said that  a round of Focus Group Discussions were  organized in four districts of Sindh, namely Karachi, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas and Tando Allayar, so  that to identify the issues faced by non-Muslims. A Technical Working Group, chaired by Justice (R) Majida Rizvi, was  also  established with  members from different stakeholders like lawyers, media personnel, NGO’s, Government institutions etc.  The  Group, under the guidance of  the Chairperson, is working on the bill on the  issue  to   be  submitted  in the Sindh Assembly.  She said that  the  group demands  an effective implementation of the 5% quota for Non-Muslims in Educatioon Department.

Mr. Fazlullah Pechuhu, responded that a 10% quota for Non-Muslims is already in place in the  National Testing Service, and that they were trying to get the same in other sections of the  department. Dr Fauzia Khan from Curriculum Wing, ELD, said that the Wing  welcomes  Aurat Foundation to work on curriculum. 

AAWAZ voice and accountability programme held a ‘National Consultation on Critical Issues of Concern for Women and Need for Legislation, on April 3, 2015, at Bhurban, Murree. Political parties as gatekeepers are the key actors that can support women’s political participation within parties as well in the electoral processes which is one of the main focuses of AAWAZ Programme. Hence, AAWAZ Programme continuously engages national and provincial assembly members at various times.  

In continuation of such initiatives such as knowledge sharing with parliamentarians on legislative initiative and develop networking and alliance among national and provincial women caucuses, AF with collaboration of AAWAZ consortium partners keenly observes the pending legislation challenges and emphasis need for new legislation for women’s concern and this consultation was among one of the steps AAWAZ is taking.

 The national consultation was held under following agenda:

• Status of current and pending legislation (National and Provincial)
• Identification of issues for proposed amendments and new legislation
• Challenges and opportunities for legislations process
• Open discussion 

Participants from leading political parties like PML N, PPPP, PTI, MQM,JI, JUI-F, PML F, representatives of provincial women caucus, DAI, SPO and AF attended this consultation. Ms Shaista Pervaiz, PML N, & Secretary Women Parliamentary Caucus, chaired the consultation.

Participants from leading political parties included Mr Shehryar Afridi, MNA, PTI, Mr Tariq Ahmed Khan, Secretary Information QWP, Ms Nabila Hakima Khanm MPA, PTI, Mr Shaukat Basra, Secretary Information PPPP, Mr M Ali Rashid, MNA, MQM, Ms Nusrat Abbasi, MPA, PML F, Ms Munaza Hassan, MNA, PTI, Ms Aisha Syed, MNA, JI, Ms Tehseen Fawad, MPA, PML N, Dr Farid Piracha, Deputy Secretary General, JI, Ms Sadia Sohai, MPA, PTI, Ms Nafeesa Khattak, MNA, PTI, Ms Mussarat Ahmadzeb, MNA, Independent, Ms Naeema Kishwar, MNA, JUI, Ms Shaista Pervaiz, MNA, PML N, and Secretary Women Parliamentary Caucus, Ms Sorat Thabo, MPA, PML N, Ms Fariah Emad, MNA, PML N, Ms Shazia Ashfaq Mattu, MNA, PML N, and Ms Shaheen Shafiq, MNA, PML N.

After spending two parliamentary years in their respective assemblies, most of women parliamentarians still lack information and capacity to introduce legislation and actively participate in the assemblies’ business.  This was realized during a two-day sensitization workshop when women parliamentarians complained lack of information and support and demanded capacity building sessions on legislative business.   Looking into parliamentary experience of the sitting women parliamentarians reveals that among a total of 211 women parliamentarians who joined the National and provincial assemblies after the General Election 2013, majority i.e. 144 joined in for the first time, and hence needed information and skills on legislative business.

On Monday, March 30, 2015, friends of Muhammad Zahid Elahi organized a condolence reference in his memory at Islamabad Hotel.  Muhammad Zahid Elahi, who died on February 4, 2015, in unfortunate road accident, was development professional, institutional development expert, and humanitarian philanthropist who served in organizations like CIDA, UN, TAF, DAI etc.  After graduating from London, he started his carrier as a journalist for The Frontier Post. 

Mr Daniyal Aziz, former MNA, Mr Kanwar Muhammd Dilshad, former Secretary Election Commission,  Mr Harris Khalique, Ms  Farah Azeem Khan, Mr  Niaz Ahmed Kathia, Mr Mumtaz Tanoli, Mr  Qaisar  Butt, Qazi Azmat Esa, Mr Irfan Mufti, Mr Nazir Ahmed Ujjan, Mr Naeem Mirza were among the friends who paid tributes  to  M Zahid Elahi.  Mr Younas Khalid coordinated the event. As a person, friend and colleague he was kind and cooperative, they said.  Throughout his life, he remained committed to improving the lives of other around him.

Two ‘Trainings of Trainers’ (ToTs), 5 days each, were organized by Aurat Foundation, under AAWAZ programme, in two batches i.e. 17-21 March, 2015, and 21-30 March, 2015, at Hill View Hotel Islamabad.  The trainings addressed the Capacity Building Plan’s theme ‘Democracy: Home to Parliament’. The participants, 110 in number, were invited from 45 districts of AAWAZ programme.

Background

AAWAZ voice and accountability programme is a substantial initiative aiming to nurture and strengthen the communities to achieve three prestigious outputs of the programme. AAWAZ has till date mobilized different structures from village level to national level to help citizens in amplifying and organizing their roles and voices for effective and responsive service delivery from specific state institutions as well as enhanced women’s political participation by creating safe public spheres and community conflict prevention through non-violent ways.

The outcome of the programme is that democratic processes in Pakistan are more open, inclusive and accountable to citizens.

Trainings were divided into two batches. First Batch comprised 53 participants from 17th March 2015 to 21st March 2015, and 2nd Batch comprised 57 from 26th March to 30th March 2015. The main components were.

• Session1: Delivery of Awareness –Raising Workshop
• Session2: Our land our Lives
• Session3: Human Democratic State , Active Citizens
• Session4: Star Citizens
• Session5: Action planning ( Circle of Concern and influence)
• Session6: Reflection
• Theory of Change (Micro Training)
• Islam and religious diversity (Micro Training)

Sessions were accompanied by well composed sets of energisers, games and activities that are easily implementable at village level. 

A 2-day session on pro-women laws was held on 13th and 14th March 2015 at Mehran Hotel, Karachi. The purpose was to build capacity and strengthen networking of medical and legal institutions.  A certificate distribution ceremony was also held at the end of the training.

Ms Mahnaz Rehman started the event by conducting a session on Gender perspective. She highlighted the importance of understanding gender and discussed the misconceptions and misperceptions people hold about gender. She defined the difference between gender and sex i.e. sex is biological but gender is a socially constructed role as defined by society. Gender role is influenced by various social and environmental factors and therefore also influenced by class. Gender roles, especially in our culture, also vary within classes (lower to upper class).

The rest of the event was focused on pro-women laws and the relevant issues that exist. This part of the event was conducted by M. Sarah Zaman and Ms Maliha Zia. Both gave a detailed understanding about the forms of violence against women, relevant laws and discussed the hurdles that relate to law implementation. The training ended with distribution of certificates to all participants. 

Aurat Foundation’s Karachi office organized a study circle on March 12, 2015, at Sheraton Hotel to discuss the implementation of the pro-women laws as well as those laws that have been passed but for which Rules of Business (ROBs) have not been formulated. There were a number of participants that included members of various organizations such as Bint-e-Fatima Old Home Trust, Women Development Foundation, HANDS, etc. The participants also included Ms Erum Khalid, MPA, and Secretary Sindh Women Parliamentary Caucus, and Mr Shoaib Ashraf, Advocate Supreme Court.

Parliamentarians should lobby and recommend to the government to present ‘Gender Budget Statement’ as part of the Budget Books, which shall highlight the amounts allocated for women development.  This was realized during a a study circle on ‘Women`s Development Agenda in Next Federal Budget 2015-16 in line with UN MDGs/SDGs’, with parliamentarians and civil society representatives.  The event was organized by Aurat Foundation on March 10, 2015, at Islamabad Hotel.

Mr Nohman Ishtiaq, Expert / Consultant-Public Financial Management, delivered a detailed presentation on ‘Women’s Development Agenda in upcoming Budget 2015 – 2016’.  Ms Uzma Zarin, Director Programmes, Aurat Foundation, coordinated the study circle and the question hour session.

Measuring women’s development in Pakistan, the Annual Gender Gap Index 2014 report, published by World Economic Forum, shows that Pakistan ranked at 141 out of 142 surveyed countries.  The rank measures four key areas: in economic participation and opportunity Pakistan ranks at 141; in education Pakistan ranks at 132; in health and survival Pakistan ranks at 119; in political empowerment – Pakistan ranks at 85.  The figures show that women’s economic empowerment, children’s schooling and health are the most under-budgeted sectors.

Analyzing the budget making process reference women’s development, Mr Ishtiaq said that the government does not have any figures that how much budget would be spent on women’s welfare and rights in any coming budget, hence we had to dig down such information from many diverse sources.

Whereas the rules do allow parliamentarians to conduct oversight at the budget execution stage.  Rule 166(4) of the rules of procedures and conduct of business in the Senate which state: “A Committee may examine suo moto the expenditures, administration, delegated legislation, public petitions and policies of the Ministry concerned and its attached corporations and public bodies and may call for views of the Ministry. After examining the views of the Ministry, the Committee shall make a report to the Senate, which may make such recommendations thereon as it may deem fit.”

Mr Ishtiaq also linked the budget allocations for women’s development with Pakistan’s commitments which it made to UN through conventions and treaties signed e.g. Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), The Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (ICRPD), BPfA is an international declaration of women’s rights set up at the UN’s World Conference on Women, held in Beijing in 1995, BPfA covers 12 key critical matters of concern and areas for action including women and poverty, violence against women and access to power and decision-making.

Ms Nafeesa Khattak, from PTI, putting the examples of foreign countries where local governments generate their own revenue from e.g. car parking etc., questioned that if our local governments have their own revenue generation base or depends on federal and provincial governments?

Ms Naseema from Pakhtunkhwa Mili Awami Party (PKMAP), while appreciating the study circle, said that legislators from Balochistan need such information and training that how to get involve in the budget making process at provincial as well as federal level.

The government and women’s rights organizations need to analyze the situation of women and girls in a given sector e.g. health, education, and assess whether budget allocations are adequate, in order to implement gender-responsive policies.  This must be followed by an assessment of the outputs of these allocations in order to evaluate how resources are actually spent, and policies and programmes implemented, Mr Ishtiaq said. 

Pakistan’s project planning, budgeting and monitoring processes are mostly gender blind – i.e. it is not possible to assess whether projects, schemes have gender element, how much budget is being allocated for women and girls, how much budget was actually spent and whether it has improved lives of women and girls.  

Mr Naeem Mirza, COO Aurat Foundation, in his closing remarks, emphasized that concerned government institutions and civil society organizations shall focus more on resource allocations rather than direct but isolated service delivery at village level like road construction etc.  Pointing to women’s centuries old deprivation from, and men’s control over, basic resources like land, forests etc., he emphasized that equal access of men and women to natural resources is essential for national development and progress.

Aurat Foundation’s Peshawar office organized a provincial consultation, on March 9, 2015, at Pearl Continental Hotel, Peshawar, to discuss how to strengthen the laws and policies related to Gender Based Violence (GBV).  Ms Shabina Ayaz, Resident Director, shared the situation of violence against women (VAW) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. She said that in 2014, 736 women faced different forms of violence (the data is from Aurat Foundation’s annual report on VAW. Among various categories of violence against women, murder top the list followed by suicide and ‘honour’ killing, she further said. She also said that laws are there but lack implementation.

Mr Asad Qaisar, Speaker Provincial Assembly, while speaking on the occasion, gave commitment that he will support all initiatives regarding women and disables. He also shared that a women university will soon be open in Swabi besides girls’ degree college.  Regarding legislation on domestic violence he said that the government will discuss the issues in tabling the bill and develop a strategy to resolve these issues.

Ms Zarin Zai, MPA, said that she always supported women’s cause, and hence will arrange meetings with speaker and MPAs to discuss the issues domestic violence bill.  Ms Shirin Javed, Regional Coordinator, Aurat Foundation, conducted a session on Laws of the Land.  Mr Ejaz, Deputy Director Child Commission, also joined the consultation.

The 59th session of the Commission on the Status of Women took place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 9th to 20th March 2015. Representatives of member states, UN entities and ECOSOC accredited Non-Governmental Organizations from all regions of the world attended the session. The CSW focused on the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action including challenges that affected its implementation, the achievements of gender equality and the empowerment of women. It undertook review of progress in the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, twenty years after its adoption at 4th world conference on women in 1995.

The Beijing +20 Review included the outcomes of the 23rd special session of the UN General Assembly, the first five year assessment conducted after the adoption of the platform for action. The session also addressed opportunities for achieving gender equality and empowerment of women in the post 2015 development agenda. The 59th Session of the CSW marked the 20th anniversary of Beijing+20 Platform for Action and individuals, groups, organizations and delegations from all over the world participated in the event, setting a new record this year with morethan 1,100 NGOs and a total of 8,600 representatives securing registration.

The 59th Session of the Commission consisted of two kinds of events/sub-sessions; one where permanent missions and UN entities discussed their respective countries and the situation of women rights and the second where NGOs from different countries arranged side/parallel events. The government sessions were restricted to general entries and only government officials and UN officials were allowed to participate in those events. As opposed to the sessions arranged by governments, the parallel events of NGOs were open to all participants. However, owing to the huge number of participants only those with prior registration were allowed to participate in the side/parallel events.

Pakistan was represented by both a government delegation and a delegation consisting of representatives from civil society organizations. The government delegation participated in the 59th session of UN/CSW consisted of the following members, Advisor to Prime Minister Barrister Zafar Ullah Khan, Chairperson National Commission on the Status of Women, Khawar Mumtaz, Chairperson Provincial Commission on the Status of Women, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Neelum Toru and Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Law Justice and Human Rights, Shehzad Ahmed.

The NGO delegation included four representatives from Aurat Foundation, Prof Farkhanda Aurangzeb, Asim Malik, Rabeea Hadi and Mumtaz Mughal; Nabeela Malick (UNFPA), Saliha Ramay (Rozan), Tabinda Sarosh (Shirkat Gah), Nighat Saeed Khan (ASR) and Ayesha Imtiaz (Ahaan). The team from Aurat Foundation organized a parallel event in joint collaboration with Collective for Research and Training on Development- Action (CRTD.A) and Women’s Learning Partnership (for further detail see box below).

The objectives of the 59th CSW Session were:

• To undertake a review and appraise the implementation status of Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action as well as the outcomes document of the 20th special session of the General Assembly held in March 2000.
• To analyze current challenges that affect the implementation of the platform of the action and realization of women and girls full and equal rights and fundamental freedoms.
• To access the achievements of gender equality and empowerment of women and girls throughout their life cycle.
• To ensure the acceleration of implementation of Platform for Action and Beijing Declaration.
• To use opportunities in the post 2015 development agenda for the integration of gender perspective into economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development.
• Re-affirm the commitment to ensure the mainstreaming of a gender perspective into the preparations and coordinated implementation.
• Follow up to all the major UN conferences and summits in the development, economic, social, environmental, humanitarian and related fields, so that they collectively contribute to realization of gender equality and empowerment of women and girls.

Wide range of examples with varying shades of gender equality in South African Region, South American Region, South East Asia Region and Asia Pacific were thoroughly discussed by the participants of the session, which enabled experience-sharing around violence against women, social exclusion of women and their absence in decision-making positions. Equal opportunities to women without discrimination also remained a critical focus of discussions. Pro-women legislation around the world especially in Asia Region was appreciated as a positive move towards formal gender equality yet need for implementation of these laws was stressed as a challenge by UN member States and NGO representatives. Trafficking of women and children, forced migration and rising poverty index also emerged as common features of the discourse.

As a major document, the CSW adopted a ‘Political Declaration’ at the opening session. The political declaration penned 13 points to lay out the future strategy for better compliance to the Beijing Declaration. It also encompassed the progress and advancement made in the field of women’s empowerment and development. As per the information available on the official website of UNCSW the draft of the political declaration was submitted on March 05, 2015, well before the start of the 59th Session. The website further states that it was based on informal consultations; however, the declaration was not shared with the participants in a formal setting for their feedback.

The political declaration aroused critique and concerns by the global civil society which was reflected in the Civil Society Statement (see above).

Another important document to come out of the session will be the Post 2015 Development Agenda. The United Nations is in the process of defining the post 2015 development agenda including the finalization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which will set the agenda for the next 15 years. The process of finalizing the agenda is at a crucial stage with the two final inter-governmental negotiations to be held in July 2015. It is extremely important for Pakistan to participate actively in the process to ensure national priorities are reflected in the agenda.

11.3.2015
New York

Meeting with Ambassador / Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations

An NGO delegation from Pakistan held a meeting with Her Excellency Dr Maleeha Lodhi, Ambassador / Permanent Representative of Pakistan, United Nations, on March 11, 2015, at New York. Aurat Foundation was represented by Ms Rabeea Hadi, Mr Asim Malik, Ms Farkhanda Aurangzeb and Mumtaz Mughul. The ambassador was briefed on the scope of work by the NGOs representatives as well as Government engagements and facilitations at different levels. The ambassador offered her services to lobby for the Pakistani women at international forums.

10.3.2014

New York

Meeting with Ms Carol Ballantine- Policy Officer HIV & Gender (Trocaire)

Aurat Foundation’s team had a meeting with Ms Carol Ballantine, Policy Officer HIV & Gender, Trocaire, and shared following key points:

• Each year Aurat Foundation publishes VAW data reports which are shared different government and civil society organizations and stakeholders. The procedures to collect the data, its funding history and its implications in the legislative business (quoted in the recent two bills passed by Senate) were also shared.
• The research studies conducted by Aurat Foundation on AWPA, which has identified loopholes in the law as well as its implementation, were also shared with her.
• She was also briefed about our alliances with different government organizations like National Police Bureau, Federal Judicial Academy and provincial judicial academies, Women Parliamentary Caucus etc. and our engagements with these departments.
• Our efforts to link regional issues with national and then with international events were discussed with her. We shared that Aurat Foundation has been putting its energy behind the struggle to establish point of connection among the issues at the three levels (regional, national and international). Aurat Foundation`s team prior to its arrival had shared a document with Pakistan`s permanent representative to the UN which elaborated our stance on the content of the political declaration and contained key points to recommended for inclusion in the political declaration.

This was a productive meeting in many ways one of which was that she took firsthand information which led to many mutually agreed points of suggestions and recommendations.

16.3.2015

New York

Governance and compliance for Pakistan and Lebanon reviewed

During the 59th Session of the CSW, Aurat Foundation organized and jointly collaborated a parallel session with Lebanon’s Collective for Research and Training on Development- Action (CRTD.A) and Women’s Learning Partnership. The theme of the session was titled ‘Country Reflections on the Beijing Platform for Action: Government Compliance and Way Forward, Case Studies from Pakistan and Lebanon’. The event gave a detailed account of the women rights` status in Lebanon and Pakistan and the pro-women legislations specifically in Pakistan.

Aurat Foundation’s Ms Rabeea Hadi, Director Advocacy and EVAW, presented “Issues of State Machineries for Women, Politics and Laws in Pakistan”, which began with a thorough background and contextual outlook of women in Pakistan. Ms. Rabeea discussed the issues faced by women in politics, women parliamentarians and women in the workplace. Gaps and loopholes in legislation and implementation of laws were also pointed out.

The speaker went on to highlight the positive contributions of Pakistani women such as the only girl Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai, for voicing the right of girl’s education, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy for her Oscar on the documentary which shone light on the sensitive topic of acid crimes against women in Pakistan and the numerous other women in public space and public service for their commitment and dedication towards emancipation and equality for women in Pakistan, despite challenges and adversity. Ms Lina Abou Habib analyzed the situation of Lebanon in perspective of the Beijing+20 declarations and the country response to international commitments. Ms Saliha Ramay, Co-chair for the EVAW Alliance in Pakistan briefed the participants about management of survivors of violence in Pakistan, situation of shelter homes and challenges faced by women and children during redress and access to justice. Ms Wafaa El from Morocco moderated the event.

The session concluded with both countries bringing forward recommendations to take steps and compliance measures to come closer to their commitments to Beijing and other international commitments. The broader objective of the event was to link regional advocacy campaigns and groups on women’s rights issues with their international counterparts.

16.3.2015

New York

Partnership meeting with SIDA held

Aurat Foundation delegation had a meeting with Ms Nasrin from SIDA on March 17, 2015. The major focus of the discussion was on the partnership between WLP and Aurat Foundation. Information regarding the scope of work of Aurat Foundation, its regional and national engagements and the demographics of the areas where Aurat Foundation is working were shared with her. She asked a question that Aurat Foundation is comparatively bigger organization than WLP than why does it need partnership with WLP? To this we highlighted the dire need of this partnership because:

• The information shared through publications by WLP and Aurat Foundation requires regional integration. There is a significant amount of similarities between Afghanistan and Pakistan in terms of socio-political, cultural and economic conditions, thus the purpose of partnership is productive in the context.
• Aurat Foundation is working on policy, advocacy and awareness and as the situation of GBV or women rights issues are identical in almost all Muslim majority countries of the world, the idea of holding an international conference on the said issues was also shared.
• This also gives a platform to connect regional and national issues with international and then advocate for them nationally and internationally through this partnership between Aurat Foundation and WLP.
• Because of the region based similarities our interaction with participants during the ToT in Turkey was effective despite the presence of language barriers. Results were achieved quite efficiently through non-verbal communication including postures, body language, gestures and facial expressions.

Aurat Foundation has developed concept note on regional hub for advocacy on international commitments and gender based national legislation. This report was shared with her and she assured that she will discuss this further with SIDA.

Effective legislation to prevent domestic violence and sexual offences against women was strongly demanded by thousands of women, men and youth at an event organized by AAWAZ programme run by four major civil society organizations namely Aurat Foundation, SAP-PK, SPO and SUNGI Development Foundation, to mark the International Women’s Day on March 8, 2015, at Quaid-e-Aiwan, F-9 Park, Islamabad.

The event included a panel discussion, resistance poetry, mime and musical programme.  The panelists included Ms Rubina Khalid, member of Senate of Pakistan, Ms Meraj Khan, MPA from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly, Ms Nusrat Sehr Abbassi, member Sindh Assembly, Ms Tehseen Fawad, MPA from Punjab Assembly, Mr Naeem Mirza, COO Aurat Foundation, and Ms Asma Shirazi, renowned media person.  Ms Feroza Zahra, Manager AAWAZ Programme, Aurat Foundation and Ms Anbreen Ajayb, Gender Specialist from SPO, moderated the event. 

Senator Runina Khalid while addressing the conference said that unless an effective strategy for implementation is devised and put in practice, even the most effective  legislation do not deliver e.g. although there is now an anti-rape law, but when it comes to registering FIR at the police stations and proving evidence, the law becomes un-effective.

Ms Meraj Khan, MPA from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly, said that immediate legislation to ensure women’s rights, ending violence against women and effective measures for implementation is must to achieve gender equality and justice in society, In response to a question, she said that they are struggling hard to bring a legislation against domestic violence against women in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Ms Nusrat Sehr Abbassi, member Sindh Assembly, in her address, said that International Women’s Day is our own day and we shall celebrate it with applause and happy faces.  She said we need to be aware of our rights and the laws and policies which are already there to defend our rights. 

Ms Tehseen Fawad, MPA from Punjab Assembly, also emphasized the need for gender-based legislation and effective measures for their implementation.  She gave commitments that she and her colleagues in the Punjab assembly would enhance their struggle for the passage of the law against domestic violence from the Punjab assembly.

Ms Asma Shirazi, the renowned media person, in her talk emphasized that there is a need to replace and change the terminologies which are discriminatory towards women such as ‘sinf-e-nazuk’, ‘mardana-war’ etc.   She said that a lot of men forward the so-called notion that ‘aurtien aurtoon ke dushman haien’ (women are women’s enemy), and that parents usually say their sons that ‘larrkey rotey  nahien, larkian rote haien’ (boys do  not weep, girls weep).  She said that we must get rid of these terms and concepts from media, syllabus and daily lives.  She suggested that a chapter shall be include in school syllabus on Malala’s struggle for girls’ education.

Mr Naeem Mirza, COO, Aurat Foundation, said that men earn claim that they earn and bring money, but the fact is that this money is converted into care economy where women do rest of the whole labour from making bread, curry, making and pressing clothes, rearing children, a whole set of labour, hard work is done by women.  He further said and appealed to men that they must stop starring at women which has been now declared a crime as sexual harassment.

Mr Haris Khalique and Aliya Mirza, renowned poets and human rights activists recited their resistance poems. Later, a mime depicting women’s struggle was  presented by Ms Huma Naz Group and resistance songs were sung by ‘GAO, SUNO BADO Campaign’ lead by Ali Aftab Saeed Group.

The celebrations concluded with the adoption of a Charter of Demands on women’s rights which the participants passed unanimously. The charter of demand urged the federal government and the governments of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces should legislate against domestic violence and declare it crime in law.

The charter further demanded that in order to stop child marriages and forced marriages effective legislation and strategy must be ensured; for immediate solution of local issues and development works, the local government must be restored immediately, representation of women, farmers, labourers and minorities must be ensured and political parties must include their women party workers in decision making and provide  required resources for enhancing their political consciousness and leadership qualities. 

The charter also demanded that the parliament, through an amendment in Political Parties Order, 2002, reserve at least 10% quota for women on general  seats in general elections.  It also demanded that ‘thana culture’ should be changed so  that its environment becomes friendly and respectful for citizens particularly women citizens.  Women police stations must be empowered and women should be appointed as ‘Muharar’ in each police station.

Aurat Foundation held a two-day capacity building training under the theme ‘Sensitization medico-legal officers, lawyers and civil society representatives on pro-women legislation’ on February 26-27, 2015, at Islamabad. The training was attended by participants working in medico-legal departments of Federal Government Polyclinic Hospital and Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), women shelter managers, lawyers from Supreme Court and Islamabad High Court and representatives from civil society organizations. The training was conducted with the objectives to orient the participants in dealing with victims of rape, domestic violence, sexual harassment of children and understanding the legal obligations of professionals dealing with such victims.

On first day, social worker and women rights activist Ms Shabana Arif and Gender Specialist from Aurat Foundation Ms Rabeea Hadi briefed the participants about the social understanding of gender, gender based discriminations and stereotypes in society and the importance of self-awareness to avoid such preconceived notions while dealing with cases of Gender Based Violence (GBV).

On second day, Ms Rabeea Hadi conducted an informative session on violence against women statistics in the country, importance of forensic evidence and the need of building a coordinated network among the concerned departments and people to effectively work together and ensure speedy justice to victims.  Mr Muhammad Haider Imtiaz, an energetic Islamabad based lawyer, discussed pro-women laws and the recent legislations both on federal and provincial levels aimed at bringing gender balance in Pakistan and highlighted areas where new laws are needed to be tabled in the national assembly.

In order to share the First policy draft of  ‘Institutionalized Legal Discrimination against Religious Minorities’ bill and the with members of Sindh Assembly, the Pakistan Religious Freedom Initiative: Leader of Influence (PRFI) project of Aurat Foundation organized a consultation with the legislators on February 26, 2015, at Marriott Hotel, Karachi.   

The meeting was aimed at consulting with the parliamentarians on the  bill and incorporate their  recommendation, suggestions and changes in the draft. The  consultation was  followed  by a n orientation session on the formation of ‘Religious Freedom Caucus’.

Ms. Mahnaz Rehman Resident Director AF introduced Aurat Foundation and welcomed the guests. She said a glowing homage to late Justice Rana Baghwan Das and the role of minorities in the country’s progress and prosperity.

Ms. Erum Javed Project Manager PRFI introduced the Project titled as Pakistan Religious Freedom Initiative: Leader of Influence (PRFI) and vowed to table atleast three Bills in a year’s time. She said that religious extremism and intolerance is serious threat to the people of Pakistan in general and minorities in particular.

Ms. Fareeda Tahir Associate Program Manger PRFI said that we have Technical Working Group headed by Justice Majida Rizvi and we have other members who have interest in the minority rights are also our members in which lawyers, NGO’s representatives, Government officials and so on. She further said that no liberty for religious celebrations/activities. Situation for minorities is deteriorating from bad to worse, Prejudice in declaring Ahmedisas non Muslims, Insecurity of life and properties and increasing sectarian violence in the country.

 The meeting was attended  by Ms Syeda Shahla Raza, Deputy Speaker Sindh Assembly, Ms Noor Bano NGO representative, Ms Erum Azeem Farouqi, MPA-MQM, Ms Naheed Begum MPA-MQM, Ms Naila Muneer MPA-MQM, Ms Khairunissa Mughal MPA-PPP, Ms Erum Khalid MPA-PPP, Ms Gazala Sial MPA-PPP, Ms Saira Shalwani MPA-PPP, Mr. Moazzam Ali Consultant AF, Ms Mahnaz Rahman Resident Director AF, Ms Erum Javed Project Manager PRFI , and  Ms Fareeda Tahir Associate Program Manager PRFI.

A provincial consultation was organized by Pakistan Religious Freedom Initiative (PRFI): Leaders of Influence, Aurat Foundation, at Marriott Hotel, Karachi on February 24, 2015. The meeting was attended by activists, researchers, scholars, lawyers and journalists. There was deliberation on the discussion paper, ‘Institutionalized Legal Discrimination against Religious Minorities’ prepared by legal expert Maliha Zia.

The Asia Foundation (TAF) representative, Mr Kashif Kamal said TAF is currently supporting three different projects in the country, each focused on empowerment of marginalized sections – from grassroots level exercise to reduce magnitude of the issue; access to justice for non-Muslim communities; and policy modifications so as to address gaps if any in the laws.

Ms Mahnaz Rahman, Resident Director, Aurat Foundation – Sindh, said that NGOs may complement government efforts but never substitute for it, hence government ought to realize its responsibilities towards the citizens in terms of their basic needs as well as in the larger context of their constitutional and legal rights.

Ms Fareeda Tahir, Associate Project Manager, Aurat Foundation, said Women Parliamentary Caucus, including that of Sindh Assembly, exists while Religious Freedom Caucus is also being formed and this would be across party lines and that the caucus members should create religious freedom wings in their respective parties. She mentioned that during one to one meeting with government officials, as part of PRFI – Project, it was found that many had little idea about the 5% job quota for non-Muslims.

Syed Moazzam Ali, Consultant, shared the Focused Group Discussions (FGDs) reports which he conducted in different districts of Sindh. Mr Mohsin Naqvi, Mr Javed Qazi and Mr Shoaib Ashraf also spoke on the occasion. Thereafter the floor was open for questions and suggestions and meeting was adjourned at lunch.

Pakistan Religious Freedom Initiative (PRFI), a joint project of Aurat Foundation and The Asia Foundation organized a meeting with the Bar Council, police officials, and stakeholders on February 21, 2015 at Marriot Hotel, Karachi.

Ms Mahnaz Rahman, Resident Director, Aurat Foundation, shared a brief history of Aurat Foundation and its activities. Ms Erum Javed, Project Manager, shared the background and rationale of the PRFI project with the participants. Advocate Shoaib Ashraf   gave a presentation on first draft of ‘Institutionalized Legal Discrimination against Religious Minorities’. He covered the legal and social aspects of fundamental rights, and the electoral system for non-Muslims.

Dr Mohsin Naqvi, Professor CBEC (SIUT) presented the existing laws for religious minorities, Registration for Marriage, etc. Ms Fareeda Tahir, Associate Project Manager, PRFI, emphasized the need to make laws on hate crime and hate speech.

Mr Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar, Minister for Social Welfare shared that they have sufficient number of non-Muslim employees in the department but need to improve attitudes and behavior towards non-Muslims. Advocate Rubina Brohi shared that we need to work with Shia community as well as they are facing life threats. Mr Abid Zubairi said that judicial system seems to be for rich people because poor people cannot afford it.

Thirty two police officials from diverse ranks were sensitized about pro-women laws at a two day workshop held on 27-28th January 2015. The capacity building training was conducted by Aurat Foundation in collaboration with national police bureau. The theme of the training was ‘sensitization of police for implementation of pro-women laws’.  The training was conducted with the objectives to orient police in dealing with victims of rape, domestic violence against women, sexual harassment children and understanding of law(s).

Social worker and women rights activists Ms Saliha Ramay and Ms Rabeea Hadi discussed different concepts related to pro-women laws. Participants were briefed about the social understanding of gender, gender based discriminations and stereotypes in society and the importance of self-awareness to avoid such preconceived notions while dealing with cases of ‘Violence Against Women (VAW)’. Policemen performed different role plays based on hypothetical cases to demonstrate practical examples of domestic violence and the role of police in counseling the victims and bringing the perpetrators to justice.

On the second day of training, Ms Farkhanda Aurangzib, Ms Rabeea Hadi and Ms Sadia Mumtaz carried three informative sessions on the roles and responsibilities of police in dealing with gender-based-violence victims, procedures of collecting evidence in such cases and consulting medico legal experts. Ms Rabeea Hadi and Ms Sadia Mumtaz discussed pro-women laws and the recent legislations both on 

Aurat Foundation’s Karachi office organized two-day training with police instructors and Moharrars on pro-women laws on the 26-27 January, 2015, at Mehran Hotel, Karachi.  The training, attended by head investigative officers and Moharrars, focused on Sindh Child Marriage Act, domestic violence and other relevant laws. The training was divided into different sessions and a certificate distribution ceremony at the end of two-day training.

Ms Mahnaz Rahman, Resident Director, Aurat Foundation, commenced the training with an introductory session on gender, gender stereotyping and cultural/class influence on gender, how culture defines gender and its roles, and that how gender roles and perspective varies within class. Ms Maliha Zia, Manager Law and Gender, Aurat Foundation, conducted the next session on understanding pro-women laws to create more awareness about laws that exist but people have very minimum information about them.

At the end, certificates were distributed by Mr Ghulam Qadir Thebo, IG, Sindh, Ms Shela Qureshi, ASP, and Mr Faizulah Korejo, SSP Investigation, to those who attended the workshop. Participants had positive feedback regarding the training. The overall consensus was that, the training gave them a better and in-depth understanding of gender issues, its influences and the clash of classes. 

 Activists of civil society, political parties, school children, citizens, gather to express solidarity with the victims for the second day.

The civil society activists on Tuesday staged a protest demonstration in front of the National Press Club to condemn the Peshawar school attack.  The protesters asked the government to prepare a clear policy against terrorism. 

The civil society activists on Tuesday staged a protest demonstration in front of the National Press Club to condemn the Peshawar school attack.  The protesters asked the government to prepare a clear policy against terrorism. 

The civil society activists on Tuesday staged a protest demonstration in front of the National Press Club to condemn the Peshawar school attack.  The protesters asked the government to prepare a clear policy against terrorism. 

The civil society activists on Tuesday staged a protest demonstration in front of the National Press Club to condemn the Peshawar school attack.  The protesters asked the government to prepare a clear policy against terrorism. 

The civil society activists on Tuesday staged a protest demonstration in front of the National Press Club to condemn the Peshawar school attack.  The protesters asked the government to prepare a clear policy against terrorism. 

During the last few years, many significant laws have been passed by the parliaments in the country, however, these could not be implemented effectively.  Civil society and women’s rights activists expected notable change in the situation of women in Pakistan.  The facts are other way round.  Thousands of women are still tortured or face one or another kind of violence.  These views were expressed by Ms Rabeea Hadi, Director Advocacy, Aurat Foundation, during a public solidarity event titled ‘Apno Ki Yaad’ on International Human Rights Day, December 10, 2014.

Giving a situation analysis of violence against in Pakistan she said that during the nine month period i.e. January – September 2014, 1543 cases of kidnapping / abducting women were reported i.e. 4 women per day; 1256 women were murdered i.e. 3 women per day; 1149 women were raped and gang-raped i.e. 3 women per day which shows 17% increase compared to last year; 708 women committed suicide at the rate of 2 women per day; 604 women were killed in the name of ‘honour’ i.e. 2 women per day; and 392 cases of domestic violence were reported during the period i.e. 1 case per day. 

Similarly, despite the passage of The Criminal Law (Third Amendment) Act, 2011(the laws which deals with the anti-women customary practices like wanni, swara etc), forced marriages and child marriages still being made e.g. during the nine month period 22 cases of forced marriages and 7 cases of child marriage were reported.  Thus, a total of 7450 of violence against women were reported during the nine months i.e. January to September, 2014, sufficient to realize the increase in violence against women in Pakistan.

Ms Asyia Nasir, Member National Assembly, JUI-F, during her address to the public rally, condemned the forced conversions of minority women and girls and their forced marriage to Muslims.  She said that ‘women’s rights’ shall be valued, respected and implemented as ‘human rights’. In order to end domestic violence from each and every home, we need an effective legislation on domestic violence, she further emphasized. Each religion honours and respects women’s rights. She said that for effective  implementation of women friendly laws, the government, law enforcement agencies, human rights organization and civil society organizations shall work hand-in-hand.

While giving the key findings of the events under ‘16 Days of Activism to End Violence against Women’, Ms Feroza Zahra, Nataional Programme Manager, AAWAZ Programme, Aurat Foundation, said that women, religious and ethnic minorities and persons with disability are the main focus of AAWAZ Programme.  Giving details of the activities with its partner communities in 450 UC’s of 45 districts, she said that data from 26 districts shows that more than 14,823 people attended these activities out of which 10,051 were women; 128,464 signatures/hand prints are received from 39 districts which pledged to ‘Stop domestic violence, early and forced marriages’; ‘Apno ki yaad’ memorial in each district at UC level to commemorate the women of that particular area who died and lost their lives due to violence were also held.

‘Meet our sisters / Meri hamjoliyan’ were arranged in 45 districts visits to Dar-ul-Aman, shelter homes, jails, meeting HIV aid patients, persons with disabilities to discuss the issues and challenges of these intuitions and people living there; ‘Meeting with legislators / Siyasi Bethak’ meetings arranged where representatives of various political parties, lawyers, media etc. were invited for a discourse on need of legislation for stopping early child and forced marriages was initiated at district level. Provincial conferences on need of legislation for stopping early child and forced marriages were held in Peshawar, Lahore as well.

Ms Anbreen Ajaib, from SPO, that Pakistan has brilliant girls like Malala Yousafzai, icon of girls’ education, and of Irfa Karim an example of brilliant scientific mind.  Ms Shazia of SUNGI Development Foundation, said that apart from the platform of AAWAZ Programme, we also need awareness raising on individual level as well.  A young girl with disabilities, during her address, demanded that the rights of persons with disabilities shall also be considered as human rights.

At the end of the public event, the participants passed resolutions for ending violence against women.  Mr Akram Khurshid, National Progamme Manager, AAWAZ Programme, SPO, read the resolutions for the participants and get those passed.  The major resolutions included: effective legislation and its implementation for ending violence against women and children; domestic violence to be declared as crime; law on marrying little girls be amended and 18 years be declared as the marriage age at the least; the law dealing with the anti-women customary practices like wanni, swara etc be implemented effectively and jurisdiction of the law shall be extended to regions like Gilgit-Baltistan, FATA and PATA; institutions and organizations supporting the violence-affected-women need to be strengthen further, so that women can get medo-legal support through one-window operation.

Renown poet Ms Kishwar Naheed and Ms Alya Mirza read their poems on ending violence against women and girls.  A signature campaign was also launched during the event demanding ending violence and bringing important legislation and ensuring effective implementation of such laws.    

Celebrating Malala Nobel Peace Prize:

In separate event, Aurat Foundation in collaboration with Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalist (RIUJ) organized a live screening of the award ceremony of Malala getting the Nobel Peace Prize.  The participants appreciated Malala’s struggle for girls education and her courage to stand against all odds in this struggle.  The were inspired by her image that ‘when worlds is silent, even one voice becomes powerful.  

The public event, rally and Malala’s award taking ceremony were organized by the consortium partners of AAWAZ Programme – a five-year programme to strengthen democratic processes in Pakistan by making it more open, inclusive and accountable to citizens. It is funded by DFID and managed by DAI. The programme is being implemented in 45 districts across Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces by Aurat Foundation, SAP-Pk, SPO and Sungi Development Foundation.

Aurat Foundation Karachi office organized the book launching ceremony of the research study done by Ms Sarah Zaman on International Human Right Day i.e. December 10, 2014, at Marriott Hotel, Karachi.  The study focused on two major rights of women – right of choice of marriage and right to inheritance. This day was also significant in that it marked the end of the 16-Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign. It was widely attended by all stakeholders including parliamentarians and members of the civil society.

The event started with Ms Sarah Zaman’s presentation giving the details of the study and the challenges and problems she and her colleagues faced in carrying out this research.  It was followed by observations and opinion by a group of panelists which included the Chief Guest Mr Ghulam Qadir Thebo, IGP Police, Mr Khalique Shaikh, DIG South, Ms Nusrat Abbasi, MPA (PML-F), Ms Erum Khalid, MPA (PPPP), and Ms Noor Naz Agha, Advocate of Supreme Court. All the panelists commended the initiative and efforts of Ms Sarah Zaman and her team.

Mr Ghulam Qaidr Thebo appreciated the recommendations made in the research study and emphasized that until and unless we focus on education our problems won’t end. He shared that his department is in the process of making the lodging of FIR convenient for the complainant, and also that various training modules are being developed and executed for sensitization of all those involved.

The event ended with a Vote of Thanks by Ms Mahnaz Rahman, Resident Director, Aurat Foundation, Karachi. 

As part of 16-Days of Activism to End Violence against Women, Aurat foundation, in collaboration with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), organized an activity on Friday, December 5, 2014, at Arts Council Auditorium, Karachi. The event started with keynote speakers and followed by live performances from the community members around. Ms Mahnaz Rahman, Resident Director Aurat Foundation Karachi office, gave a history of 16-Days’ campaign i.e.to create awareness on gender based violence.

Dr Masuma Hasan, Former Secretary Cabinet Division, and President, Aurat Foundation’s Board of Governors, talked about importance of implementation and how laws could be made stronger and implemented effectively. “We have to established a platform and create awareness about the pro-women laws that already exist.  Ms Shala Qureshi, from police department, said that one could not just criticize but needed to take action and responsibility.  The next part of the event consisted of lively performances by various community members about violence against women. They performed skits that touched upon critical issues like acid throwing, early and forced marriages and other prominent issues. Various stalls were also displayed by different organizations. 

Aurat Foundation, in collaboration with the Directorate General of Special Education, organized a policy dialogue, titled ‘Road Map for Justice and Equality for Persons with Disability (PWD)’ on December 3, 2014, the International Day of Persons with Disability, at F-9 Park, Islamabad. The event was supported by AUSDFAT, Trocaire and Women Learning Partnership (WLP).  

Presenting an in-depth analysis of gaps in implementation of Prevention of Anti-Women Practices (Criminal Law Amendment) Act 2011, Aurat Foundation, in collaboration with Trocaire, on Tuesday launched a study titled ‘Forced Marriages and Inheritance Deprivation. ’

Undertaken in 6 districts of Pakistan, the study was conducted between 2013 and 2014 and assesses the implementation of the Prevention of Anti-Women Practices Act which criminalizes and prescribes punishments for forced marriages of girls.

The law also criminalizes depriving women of their inheritance and comprises amendments and insertions to the Pakistan Penal Code of 1980 making practices such as watta satta, badl-e-sulah, and marriage with Quran illegal.  

The study, researched and written by Sara Zaman, terms Prevention of Anti-Women Practices Act as weak law for lack of clarity over many terms contained in the text. It points out lack of awareness regarding the law amongst law enforcers, lawyers and general public and says that police officers have no means, resources or inclination to investigate matters involving domestic disturbances caused by forced marriages or inheritance related violence. 

Ms Rabeea Hadi, Director Advocacy, Aurat Foundation, in her opening remarks, briefed the audience about the history of ,16-Dats Activism’ and the spirit behind observing these days. She said that data on violence against women, prepared and released by Aurat Foundation since 2011, played an important role in bringing women friendly legislation.  She said that despite the hope that violence against women would decrease after the passage of laws against violence, it has rather increased  as there is no record that if any case of violence against women was registered between 2011 to 2015. 

Sharing briefs of her study, Ms Sara Zaman shared various types of forced marriages in difference areas e.g. wata sata, swara etc, and also pointed to the non-availability of information and data on the forced marriages in Pakistan.  She said that during the research study the research team contacted police officers, public prosecutors, medico-legal doctors, and women survivors in Karachi, Hyderabad, Peshawar, Mardan, Swat and Islamabad. While giving gender-disaggregated data of the respondents, she pointed out that number of women respondent were less compared to men due to less women in police and medico-legal departments. 

The study analysis covered the issues of decision making in marriages, women’s employment, their health, education, information about marriages laws etc. She said that according to the study, among the women contacted, around 61% girls didn’t reach the puberty at the time of marriage.  She also pointed out the loopholes in the Anti-Women Practices (Criminal Amendment), Act, 2011.  She also pointed to the lack of legal material, and hence lack of awareness / information about the law among legal experts, parliamentarians and other concerned institutions.  Police officers have no means, resource and inclination to investigate the matters relating forced marriages and violence against women.  Medico-legal experts have no knowledge of the law and their role in FIR registration.  

She recommended that some terms like ‘compel’, ‘deceitfully’, ‘coerces’ etc in the AWP Act are ambiguous and must be defined.  The duration of initial training for police officers must be increased from 9 months to at least a year.  Police must be provided details about the law and particularly in Urdu language, as police officers complained that the laws does not reach police department, she further recommended.  She also emphasized the need to increase the number of women in police and medico-legal departments.  She also recommended the relocation of women police station in Peshawar as it is not accessible to women.      

Speaking on this occasion, Director General, Federal Judicial Academy Dr. Faqir Hussain lamented the prevalence of taboos and traditions in respect of women rights due to firm hold of patriarchy and tribalism in the society. He added that non-compliance by State with international human rights and constitutional / legal safeguards portrays a negative image of the country.

He stressed the strict enforcement of law relating to female shares of inheritance and informed that the superior courts have equally stressed its strict implementation by overruling legal/procedural technicalities in the way. Dr. Hussain suggested obligating the Revenue Authorities and the Excise & Taxation Department for automatic transfer of inheritance shares to women. He recommended that Civil Courts should decide cases of female inheritance through the use of the ADR or by regular hearing, and deciding the matter in three months.                    

Mr Ehsan Ghani,  Inspector General Police, Islamabad, while pointing to  police’s role in implementation of law, emphasized the need of coordination among various institutions concerned for formulation and implementation of laws.  He further said that police officers shall be given extensive training and orientation on laws.  He said that establishment of women police station is un-necessary segregation and not the solution.   He recommended that instead of women police stations, the  government shall establish ‘women complaint cells’.  Dialogue among the police, public and public representatives, and legal experts would facilitate the implementation of law.

Speaking on the occasion, Senior Director Ministry of Health Dr. Shafqat Jawaid Sheikh said that the Gender Based Violence is a Global Public Health Issue but it is on rise in Pakistan like all other developing countries, even in  the industrialized world, and is root cause of many social evils, taboos, myths and misconceptions. He said the magnitude and health consequences of violence against women, especially that of domestic violence and rape, is a serious reproductive health problem.

He mentioned that there is a dearth of health experts and Technology to deal with the Gender Based Violence including documentation in Pakistan. He further emphasized that a lot much has to be done to deal violence as a legitimate public health concern, and for that purpose we need to explore opportunities and obstacles to progress in this particular field.  

Special attention has to be devoted by all the social sector departments and civil society including philanthropists, researchers academia experts, law enforcement agencies, policy-makers to reinforce public health that may assist in opposing all sort of violence in all its forms especially against women, children and even men including transgender.  He narrated the response and Capacity of Health Institutions for Evidence Collection in Gender Based Violence Cases is a critical area.

Ms Samar Minallah, women’s rights activist, in her presentation, said that it is important to address some of the lacunas in the Anti women practices act 2011. Especially when it comes to identifying or naming some of the key customs such as Swara, Watta Satta it is extremely important to be more specific according to the geographical areas.

The most vital issue at this stage is awareness raising and sensitization of the communities and law enforcement agencies about this Act. A need to reach our to various stake holders so that the implementation is ensured. A national media campaign through various mediums of communication is required.  The impact of dissemination of information can become more effective if various civil society organizations work with the government in partnership. Through some video clips from her documentaries she explained how deeply the concept of honour is attached with women in Pashtun society.

Ms Shaista Malik, Member National Assembly, and Secretary General Women Parliamentary Caucus (WPC), was the Chief Guest of the launching ceremony.   While emphasizing the WPC’s role in bringing consensus for the passage of women friendly laws, she said the caucus is an all parties’ forum and women from all parties unite together for the passage of women friendly laws.  She said the  WPC is also keen to approach the like-minded men parliamentarians for new laws or amendments in the laws.  Women parliamentary caucus is also keen to work with the civil society.

Mr Naeem Mirza, Chief Operating Officer, Aurat Foundation, said that although the women’s rights legislation and policy making has improved in the provinces after the devolution, but the situation at federal level is gloom.  He recommended that Women Parliamentary Caucus shall be given advisory role in women’s rights legislation.

He also recommended that National Plan of Action on women’s rights, which was developed after a long consultative process,  shall now also be developed at provincial level after the devolution of various ministries and departments.  He also requested that after inserting a separate chapter ‘20A’ in the Pakistan Penal Court (PPC), all the women friendly laws shall be brought in this chapter which will facilitate legal literacy on such laws.     

Civil society and human rights groups held protest demonstration in front of the National Press Club to condemn the lynching and burning of a Christian couple in a Kot Radha Kishan, Kasur District, allegedly over blasphemy.  The demonstration was organized under Insani Haqooq Ittehad (IHI), the human rights coalition of CSOs and committed individuals in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

Twenty-eight years old Shahzad Masih and his five-month-pregnant wife Shama Masih, 24, were brutally tortured by a enraged mob before they were set ablaze at a brick kiln near Chak No.59 early Tuesday.

Aurat Foundation, while appreciating women’s participation in political activities, condemned the trend of criticizing and abusing the conduct of women and girls taking part in sit-ins and protests in the speeches of political leaders, social media posts and electronic media reports. A press release, in this regards, was issued to media on August 28, 2014, by Aurat Foundation Head Office, Islamabad. 

Aurat Foundation, while appreciating women’s participation in political activities, condemned the trend of criticizing and abusing the conduct of women and girls taking part in sit-ins and protests in the speeches of political leaders, social media posts and electronic media reports. A press release, in this regards, was issued to media on August 28, 2014, by Aurat Foundation Head Office, Islamabad. 

Aurat Foundation, while appreciating women’s participation in political activities, condemned the trend of criticizing and abusing the conduct of women and girls taking part in sit-ins and protests in the speeches of political leaders, social media posts and electronic media reports. A press release, in this regards, was issued to media on August 28, 2014, by Aurat Foundation Head Office, Islamabad. 

Aurat Foundation, while appreciating women’s participation in political activities, condemned the trend of criticizing and abusing the conduct of women and girls taking part in sit-ins and protests in the speeches of political leaders, social media posts and electronic media reports. A press release, in this regards, was issued to media on August 28, 2014, by Aurat Foundation Head Office, Islamabad. 

Aurat Foundation, while appreciating women’s participation in political activities, condemned the trend of criticizing and abusing the conduct of women and girls taking part in sit-ins and protests in the speeches of political leaders, social media posts and electronic media reports. A press release, in this regards, was issued to media on August 28, 2014, by Aurat Foundation Head Office, Islamabad. 

The Gender Based Violence (GBV) – Advocacy & Capacity Development Project of Aurat Foundation, with the support of Women Leaders Partnership (WLP), organized a consultation on ‘Implementation of The Sindh Child Marriages Restraint Act, 2013’, on July 3, 2014, at Hotel Mehran, Karachi. At the occasion, women police officers were also awarded with shields for their hard work and contribution to bringing women in mainstream. The guests included: Syeda Shahla Raza, Deputy Speaker Sindh Assembly, Ms. Mahtab Akber Rashidi, MPA- PML-F, Ms. Sorath Theabo, MPA- PML-N, Ms. Saima Shah Asim, MPA-MQM, Ms. Nasimunisa, MPA-MQM, Ms. Masuma Hasan President Board of Governors, Ms. Simi Kamal, Chief of Party, Gender Equity Programme (GEP), Mr. Abdul Khalique Shaikh, DIG Police, South, Ms. Naseem Ara Panhwar, First Women DPO in Pakistan, Ms. Ghazala Siddiqui, First SHO in Sindh, Ms. Shahla Quershi, First ASP in Sindh, Ms. Masuma Chanazi, SSP Traffic, Ms. Azra Memon, ADIG Traffic, Ms. Shugufta Majeed, SI Women Police Station, Ms. Hajra Usman, S.H.O Women South, Ms. Zaibunisa, S.H.O Bahadarabad, Mr. Aijaz Ahmed Mahesar, Additional Secretary Planning & Development, Ms. Musarat Jabeen, Deputy Secretary Women Development Department.

Participants also include government officials, lawyers, media persons and NGO’s representatives.

Syeda Shahla Raza, Ms. Mahtab Akber Rashidi, Mr. Abdul Khalique Shaikh, Ms. Masuma Hasan, and Ms. Simi Kamal spoken on the issue. All women police members shared their experiences. Ms. Mahnaz Rahman, Resident Director, Aurat Foundation, outlined their struggle for passage of women and girls’ specific legislation.
Programme moderated by Ms. Shireen Khan, Regional Coordinator AF, and ‘vote of thanks’ was given by Ms. Fareeda Tahir, Programme Officer AF.

Aurat Foundation Quetta office organized a provincial consultation on ‘The Child Marriage Prohibition Bill, 2014’ at Serena Hotel, Quetta on June 3, 2014 under Listen project. Members of Balochistan provincial assembly (both men and women members), former senators, senior lawyers, Secretary Women’s Development, representatives from law department, senior media personnel, religious scholars, political and social activists and INGO/NGO representatives attended the consultation. The objective of the workshop was to share the first draft of the bill with different stakeholders to acquire their comments and recommendations for the betterment of that crucial bill.

Women parliamentarians who spoke at the occasion included Ms Husun Bano, MPA, JUI, Ms. Spozhmai Achakzai, MPA, PKMAP, Dr Shama Ishaq, MPA, NP, and Ms. Samina Khan, MPA, PML-N.  The proposed bill was drafted and presented by member National Commission on the Status of Women and renowned lawyer, Justice (retired) Mehta Kailashnath Kohli.

Ms. Saima Haroon from Aurat  Foundation, presented an overview on the overall situation of child marriages in the country, especially in Balochistan. Mr. Haroon Dawood, Resident Director, AF Quetta office, spoke on the problems related to child marriages and its effects on girl’s life in particular and the society at large.

The participants shared their views on different aspects of the bill and suggested that a working group should be formed to remove lacunae from the bill and include all the recommendations of stakeholders before it is introduced in the assembly.

A working group, comprising members of provincial assembly, Secretary Women’s Development, representative from law department and religious scholars was also formed to further work and lobby for the passage of the bill. 

Aurat Foundation and  civil society organizations organized a protest demonstration in Islamabad on May 29, 2014, and strongly condemned the ‘honour’ killing of Farzana by her father, brother and cousin.  At this, Aurat Foundation issues a press statement, given below:                                                      

Aurat Foundation is deeply shocked at the brutal murder of a 25-year-old pregnant woman by her family in front of the Lahore High Court on Tuesday May 27, 2014, for marrying the man of her choice. We demand immediate arrest of perpetrators and exemplary punishment for those involved in the heinous crime.

The woman was killed by around two dozen relatives, including her father and brothers, who attacked her and her husband with batons and bricks. Neither onlookers nor policemen deputed around the court tried to intervene. Attackers were able to escape uninterrupted.

The victim hadgone to the court to record her statement in a case lodged by after she had married of her own choice. The incident was a clear example of planned attack as several months had passed after the marriage. The family had obviously come prepared to commit murder.

Farzana’s father, presently in the custody of police,justified the cold-blooded murder as ‘honour killing’ and said that he did not regret what happened. The incident highlights the impunity with which killings in the name of honour are occurring throughout the country.

We believe that major lacunas in the ‘Honour’ Killings Act 2004 have rendered the law useless as it fails to provide protection to victims and punishment for the perpetrators and supporters of this heinous crime. The Act renders the offence of ‘honour’ killing as compoundable, thus allowing waiver of Qisas and pardoning of the crime as well as the settlement of the case through payment of compensation.This is one of the biggest loopholes in the law.

The alarming trend of giving social sanction to this kind of offence is one of the main reasons affecting the implementation of the law. Majority of the cases of ‘honour’ killings are not reported in the police stations and among those registered, 77 per cent of the perpetrators are acquitted by the courts. Such inhuman actions have been encouraged by the government’s failure to protect its citizens.

We demand the federal and provincial governments to take immediate action and ensure that culprits are arrested and convicted.We also demand that the courts do not allow the heirs of the victims to compound the offence and go unpunished. 

Aurat Foundation, in collaboration with Gender Studies Department of University of Balochistan (UoB) organized, under its Listen project, a theatre performance on ‘Early Child Marriages and Violence against Women’, on May 26, 2014, at University of Balochistan, Quetta. Prof. Dr Mehrab Baloch, Vice Chancellor of UoB was the Chief Guest.

Mr Ishfaq Mengal, Senior Programme Officer, Aurat Foundation, expressed his views on early child marriages and also shared facts and figures of violence against women in Balochistan. Students from Gender, Education, Sociology and Mass Communication departments performed the theater on early child marriages and a silent play on VAW.

Speaking at the occasion, Prof. Dr Mehrab Baloch, in his remarks highlighted the importance of education in the society and stressed to focusmore and more on girls’ education because it will prevent them from all kinds of violence. At the end of the program, Ms Shahida Durrani, Lecturer, Department of Gender Studies, UoB, thanked the Chief Guest, and the participants. 

Aurat Foundation, in collaboration with AAWAZ Consortium partners (SAP-PK, SPO, Sungi) organized a 2-days capacity building workshop on ‘Gender Sensitization’, on 18-19 May, 2014, at Avari Hotel, Lahore.

Sixty two (62) political party office bearers including two MPAs from mainstream political parties attended the workshop. The participants were invited from twenty (20) districts of Punjab, namely Sargodha, Jhang, Okara, Rawalpindi, Mandi Bahauddin, R.Y. Khan, Rajanpur,D.G.Khan, Attock, Khushab, Faisalabad,

T.T.Singh, Nankana, Bahawalpur, Bhawalnagar, Mianwali, Pakpattan, Gujranwala, Khanewal, Bhakkar and Lahore.

The rationale for holding the consultative sessions was to create sensitization within political parties on women’s rights, promote women’s political engagement at the decision making process at district level, enable them to understand and map out women’s social exclusion and rights of excluded groups. 

Ms. Mumtaz Mughal, Provincial Manager, AAWAZ Programme, welcomed the distinguish participants and shared the objectives of two days’ workshop. She conducted a session on ‘Gender Disparities in Political Participation and Pro Women Legislation in Pakistan’ with special focus on recent pro-women legislation in Punjab. Mr. Salman Abid conducted a session on ‘Unpacking Women Political Participation and Democracy’.  Mr. Ali Imran, Country Program Manager, West Minister Foundation for Democracy, conducted session on ‘18^th Amendment and Right to Information Law in Punjab’, while Mr. Samson Salamat, Executive Director, Centre for Human Rights Education, conducted a session on ‘ Understanding Social Exclusion and Rights of Minorities’.

Ms. Fouzia Vaqar Chairperson, Provincial Commission on the Status of Women, Punjab, Chief Guest of the event, spoke about the importance of women’s political participation and gender sensitization within political parties. She said that gender disparities in current political scenario are still increasing, and political activists could push their parties to overcome these gaps. For this, amendments are essential in Political Party Act, 2002. Parties should award the tickets to their women leaders on winnable general seats.

Ms. Nasreen Zahra, Resident Director, Auart Foundation, Lahore, said that to remove gender disparities in key decision making bodies including Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Law Commission, economic planning bodies etc. Political parties shall also develop a strategy   to mainstream women political activists.  She said that reactivation of local government is an opportunity for women participation in political process. She stressed that woman political leaders and activists need to play an active role in implementation of  the Punjab Fair Representation Act, 2014.

At closing session, Ms. Fozia Vaqar, and Ms. Nasreen Zahra distributed certificates among participants.

Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and Aurat Foundation (AF) jointly organized an All-Pakistan Women Journalists Convention (APWJC) in Lahore on May 2, 2014.

Around 150 women journalists from all parts of the country took part in the convention and unanimously passed the Lahore Declaration which was presented at the concluding session.

Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage, Senator Pervaiz Rasheed was the Chief Guest at the concluding session. President PFUJ Mr Afzal Butt, senior lawyer and former Chairperson Supreme Court Bar Association Ms Asma Jahangir, Ms Zakia Shahnawaz, Minister for Population Welfare, Punjab, senior journalist Ms Moneezah Hashmi, politician and activist Ms Bushra Aitazaz, senior journalist and activist Ms Jugnu Muhsin and AF’s Director Advocacy Rabeea Hadi spoke on the occasion. They expressed solidarity with journalists and called for protecting freedom of speech.

The Lahore Declaration – authored by PFUJ after recording the concerns of female journalists – got unanimous approval of the participants from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Sindh, Punjab, and Gilgit-Baltistan.

The declaration demands that all female journalists be given press club membership and seats in club elections; allocation of 33 per cent seats for women journalists in PFUJ and other decision-making bodies as well as Pakistan Press Council; provision of basic facilities in media houses (including day-care centers, separate washrooms and rest rooms); establishment of sexual harassment complaint committees in every media house, union offices and press clubs under the Protection Against Harassment of Women at Workplace 2010 Act.

It also calls for provision of transport facilities for women journalists; paid three-month maternity leave for female journalists as per ILO Convention; equality in pay structure: beat distribution and exposure opportunities; insurance cover (as given to male colleagues); 10 per cent quota in working women hostels, welfare schemes for retired female journalists; free healthcare for women and their dependants; and provision of loans for female journalists.

In his inaugural speech, Mr Afzal Butt made a commitment that National Press Club Islamabad and PFUJ would reserve seats for female journalists for the positions of vice-president, assistant secretary-general and governing body member. He recommended regional press clubs adopting similar constitutional amendments to enhance women representation.

Butt condemned the recent dismissal of women media persons from service due to maternity leave requests and said that paid maternity leave was the right of every female journalist. He saluted Pakistan’s female journalists for their resilience and admirable work ethic despite encountering rampant misogyny in both the field and office.

The PFUJ president said the government should monitor implementation of labour laws in the media houses and ensure working journalists receive sufficient healthcare coverage and old age pension.

Mr Pervaiz Rashid said PML-N government was sensitive to the concerns of women workers and would consider the recommendations featured in the APWJC declaration in future policies and schemes. He announced that proposal of transferring secret fund of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to endowment fund for journalists is under consideration. A special prosecutor would also be appointed by the federal government to represent the cases of journalists under attack, he added.

Director Advocacy for Aurat Foundation Ms Rabeea Hadi termed it unfortunate that women journalists raise voice for the rights of other sections of the society but nothing substantial had been done to protect the rights of women in media. She called for women representation at decision-making level of journalist’s unions and media regulatory bodies.

Women journalists in both print and electronic media from across Pakistan shared their experiences at the convention. Issues raised included verbal and psychological abuse from male colleagues, challenges in contesting press club elections, soft beats for women journalists, mistreatment in the field, discrimination against women photo journalists, lack of women chief reporters and editors, infighting between female reporters, little family support and patronizing male attitude.

Senior representatives of major political parties and parliamentarians, civil society organizations and officials of Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights have agreed at a policy dialogue that country urgently needs a comprehensive national policy on ending violence against women and girls from society.  The 1-day policy dialogue, organized by AAWAZ Voice and Accountability Programme, was held on April 30, 2014, at a local hotel in Bhurbhan.  It was presided over by Mr Mr Murtaza Javed Abbasi, Deputy Speaker, National Assembly and attended by representatives of PML-N, PPPP, MQM, PTI, JI, JUI-F, ANP, QWP and PML-Q.

The participants agreed to develop the national policy in consultation with relevant stakeholders through dialogue at provincial and local level. The proposed policy framework suggested by the participants included a vision statement on safe spaces for women and girls, relevant legislation, institutional and response mechanisms and rehabilitation of survivors of violence against women in a dignified manner. The policy must adhere to promote rule of law at all levels ensuring enforcement of the policy.

The proposed policy framework also included a major awareness raising at all levels on the issues of violence against women and capacity building of police and judicial officers.  It was also said that media, education, creative arts, schools and madarsas as well as other social and political institutions should be involved for creating enabling environment for the success of the policy. 

The proposed framework highlighted the crucial significance of law enforcement agencies such as police and lower judiciary in curbing gender based violence.  The participants also suggested that a one-stop approach is required to address the issue, where medico-legal, police help, shelter home and rehabilitation facilities are put under one roof.

Mr Murtaza Javed Abbasi, Deputy Speaker, National Assembly, in his remarks as Chief Guest, emphasized that civil society organizations must take political parties along in their struggle for gender equalituy.  If the political leaders would be aware of the problems, they would strive to resolve those in the constituencies.  He also suggested that AAWAZ programme should start work in all the provinces so that women and girls of the whole country may benefit this struggle for equality and justice.

The participants expressed deep concern on the increasing incidents of violence against women with the alarming scale and intensity. They highlighted the urgency of early adoption of policy and laws on domestic violence. Earlier, Dr. Rakhshinda Perveen, Gender Specialist, initiated a debate on ‘Gender Based Violence – Forms and Current Situation’ through her representation. 

The representative of political parties and parliamentarians included Senator Ms Farah Aqil Shah, ANP, Senaor Mr Amar Jeet Malhotra, ANP,  Ms Asia Naz Tanoli, MNA, PML-N, Ms Farhana Qamar, MNA, PML-N, Mr Rashid Mehmbood Khan, MNA,  PML-N, Mr Abdul Rehman Kanju, MNA, PML-N, Dr Mahreen Bhuttu, MNA, PPPP, Mr Shaukat Basra, MNA PPPP Punjab, Mr Amir Fida Paracha, Incharge Central Secretariat, PPPP, Islamabad, Mr Muhamad Ali Rashid, MNA, MQM, Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, former federal minister, MQM, Ms Kishwar Zahra, MNA, MQM, Mr Ateeq Rehman, office bearer MQM, Mr Shehryar Afridi, MNA, PTI, Ms Munaza Hassan, MNA, PTI, Ms Nafeesa Inayatullah Khattak, MNA, PTI, Ms Sajida Zulfiqar Khan, MNA, PTI, Mr Farid Ahmed Piracha, JI, Dr Rukhsana Jabeen, Secretary Women Wing JI, Naeema Kishwar, MNA, JUI, Ms Shahida Akhtar Ali, MNA, JUI,  Mr Meraj Humayun Khan, MPA, QWP, Mr Tariq Ahmed Khan, Information Secretary, QWP, Mr Sultan Muhammad Khan, MPA, QWP, Mr Asad Afridi Advocate, office bearer QWP FATA, Ms Jameela Gilani, former MNA, ANP, Syed Jaffar Shah, officer bearer, ANP, Ms Maham Ali, General Secretary Central Women Wing, PML-Q, Ms Fauzia Naz, Secretary General Women Wing PML-Q, Syed Faqir Hussain Bukhari, office bearer PML-Q.

Mr Muhammad Hassan Mangi, Director General International Commitments and Human Rights Wing, Mr Munawar Douggal, Legal Consultant and Mr Shahzad Ahmed represented the Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights.  Mr Harris Khalique, Mr Sajif Mansoor Qaisrani, Mr Naeem Mirza, Younas Khalid, Ms Naghma Imdad, Mr Irfan Mufti, Ms Anbreen Ajaib represented AAWAZ consortium.

AWAZ Voice and Accountability, a five year programme, is aimed at inclusive and tolerant democracy in Pakistan, which is open, inclusive and accountable to citizens, specially focused on women and minority religious groups. The project is implemented through five leading NGOs of Pakistan i.e. Aurat Foundation, Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO), South Asia Partnership Pakistan (SAP-PK), SUNGI Development Foundation and Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), and a management organization (DAI).  The geographical range of AAWAZ Programme is 45 districts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.  

A one-day workshop on ‘understanding gender concepts and legislative issues’ was organized by AAWAZ Voice and Accountability Programme on April 29, 2014, at a local hotel in Bhurbhan.  It was attended by representatives of PML-N, PPPP, MQM, PTI, JI, JUI-F, ANP, QWP and PML-Q.

The representative of political parties and parliamentarians included Senator Ms Farah Aqil Shah, ANP, Senaor Mr Amar Jeet Malhotra, ANP,  Ms Asia Naz Tanoli, MNA, PML-N, Ms Farhana Qamar, MNA, PML-N, Mr Rashid Mehmbood Khan, MNA,  PML-N, Mr Abdul Rehman Kanju, MNA, PML-N, Dr Mahreen Bhuttu, MNA, PPPP, Mr Shaukat Basra, MNA PPPP Punjab, Mr Amir Fida Paracha, Incharge Central Secretariat, PPPP, Islamabad, Mr Muhamad Ali Rashid, MNA, MQM, Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, former federal minister, MQM, Ms Kishwar Zahra, MNA, MQM, Mr Ateeq Rehman, office bearer MQM, Mr Shehryar Afridi, MNA, PTI, Ms Munaza Hassan, MNA, PTI, Ms Nafeesa Inayatullah Khattak, MNA, PTI, Ms Sajida Zulfiqar Khan, MNA, PTI, Mr Farid Ahmed Piracha, JI, Dr Rukhsana Jabeen, Secretary Women Wing JI, Naeema Kishwar, MNA, JUI, Ms Shahida Akhtar Ali, MNA, JUI,  Mr Meraj Humayun Khan, MPA, QWP, Mr Tariq Ahmed Khan, Information Secretary, QWP, Mr Sultan Muhammad Khan, MPA, QWP, Mr Asad Afridi Advocate, office bearer QWP FATA, Ms Jameela Gilani, former MNA, ANP, Syed Jaffar Shah, officer bearer, ANP, Ms Maham Ali, General Secretary Central Women Wing, PML-Q, Ms Fauzia Naz, Secretary General Women Wing PML-Q, and Syed Faqir Hussain Bukhari, office bearer PML-Q.

Welcoming the participants, Mr Sajid Mansoor Qaisrani, Executive Director SUNGI Development Foundation, stressed the need for a political and democratic society in Pakistan.  He said that only a participatory and inclusive democracy can survive and benefit the society. He said that AAWAZ programme strive for a stable, inclusive and tolerant democracy in Pakistan with a focus that democratic processes are more open, inclusive and accountable to citizens, specially focused on women and minority religious groups.

Mr Naeem Mirza, Chief Operating Officer, Aurat Foundation, in his introductory remarks updated the participants about the history of women’s reserved seats in Pakistan, and various models adopted by various countries.  He invited the participants to discuss and give suggestion on which model of reserved seats for women be adopted in Pakistan.  Tipping various points for discussion, he also asked the participants to discuss how to end violence against women in Pakistan.

Ms Khiswar Sultana, Gender Specialist, took a session on ‘Understanding Basic Gender Concepts’, which discussed the difference between gender and sex, gender division of labour, gender equity and equality, gender gaps, and practical gender needs vs. strategic gender needs.  She also discussed how many identities a person may have and how are they developed with social, political, ideological, religious, sectarian, ethnic and geographical linkages.  She said that these are identities which define or declare one as powerful or powerless.  Women have weaker identities and hence face violence from men, who have stronger identities.  She also said that these identities are developed by state, classes, religions, myths etc rather than oneself.  She said that the word ‘gender’ is neutral word which comprises both men and women, only the society and the socio-political systems and so-called traditions decide the weaker and stronger gender.  This brings inequality among gender, and so women were made weaker gender. She said that most of the work done by women goes unpaid.  Her reproductive role is not valued and paid, although in Islam there is an option that a mother may get paid for feeding her baby.

The second session, titled ‘Legislative Dynamics: Rule of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly’ was delivered by Mr Muhammad Mushtaq, Joint Secretary, Legislation, National Assembly.  He said that Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, and Rules of Procedure of Pakistan 1973 provide the rules according to which the business of the House is conducted.  Addressing to the parliamentarians present in the policy dialogue, he said that a careful and detailed reading of the rules would provide the parliamentarians an opportunity to fully participate in the business of the house and see any violation of the rule is hindering their right to take up issue on the floor of the House.   The National Assembly also provides researcher to facilitate them in formulating questions, calling attention notices, points of order, motions, bills etc.

He further briefed the participants about question hour, supplementary questions, moving calling attention notices, motions and bill, raising point of order and privilege motions etc.  Parliamentarians asked a lot of question about the rules and conduct of parliamentary business and raised many complaints that their interventions are not responded fully and properly.  They also asked questions about the powers of the Speaker in requisitioning and adjourning the national sessions.  About the question that if  Standing Committee on Finance has any role in budget making process, he replied that Finance Committee has a lot of role in budget making as is the case in other countries.

Ms Sadia Mumtaz, Gender/ Legal Expert delivered third session on ‘Women Legislative Quotas – Models and Constraints’, which covered types of electoral quotas like reserved seats, legislative candidates quotas and voluntary party quotas, in Pakistan and other countries. For voluntary party quotas, political parties take measure voluntarily by adopting a quota requiring comprise a certain proportion of candidates who are allocated tickets to contest elections.  She also gave the history of reserved seats in the parliamentary since 1956 Constitution to 1973 Constitution and then the allocation of 17% quota for women in parliament in 2002. While talking about proposals for electoral quotas, she discussed the recommendations of the Commission on Inquiry 1997 and proposal by various political parties.  She also discussed the constraints in existing system e.g. women do not have a constituency, they do dependent on men for their nomination as candidate, there is no criteria of nomination of women on the basis of priority, and that voters do not know who will be their women representative in assemblies.

Participants reached to the conclusion that in Pakistan the current reserved seats system should prevail with some reforms and also the political parties should be bound through legislation to allocate a percentage of party tickets for women. A point was raised to include women from minorities, and from Tribal Areas.

Third session was titled ‘An Overview of Pro-Women Legislative Initiatives (First Parliamentary Year of 14th National Assembly)’ was contributed by representatives of political parties.  One representative from each party was asked to share the commitments of their party towards and their role so far in pro-women policy making and legislation.  Ms Anbreen Ajaib, Gender Advisor, SPO, concluded the proceedings and debate of the first day of the policy dialogue.

AWAZ Voice and Accountability, a five year programme, is aimed at inclusive and tolerant democracy in Pakistan, which is open, inclusive and accountable to citizens, specially focused on women and minority religious groups. The project is implemented through five leading NGOs of Pakistan i.e. Aurat Foundation, Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO), South Asia Partnership Pakistan (SAP-PK), SUNGI Development Foundation and Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), and a management organization (DAI).  The geographical range of AAWAZ Programme is 45 districts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Gender Equity Program (GEP) of Aurat Foundation Lahore Office, in collaboration with the Mukhtar Mai Women’s Organization and its PGC group of South Punjab, organized a peaceful protest against the prevailing incidents of violence against women in Multan on March 25, 2014.

GEP team, members of Pakistan Gender Coalition, Citizen Action Committee and women activists of South Punjab region participated in this protest held in front of Multan Press Club followed by a rally.

Aurat Foundation strongly condemned the increasing incidents and cases of gang-rapes, violence, and discrimination against women in South Punjab. Ms Sumera Saleem, Senior Program Officer, Aurat Foundation, stressed on the approval of Domestic Violence Bill at the earliest to ensure safety and security of women and protect them from the dreadful and atrocious acts of sexual harassment, domestic violence and rape etc.

Aurat Foundation also condemned the recent incident of gang-rape that  took place in Muzaffargarh in which the victim attempted suicide by setting herself on fire outside the Bait Mir Hazar Khan Police Station after the main accused declared by the police, innocent. The participants also slammed the incident of kidnap of two girls from their house a couple of day before.

Aurat Foundation emphasized on to take strict actions against the criminals and scolded them to bring such incidents to an end in future.  Mukhtar Mai also showed her deep concerns to the families of victims and emphasized on the dire need of strict legislation& transparent investigation against criminals.

Mr. Naeem Mirza, COO Aurat Foundation and Ms. Simi Kamal, COP, Gender Equity Programme, were part of a delegation from Aurat Foundation that participated in the 58th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), 10-21 March, 2014, in New York City. The ten day session dealt with Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and the way forward post 2015. The delegates worked with the Pakistan Mission and also with Women’s Learning Partnership, an NGO of global women activists including women from many Muslim countries.

The AF delegation supported the Pakistan Mission in the official sessions by providing information and inputs from the global women’s caucus. It also participated in 2 seminars organized by the Pakistan Mission where members of the Punjab government presented the recently introduced women’s package and other steps being taken for the empowerment of women in the province. The AF delegation also worked closely with the Chairperson for NCSW in her role within the Pakistan Mission through two seminars and her other activities.

Mr. Mirza was a featured speaker on one of the seminars organized by the Women’s Leading Partnership. Ms. Kamal also spoke at this seminar. The AF delegation interacted daily with the women’s caucus and gave inputs in several sessions, workshops and roundtables organized by NGOs.

Mr. Naeem Mirza, COO Aurat Foundation and Ms. Simi Kamal, COP, Gender Equity Programme, were part of a delegation from Aurat Foundation that participated in the 58th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), 10-21 March, 2014, in New York City. The ten day session dealt with Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and the way forward post 2015. The delegates worked with the Pakistan Mission and also with Women’s Learning Partnership, an NGO of global women activists including women from many Muslim countries.

The AF delegation supported the Pakistan Mission in the official sessions by providing information and inputs from the global women’s caucus. It also participated in 2 seminars organized by the Pakistan Mission where members of the Punjab government presented the recently introduced women’s package and other steps being taken for the empowerment of women in the province. The AF delegation also worked closely with the Chairperson for NCSW in her role within the Pakistan Mission through two seminars and her other activities.

Mr. Mirza was a featured speaker on one of the seminars organized by the Women’s Leading Partnership. Ms. Kamal also spoke at this seminar. The AF delegation interacted daily with the women’s caucus and gave inputs in several sessions, workshops and roundtables organized by NGOs.

Mr. Naeem Mirza, COO Aurat Foundation and Ms. Simi Kamal, COP, Gender Equity Programme, were part of a delegation from Aurat Foundation that participated in the 58th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), 10-21 March, 2014, in New York City. The ten day session dealt with Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and the way forward post 2015. The delegates worked with the Pakistan Mission and also with Women’s Learning Partnership, an NGO of global women activists including women from many Muslim countries.

The AF delegation supported the Pakistan Mission in the official sessions by providing information and inputs from the global women’s caucus. It also participated in 2 seminars organized by the Pakistan Mission where members of the Punjab government presented the recently introduced women’s package and other steps being taken for the empowerment of women in the province. The AF delegation also worked closely with the Chairperson for NCSW in her role within the Pakistan Mission through two seminars and her other activities.

Mr. Mirza was a featured speaker on one of the seminars organized by the Women’s Leading Partnership. Ms. Kamal also spoke at this seminar. The AF delegation interacted daily with the women’s caucus and gave inputs in several sessions, workshops and roundtables organized by NGOs.

Mr. Naeem Mirza, COO Aurat Foundation and Ms. Simi Kamal, COP, Gender Equity Programme, were part of a delegation from Aurat Foundation that participated in the 58th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), 10-21 March, 2014, in New York City. The ten day session dealt with Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and the way forward post 2015. The delegates worked with the Pakistan Mission and also with Women’s Learning Partnership, an NGO of global women activists including women from many Muslim countries.

The AF delegation supported the Pakistan Mission in the official sessions by providing information and inputs from the global women’s caucus. It also participated in 2 seminars organized by the Pakistan Mission where members of the Punjab government presented the recently introduced women’s package and other steps being taken for the empowerment of women in the province. The AF delegation also worked closely with the Chairperson for NCSW in her role within the Pakistan Mission through two seminars and her other activities.

Mr. Mirza was a featured speaker on one of the seminars organized by the Women’s Leading Partnership. Ms. Kamal also spoke at this seminar. The AF delegation interacted daily with the women’s caucus and gave inputs in several sessions, workshops and roundtables organized by NGOs.

Mr. Naeem Mirza, COO Aurat Foundation and Ms. Simi Kamal, COP, Gender Equity Programme, were part of a delegation from Aurat Foundation that participated in the 58th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), 10-21 March, 2014, in New York City. The ten day session dealt with Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and the way forward post 2015. The delegates worked with the Pakistan Mission and also with Women’s Learning Partnership, an NGO of global women activists including women from many Muslim countries.

The AF delegation supported the Pakistan Mission in the official sessions by providing information and inputs from the global women’s caucus. It also participated in 2 seminars organized by the Pakistan Mission where members of the Punjab government presented the recently introduced women’s package and other steps being taken for the empowerment of women in the province. The AF delegation also worked closely with the Chairperson for NCSW in her role within the Pakistan Mission through two seminars and her other activities.

Mr. Mirza was a featured speaker on one of the seminars organized by the Women’s Leading Partnership. Ms. Kamal also spoke at this seminar. The AF delegation interacted daily with the women’s caucus and gave inputs in several sessions, workshops and roundtables organized by NGOs.

Gender Equity Program (GEP) of Aurat Foundation Lahore office, in collaboration with Asavari Development Organization, arranged an event, on March 16, 2014, with the domestic female workers of Mariam Nishat Colony to celebrate International Women’s Day.

GEP team, domestic female workers of the colony, staff of Asavari Development Organization and volunteers from domestic workers’ group of Gujranwala attended the event.

Hasna Cheema, Deputy Program Manager GEP, briefed the audience on the history and work of Aurat Foundation. She also provided a quick introduction of Gender Equity Program, with reference to its work being implemented in Punjab region. She highlighted the initiatives of GEP’s recent cycles in which the Gender Based Violence (GBV) survivors were provided with the facilities of shelters, help lines for psycho-social counseling and referrals and opportunities of economic rehabilitation.

Sumera Saleem, Senior Program Officer GEP, explained the objectives of the event. She highlighted the importance and significance of March 8 – International Women’s Day for women’s rights across the world.

Domestic female workers of the colony shared that they alone carry the economic burden of their families and also observe customary practices set by the society. They said that the employers exploit their rights lack of awareness on their rights and supporting laws. They also shared the issues of low wages against their services. Sexual harassment by the employers is the major problem faced by domestic female workers which needs to be addressed properly on priority basis.

Aster Anjum, focal person from Asavari Development Organization, gave the introduction of Asavari and shared the nature of work being done.

Towards the end, a small group from domestic female workers presented a theatre play, titled ‘Khud Ko Badlo To Zamana Badlay Ga’. They highlighted the major problems of low wages for their services, accusation of theft and sexual harassment by employers in their performance. They also emphasized upon the need to change societal attitudes.

President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain stressed on collaborative efforts by the government and civil society to change social mindset that hinders the effective implementation of pro-women laws. 

He was speaking at an event jointly organised by Aurat Foundation and Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights, and UN Women to celebrate 103rd International Women Day (IWD) on Saturday, March 8, 2014, at Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA). Civil society activists from all parts of the country and people from all walks of life participated enthusiastically in these activities and expressed their resolve to continue their struggle for equal status of women.

President Mamnoon Hussain said that the government is committed to provide all support to women and realise that there could be no development without women participation in development. “We want women to become active part of mainstream economic activities. Side by side, I will advice women of my country to respect their identification as a Muslim and as a Pakistani.” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Federal Minister for Law and Justice Senator Pervaiz Rasheed said the main hurdle in the empowerment of women is the patriarchal structure of the society which portrays men as rulers. “The pro-women legislation is there. Civil society is also putting in all effort. The only missing link is the will of people to grant space to their women and have faith in them,” he pointed out. He gave the example of Prime Minister Youth Loan scheme. He said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif gave 50 per cent share of the scheme to women but in response, less than 2 per cent of applications were received from women.

Ms Khawar Mumtaz, Chairperson National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) demanded the government to declare Women Home Based Workers as labors. “It will increase our ratio of women participation in labour market which is one of the lowest in the region,” she said. Barrister Zafarullah, Federal Secretary for Ministry of Law and Justice, said that protection of women rights is the priority of the government. He said the government respects its international commitments with regard to women and children and planning to introduce special cells at federal and provincial level to monitor the implementation of international commitments.

Dr Masuma Hasan, President Boad of Governors, Aurat Foundation, demanded of the government not to compromise women on rights during peace talks with Taliban. Another major event was organised in the evening where civil society kept its tradition of organising a rally which started from China Chowk and ended at Parade Choke in front of the Parliament House where participants made speeches and presented their Charter of Demand.

Rallying on International Women’s Day

The rally was organised by EVAWG alliance in collaboration with IHI, CRM, WAF and FADAN networks.

A statement issued at the rally demanded of the government to repeal all discriminatory laws, ensure the enforcement of existing pro-women laws and approve the pending pro-women legislation in all provinces including Fata, Pata, GB & AJK.

It pointed out that after 18th Constitutional Amendment (2010), there is an urgent need for strengthening the national and provincial women’s entities, especially the National Commission on the Status of Women and establishment of Provincial Commissions on the Status of Women. The statement also demanded 33 per cent minimum representation of women in the Local Government System at all tiers.

The statement also demanded of the government to strengthen the criminal justice system through sensitisation of the law enforcement agencies on attitudinal change in dealing with cases of violence against women and girls (VAWG) and revision of the rules and procedures of police investigation and prosecution. It suggests the government to strengthen the gender crime cell and increase the number of women in the police force.

The statement urged the government to eliminate unconstitutional, illegal, unjust, traditional “adjudication” councils, called ‘jirgas’ and ‘punchayats’ and termed them women/girls and develop a National Policy and Strategy on Ending Violence against Women and Girls, from prevention to rehabilitation phases besides adopting holistic, comprehensive, strategic and well-resourced action to ensure the safety and protection of women human rights defenders and justice for those killed.

Minister for Women’s Development, Government of Balochistan Mir Izhar Khan Khosa, visited Aurat Foundation’s Quetta office on March 4, 2014. Mr Haroon Dawood, Resident Director Aurat Foundation, Quetta, welcomed the Minister and briefed him about the goal and objectives of Aurat Foundation’s Gender Equity Programme (GEP).
Ms Saima Javaid, National Manager, MER, Aurat Foundation, shared following agenda points / demands with the minister:

1. Formation of advisory committee for Ministry of Women Development;
2. Inclusion of women parliamentarians in provincial cabinet;
3. Implementation of SOPs of Dar-Ul-Aman;
4. Establishment of Crisis Center and Dar-Ul-Aman in same premises to strengthen seamless service for the help of GBV survivors;
5. Sharing and consultation with relevant stake holders on women related resolution and bill before presenting on assembly floor;
6. Implementation and display of code of conduct of ‘The Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010’ in government departments all over Balochistan;
7. Formation of Provincial Commission on the Status of Women in Balochistan;
8. Discussion on the possibility of GEP’s non-competitive grants with Women’s Development Department (WDD);
9. Celebrating 8th March, the International Women’s Day, with women and men parliamentarians of Balochistan in provincial assembly building.

Responding to these demands, Mir Izhar Khan Khosa said that he would try his level best for the development of women in Balochistan, and for this the ministry would keep close coordination with the Aurat Foundation. He also gave commitments for introducing policies for women’s empowerment in Balochistan.
Mr Allauddin Khilji, Mr Amir Ali, Mr Lal Muhammad and Ms Fatima Tahir, from Aurat Foundation, were also present in the meeting.

Minister for Women’s Development, Government of Balochistan Mir Izhar Khan Khosa, visited Aurat Foundation’s Quetta office on March 4, 2014. Mr Haroon Dawood, Resident Director Aurat Foundation, Quetta, welcomed the Minister and briefed him about the goal and objectives of Aurat Foundation’s Gender Equity Programme (GEP).
Ms Saima Javaid, National Manager, MER, Aurat Foundation, shared following agenda points / demands with the minister:

1. Formation of advisory committee for Ministry of Women Development;
2. Inclusion of women parliamentarians in provincial cabinet;
3. Implementation of SOPs of Dar-Ul-Aman;
4. Establishment of Crisis Center and Dar-Ul-Aman in same premises to strengthen seamless service for the help of GBV survivors;
5. Sharing and consultation with relevant stake holders on women related resolution and bill before presenting on assembly floor;
6. Implementation and display of code of conduct of ‘The Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010’ in government departments all over Balochistan;
7. Formation of Provincial Commission on the Status of Women in Balochistan;
8. Discussion on the possibility of GEP’s non-competitive grants with Women’s Development Department (WDD);
9. Celebrating 8th March, the International Women’s Day, with women and men parliamentarians of Balochistan in provincial assembly building.

Responding to these demands, Mir Izhar Khan Khosa said that he would try his level best for the development of women in Balochistan, and for this the ministry would keep close coordination with the Aurat Foundation. He also gave commitments for introducing policies for women’s empowerment in Balochistan.
Mr Allauddin Khilji, Mr Amir Ali, Mr Lal Muhammad and Ms Fatima Tahir, from Aurat Foundation, were also present in the meeting.

Minister for Women’s Development, Government of Balochistan Mir Izhar Khan Khosa, visited Aurat Foundation’s Quetta office on March 4, 2014. Mr Haroon Dawood, Resident Director Aurat Foundation, Quetta, welcomed the Minister and briefed him about the goal and objectives of Aurat Foundation’s Gender Equity Programme (GEP).
Ms Saima Javaid, National Manager, MER, Aurat Foundation, shared following agenda points / demands with the minister:

1. Formation of advisory committee for Ministry of Women Development;
2. Inclusion of women parliamentarians in provincial cabinet;
3. Implementation of SOPs of Dar-Ul-Aman;
4. Establishment of Crisis Center and Dar-Ul-Aman in same premises to strengthen seamless service for the help of GBV survivors;
5. Sharing and consultation with relevant stake holders on women related resolution and bill before presenting on assembly floor;
6. Implementation and display of code of conduct of ‘The Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010’ in government departments all over Balochistan;
7. Formation of Provincial Commission on the Status of Women in Balochistan;
8. Discussion on the possibility of GEP’s non-competitive grants with Women’s Development Department (WDD);
9. Celebrating 8th March, the International Women’s Day, with women and men parliamentarians of Balochistan in provincial assembly building.

Responding to these demands, Mir Izhar Khan Khosa said that he would try his level best for the development of women in Balochistan, and for this the ministry would keep close coordination with the Aurat Foundation. He also gave commitments for introducing policies for women’s empowerment in Balochistan.
Mr Allauddin Khilji, Mr Amir Ali, Mr Lal Muhammad and Ms Fatima Tahir, from Aurat Foundation, were also present in the meeting.

Minister for Women’s Development, Government of Balochistan Mir Izhar Khan Khosa, visited Aurat Foundation’s Quetta office on March 4, 2014. Mr Haroon Dawood, Resident Director Aurat Foundation, Quetta, welcomed the Minister and briefed him about the goal and objectives of Aurat Foundation’s Gender Equity Programme (GEP).
Ms Saima Javaid, National Manager, MER, Aurat Foundation, shared following agenda points / demands with the minister:

1. Formation of advisory committee for Ministry of Women Development;
2. Inclusion of women parliamentarians in provincial cabinet;
3. Implementation of SOPs of Dar-Ul-Aman;
4. Establishment of Crisis Center and Dar-Ul-Aman in same premises to strengthen seamless service for the help of GBV survivors;
5. Sharing and consultation with relevant stake holders on women related resolution and bill before presenting on assembly floor;
6. Implementation and display of code of conduct of ‘The Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010’ in government departments all over Balochistan;
7. Formation of Provincial Commission on the Status of Women in Balochistan;
8. Discussion on the possibility of GEP’s non-competitive grants with Women’s Development Department (WDD);
9. Celebrating 8th March, the International Women’s Day, with women and men parliamentarians of Balochistan in provincial assembly building.

Responding to these demands, Mir Izhar Khan Khosa said that he would try his level best for the development of women in Balochistan, and for this the ministry would keep close coordination with the Aurat Foundation. He also gave commitments for introducing policies for women’s empowerment in Balochistan.
Mr Allauddin Khilji, Mr Amir Ali, Mr Lal Muhammad and Ms Fatima Tahir, from Aurat Foundation, were also present in the meeting.

Minister for Women’s Development, Government of Balochistan Mir Izhar Khan Khosa, visited Aurat Foundation’s Quetta office on March 4, 2014. Mr Haroon Dawood, Resident Director Aurat Foundation, Quetta, welcomed the Minister and briefed him about the goal and objectives of Aurat Foundation’s Gender Equity Programme (GEP).
Ms Saima Javaid, National Manager, MER, Aurat Foundation, shared following agenda points / demands with the minister:

1. Formation of advisory committee for Ministry of Women Development;
2. Inclusion of women parliamentarians in provincial cabinet;
3. Implementation of SOPs of Dar-Ul-Aman;
4. Establishment of Crisis Center and Dar-Ul-Aman in same premises to strengthen seamless service for the help of GBV survivors;
5. Sharing and consultation with relevant stake holders on women related resolution and bill before presenting on assembly floor;
6. Implementation and display of code of conduct of ‘The Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010’ in government departments all over Balochistan;
7. Formation of Provincial Commission on the Status of Women in Balochistan;
8. Discussion on the possibility of GEP’s non-competitive grants with Women’s Development Department (WDD);
9. Celebrating 8th March, the International Women’s Day, with women and men parliamentarians of Balochistan in provincial assembly building.

Responding to these demands, Mir Izhar Khan Khosa said that he would try his level best for the development of women in Balochistan, and for this the ministry would keep close coordination with the Aurat Foundation. He also gave commitments for introducing policies for women’s empowerment in Balochistan.
Mr Allauddin Khilji, Mr Amir Ali, Mr Lal Muhammad and Ms Fatima Tahir, from Aurat Foundation, were also present in the meeting.

Aurat Foundation’s Quetta office, in collaboration with Rozan and National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW), organized a provincial consultation on the ‘State Report for Beijing+20’, on February 18, 2014, Serena Hotel, Quetta, so that to involve the relevant government agencies, parliamentarians, NGOs and other stake holders to have their input and experiences documented for the state report on 12 thematic areas outlined in the Beijing platform for action.

Participants of the consultation included government officials, women of different political parties, INGO/NGO representatives, prominent lawyers, political and social activists, academia, labour unions, doctors, paramedic associations, teachers associations, women’s chamber of commerce, Aurat Foundation’s district partners and media persons.

The participants were divided into 12 groups according to their expertise in relevant fields. Participants discussed progress and achievements along with outlining setbacks and challenges for Beijing platform for action. The group discussions were also focused on future plans and initiatives that the government aims to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women. Each group was facilitated by an expert selected from group members. The rapporteur was also designated from each group to present their group works.

The session was chaired by Mir Izhar Khan Khosa, Minister for Women’s Development and Food, Government of Balochistan. While expressing his views he said that, he will try his level best for the development of women cause and also keeps close coordination with the civil society organizations for the advancement of women’s movement. Ms Salma Qureshi, Additional Secretary, Women’s Development Department, Balochistan, was also present in the event.

Ms Saliha Ramay (Rozan) and Ms Farkhanda Aurangzeb (AF) spoke at length on objectives of consultation and also presented the overview of Beijing conference and progress after that. Mr Haroon Dawood, Resident Director (AF – Quetta) and Ms Saima Javed (AF – Quetta) moderated various sessions of the consultation. The group works were assisted by Mr Allauddin Khilji, Mr Ishfaq Mengal, Mr Amir Ali, Mr Lal Muhammad and Ms Fatima Tahir. 

Aurat Foundation’s Lahore office, under its LISTEN project, organized a 5-day ‘Training of Trainers (ToT) on Community Leadership and Accountability’, from 17th to 21st February 2014, at Hotel Crown Plaza, Lahore. This training workshop was attended by women leaders from 18 districts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Ms Uzma Yaqoob and Mr Asmat Ullah from Ask Development were the resource persons of the TOT.  

The training aimed at apprising the participants on human right, community governance, social accountability, gender justice and community action research with specific attention to knowledge, attitudes and skill enhancement. The training program was designed to build the participants’ capacities as well as to equip them with the material to be used during the downstream trainings by these potential trainers, to the grass root level, coddle the cadre of 1200 prospective trainers in the targeted district under the project.

Training program was an effective mix of lectures, plenary discussions, group works, role plays, documentaries, video clips and case studies. 

Aurat Foundation and other Lahore-based Civil Society Organizations welcomed the participants of Long March for Voices of Balochi Missing Persons (VBMP), which started their march at Thokar Niaz Baig to Freedom Chowk, The Mall Road Lahore.

A large number of members of civil society, students, youth, and media persons have joined the marchers in solidarity with the missing persons.  Mr A R Rehman, HRCP, also participated in and addressed the rally.

Aurat Foundation’s resident director Nasreen Zehra, Provincial Manager Mumtaz Mughal, Programme Officers Nabeela Shaheen, Sarah Anum, Anjum Raza, Abid Ali and many friends of Aurat Foundation participated in this rally. 

Aurat Foundation and other Lahore-based Civil Society Organizations welcomed the participants of Long March for Voices of Balochi Missing Persons (VBMP), which started their march at Thokar Niaz Baig to Freedom Chowk, The Mall Road Lahore.

A large number of members of civil society, students, youth, and media persons have joined the marchers in solidarity with the missing persons.  Mr A R Rehman, HRCP, also participated in and addressed the rally.

Aurat Foundation’s resident director Nasreen Zehra, Provincial Manager Mumtaz Mughal, Programme Officers Nabeela Shaheen, Sarah Anum, Anjum Raza, Abid Ali and many friends of Aurat Foundation participated in this rally. 

Aurat Foundation and other Lahore-based Civil Society Organizations welcomed the participants of Long March for Voices of Balochi Missing Persons (VBMP), which started their march at Thokar Niaz Baig to Freedom Chowk, The Mall Road Lahore.

A large number of members of civil society, students, youth, and media persons have joined the marchers in solidarity with the missing persons.  Mr A R Rehman, HRCP, also participated in and addressed the rally.

Aurat Foundation’s resident director Nasreen Zehra, Provincial Manager Mumtaz Mughal, Programme Officers Nabeela Shaheen, Sarah Anum, Anjum Raza, Abid Ali and many friends of Aurat Foundation participated in this rally. 

Aurat Foundation and other Lahore-based Civil Society Organizations welcomed the participants of Long March for Voices of Balochi Missing Persons (VBMP), which started their march at Thokar Niaz Baig to Freedom Chowk, The Mall Road Lahore.

A large number of members of civil society, students, youth, and media persons have joined the marchers in solidarity with the missing persons.  Mr A R Rehman, HRCP, also participated in and addressed the rally.

Aurat Foundation’s resident director Nasreen Zehra, Provincial Manager Mumtaz Mughal, Programme Officers Nabeela Shaheen, Sarah Anum, Anjum Raza, Abid Ali and many friends of Aurat Foundation participated in this rally. 

Aurat Foundation and other Lahore-based Civil Society Organizations welcomed the participants of Long March for Voices of Balochi Missing Persons (VBMP), which started their march at Thokar Niaz Baig to Freedom Chowk, The Mall Road Lahore.

A large number of members of civil society, students, youth, and media persons have joined the marchers in solidarity with the missing persons.  Mr A R Rehman, HRCP, also participated in and addressed the rally.

Aurat Foundation’s resident director Nasreen Zehra, Provincial Manager Mumtaz Mughal, Programme Officers Nabeela Shaheen, Sarah Anum, Anjum Raza, Abid Ali and many friends of Aurat Foundation participated in this rally. 

Women Action Forum (WAF) and Aurat Foundation organized a rally to commemorate the Pakistan’s National Women’s Day at the Mall Road, Lahore. The day is commemorated each year on 12^th February to remember the day of ‘February 12, 1983’, when women activists were batten-charged while protesting against the discriminatory Hudood laws as promulgated by the then military dictator General Zia ulHaq.

Prominent activist of WAF Mehnaz Raffi, Mumtaz Razi, FakhraTahreem, TanveerJahan, Gulnar, Nighat Saeed Khan, Neelam Hussain, Shabnam, Humaira, Sabiha Shaheen, along with Aurat Foundation’s Resident Director Nasreen Zehra, Provincial Manager Mumtaz Mughal, and other program staff including Nabeela Shaheen, Sara Anum, Abid Ali, Adnan Rasheed and AnjumRaza participated in this rally. The rally started from Regal Chowk to High court Chowk on the Mall Road, Lahore.

Participants of rally raised slogans for equal economic, educational, reproductive rights and political rights of women and their access to employment. They also demanded to end violence against women and girls. 

Women Action Forum (WAF) and Aurat Foundation organized a rally to commemorate the Pakistan’s National Women’s Day at the Mall Road, Lahore. The day is commemorated each year on 12^th February to remember the day of ‘February 12, 1983’, when women activists were batten-charged while protesting against the discriminatory Hudood laws as promulgated by the then military dictator General Zia ulHaq.

Prominent activist of WAF Mehnaz Raffi, Mumtaz Razi, FakhraTahreem, TanveerJahan, Gulnar, Nighat Saeed Khan, Neelam Hussain, Shabnam, Humaira, Sabiha Shaheen, along with Aurat Foundation’s Resident Director Nasreen Zehra, Provincial Manager Mumtaz Mughal, and other program staff including Nabeela Shaheen, Sara Anum, Abid Ali, Adnan Rasheed and AnjumRaza participated in this rally. The rally started from Regal Chowk to High court Chowk on the Mall Road, Lahore.

Participants of rally raised slogans for equal economic, educational, reproductive rights and political rights of women and their access to employment. They also demanded to end violence against women and girls. 

Women Action Forum (WAF) and Aurat Foundation organized a rally to commemorate the Pakistan’s National Women’s Day at the Mall Road, Lahore. The day is commemorated each year on 12^th February to remember the day of ‘February 12, 1983’, when women activists were batten-charged while protesting against the discriminatory Hudood laws as promulgated by the then military dictator General Zia ulHaq.

Prominent activist of WAF Mehnaz Raffi, Mumtaz Razi, FakhraTahreem, TanveerJahan, Gulnar, Nighat Saeed Khan, Neelam Hussain, Shabnam, Humaira, Sabiha Shaheen, along with Aurat Foundation’s Resident Director Nasreen Zehra, Provincial Manager Mumtaz Mughal, and other program staff including Nabeela Shaheen, Sara Anum, Abid Ali, Adnan Rasheed and AnjumRaza participated in this rally. The rally started from Regal Chowk to High court Chowk on the Mall Road, Lahore.

Participants of rally raised slogans for equal economic, educational, reproductive rights and political rights of women and their access to employment. They also demanded to end violence against women and girls. 

Women Action Forum (WAF) and Aurat Foundation organized a rally to commemorate the Pakistan’s National Women’s Day at the Mall Road, Lahore. The day is commemorated each year on 12^th February to remember the day of ‘February 12, 1983’, when women activists were batten-charged while protesting against the discriminatory Hudood laws as promulgated by the then military dictator General Zia ulHaq.

Prominent activist of WAF Mehnaz Raffi, Mumtaz Razi, FakhraTahreem, TanveerJahan, Gulnar, Nighat Saeed Khan, Neelam Hussain, Shabnam, Humaira, Sabiha Shaheen, along with Aurat Foundation’s Resident Director Nasreen Zehra, Provincial Manager Mumtaz Mughal, and other program staff including Nabeela Shaheen, Sara Anum, Abid Ali, Adnan Rasheed and AnjumRaza participated in this rally. The rally started from Regal Chowk to High court Chowk on the Mall Road, Lahore.

Participants of rally raised slogans for equal economic, educational, reproductive rights and political rights of women and their access to employment. They also demanded to end violence against women and girls. 

Women Action Forum (WAF) and Aurat Foundation organized a rally to commemorate the Pakistan’s National Women’s Day at the Mall Road, Lahore. The day is commemorated each year on 12^th February to remember the day of ‘February 12, 1983’, when women activists were batten-charged while protesting against the discriminatory Hudood laws as promulgated by the then military dictator General Zia ulHaq.

Prominent activist of WAF Mehnaz Raffi, Mumtaz Razi, FakhraTahreem, TanveerJahan, Gulnar, Nighat Saeed Khan, Neelam Hussain, Shabnam, Humaira, Sabiha Shaheen, along with Aurat Foundation’s Resident Director Nasreen Zehra, Provincial Manager Mumtaz Mughal, and other program staff including Nabeela Shaheen, Sara Anum, Abid Ali, Adnan Rasheed and AnjumRaza participated in this rally. The rally started from Regal Chowk to High court Chowk on the Mall Road, Lahore.

Participants of rally raised slogans for equal economic, educational, reproductive rights and political rights of women and their access to employment. They also demanded to end violence against women and girls. 

Human rights and women’s rights activists, belonging to various networks, organized a protest, on January 31, 2014, in Islamabad, against the gang rape of a woman on the orders of local panchayet.  The activists gathered demanded that the rapists and all those who held and participated in the panchayet should be arrested and given severe punishment.

The human rights and women’s rights networks, of which Aurat Foundation is an active member, included Insani Haqooq Itehad (IHI), Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls (EVAW/G,), and PRHN, FADAN, Movement for Social Justice, Awami Workers Party, and Women Councilors Network.

The networks issued following press release to the media:

“We the representative of the civil society organizations and human right networks, strongly condemn the gang rape of a widow on the order of jirga in Muzaffargarh. The incident reflects the brutal mindset of our local power brokers. The decisions of  jirgas and panchayets are often anti-women and anti-poor that uphold the elite consensus at the local level.

We directly hold the federal and the provincial government responsible for this brutal act as they have failed to ensure the implementation of the Supreme Court order that declared jirgas and punchayets as illegal.

The male feudal and tribal elite continue to treat women as the private property of men. The local disputes are often settled on the lives and bodies of women through exchanging them, violating and humiliating them as they are considered repository of male honor. We strongly condemn this decadent mind set.

We demand:

• The rapists and all those held and participated in the panchayet should be arrested and given sever punishment within the shortest possible time.
• We demand the government to provide protection, medical treatment and counseling services and all kind of support that help the rape-victim to rebuild her life.
• We urge the Supreme Court to take its responsibility and deliver justice on people’s door-step by making judicial system more effective, efficient and accessible to women in general and women in particular.
• We demand that the police should take the responsibility to monitor the conduct of these jirgas and panchayets on regular basis and make it as part of the crime reporting.” 

Aurat Foundation’s Queta office, in collaboration with International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) organized a consultation on January 222, 2014, at Serena Hotel in Quetta, to share the proposed modalities of women’s reserved seats and to get maximum inputs from the participants and prepare recommendations for direct mode of elections for women.

The consulatation was chaired by Mr Jan Muhammad Jamali, Speaker Provincial Assembly Balochistan. Dr Kahoor Khan Baloch, Director General, Social Welfare, Ms Sadia Mumtaz and Mr Qazi Saleem Akhtar from IFES, and Mr. Haroon Dawood, Resident Director, Aurat Foundation, Quetta, were the resource persons. Dr Ishaq Baloch, Central Information Secretary, National Party, and Executive Officer of Chief Minister Government of Balochistan, gave the concluding remarks.  The participants included women parliamentarians, members of women wings of different political parties, NGOs’ representatives, lawyers, political and social activists and media.

The speakers spoke at length on historical perspective and modalities of women’s reserved seats in legislative assemblies and local government system.

The women parliamentarians shared their experiences and problems about their selection on reserved seats. Most of them said that political parties do not encourage women to contest elections on general seats. The participants also demanded for fifty percent women’s representation at all tiers of government. 

There is not much to celebrate while commemorating ‘16 days of Activism on Ending Violence against Women’ in 2013. Things have deteriorated more than they have improved, generally in the context of women’s overall condition in the society, and in particular, with regards to state responsiveness on women’s concern. This was the crux of the national moot ‘Women, peace and Social Harmony’ held in Islamabad to conclude the 16 days of activism campaign by AAWAZ-Voice and Accountability Programme. The 16 Days of Activism is an international campaign on ending violence against women.

AAWAZ, consortium of five well known civil society organizations of Pakistan including Aurat Foundation, South Asia Partnership-Pakistan, Strengthening Participatory Organization, Sungi Development Foundation, and Sustainable Development Policy Institute with DAI being the managing partner organised series of activities across 45 districts of Punjab and Khyber Pukhtunkhwa, on this occasion.

The National conference was chaired by Ms Khawar Mumtaz, Chairperson, National Commission on the Status of Women. Other speakers include Barrister Zafar Ullah Khan, Federal Secretary, Law Justice and Human Rights, Justice (R) Nasira Javed Iqbal, Allama Tahir Ashrafi, Chairman, Pakistan Ulema Council, Ms Neelam Toru, Chairperson, Provincial Commission on the Status of Women, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Naeem Mirza from Aurat Foundation and Sajid Mansoor Qaisrani from Sungi Development Foundation.

The speakers at the conference demanded gender reforms, implementation of pro-women laws  and enactment of legislation on domestic violence.  The conference started with the welcome note by Mr Sajid Mansoor Qaisrani. In his remarks he said that justice can never be established in society unless women who constitute half the population are freed from violence. Ms Anbreen Ajaib gave a brief history of 16 days of activism campaign and its relevance with current socio-political situation of women in Pakistan.

Mr Naeem Mirza said now that the women’s ministry has been devolved, NCSW must be represented in the cabinet and the National Commission of Human Rights should be established without any further delay. He regretted that ministry of human rights has been downgraded to a wing in the ministry of Law and Justice. He pointed out that the gender crime cell was an ineffective body as only two out of twenty two vacancies have been filled. The representation of women in the parliament and local governments had been reduced which is worrisome. Though the local government in Balochistan has retained 33% women seats yet women were not allowed to vote in some areas. Why there is no follow up of GRAP recommendations, the National Plan of Action 1997 and National Policy of 2002, he asked. He demanded that all discriminatory legislation against women and religious minorities must be repealed. 

Barrister Zafar Ullah while agreeing that they were still many areas which need improvement expressed the view that on many levels things had improved. There were more women lawyers and judges and women were more active in public life in general. He stressed that unless we have justice for all there will be no justice in society. He said the role of law is limited as compared to customs, values and norms. His ministry was working to push forward the bills related to laws of marriages and divorce for Christians and Hindu citizens. He was also keen that domestic violence bill should be adopted by the parliament as soon as possible.

Allama Tahir Ashrafi said that peace and social harmony is not possible in a country where religion becomes a tool to achieve personal and political gains. The state is also silent about those elements who have occupied mosques and using religion as business. He also criticized the government for appeasing banned organizations. There are laws present to discourage hate speech and promote religious tolerance in Pakistan but are not implemented. Things will not improve untill the citizens stand up and reclaim the space that has been appropriated by ignorant and retrogressive forces who use religion for political purposes. He said that it was difficult for him to stand up against Salman Taseer’s assassination, marriages of Hindu girls and DNA issue in CII, but he opposed these actions and such courage needs to be shown by all of us. Pakistan Ulema Council is trying to reclaim the true spirit of Islam which stands for peace, tolerance and equality of men and women.

He said that Islam dictates that there should be no violence against women, children, the elderly and non-combatants, yet women and children are murdered in Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta and Karachi in the name of Jihad.

Justice Nasira threw light on the history of Qisas and Diyat laws. She said that in 1990 FSC gave a ruling that ‘Currently offences against body’ in PPC are against the Islamic injunctions. Consequently, Qisas and Dyat law was introduced. As a result, murder became a private matter and relatives of victim have been given the authority to decide whether to punish or waive an offense of murder. In the whole world, punishment is authority of the state but in case of Pakistan the law has been distorted and the authority is given to individuals. Samiya Sarwar case of early 90s is the glaring example of the atrocities of Qisas and Diyat laws. In 2004, law on honour killing was introduced but this law has some lacunae which need to be addressed. Qisas and Diyat law has also been reviewed by NCSW which also suggested its repeal. 

Neelam Toru said women face a lot of socio-political barriers in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa. The literacy rate among girls is very low. They are afraid to go to schools following the militant attacks on schools in KP. Provincial Commission on the status of women is seeking to have nikah nama registered and raising awareness on the importance of the right of the women to divorce.

Ms Khawar Mumtaz said that inspite of present difficulties especially from terrorism the struggle for women rights will continue. Laws were important but awareness at the local and national levels was also necessary. She commended the AAWAZ consortium for raising awareness on these issues in 7000 villages and urban settlements. She said that there is an inter-provincial ministers coordinating committee which needs to be strengthened and must play a more active role. Concluding her remarks she said the women will continue to struggle without fear and face all challenges that lie in the way.

A stage play on Pakistan’s political history was also presented in the end by the Interactive Resource Centre.

A demonstration demanded the Supreme Court of Pakistan a speedy justice for Perween Rahman, human rights activist assassinated on March 13, 3013, in Karachi, by anti-human rights forces.  The demonstration, organized by Aurat Foundation on November 25, 2013, in front of National Press Club, Islamabad, was part of continuing series of actions which civil society has announced to pursue the case in the Supreme Court and get justice for the deceased and her family.  

Emphasizing on the importance of public pressure, the civil society organizations agreed to plan a series of peaceful demonstration to build public pressure as a gesture of support to expedite the proceedings of case and for verdict to be given.  The demonstrators reverberated that there was a dire need for a sustained campaign. It was mutually decided by the group that this demonstration and other in the future should not be aimed at confrontation rather it should be a gesture of support to a quick verdict.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has accepted the petition for hearing the Perween Rehman murder case.  This was shared by Mr Younas Khalid, Chief Strategy & Policy Officer, Aurat Foundation, and Ms Rehana Hashmi, Executive Director, Sisters Trust.  They also shared that 7,800 petitions have been signed by the human rights activists and filed to the Supreme Court; 50 % of the petitions have been received from   outside the country.  “We have full confidence in our superior judiciary, and expect speedy trial / hearing of the case to bring culprits to the justice”, said Mr Khalid Younas.  Ms Rehana Hashmi shared that a demand has been made for the formation of a judicial commission comprising senior police official and a judge.

The participants also signed a supporting banner and petitions which would be sent to the Supreme Court to become party in the case.  The participants also made commitment that they would bring human right activists and member of civil society organizations for the court hearing to be part of speedy justice.

Aurat Foundation’s Lahore office organized a candle light vigil to commemorate the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence. These 16 days campaign marks annually on international level, to emphasize that gender-based violence is a human rights violation. 

The 16 Days of Activism starts on November 25 and concludes on International Human Rights Day December 10 each year under a theme.  This year’s is ‘From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Let’s Challenge Militarism and End Violence Against Women!’, and highlights the intersections of gender-based violence and militarism, as well as the related issues of economicand social rights experienced by women and their communities.

A large number of civil society representatives and activists both male and female joined this vigil. They chanted slogans on equal economic rights, educational rights, reproductive rights and political rights of women and their access to employment. They also demandedto end violence against women and girls. Participantslifted placards and banners inscribed with different slogans in the favor of women.

Sixteen days of activism is a global campaign which takes place in the period 25 Nov and 10 Dec to raise awareness around gender based violence. The Peshawar team of AAWAZ  Voice and Accountability Programme organized a provincial conference on ‘ Women & Peace’ on 25 November, 2013 at Pearl Continental Hotel Peshawar. The conference was a collective initiative of AAWAZ consortium partners i.e. Aurat Foundation, South Asia Partnership Pakistan, Strengthening Participatory Organisation, Sungi Development Foundation and the Sustainable Development Policy Institute. The speaker guests included Ms Bushra Gohar, Senior Vice President of Awami National Party, Ms Sadia Khan, senior journalist & member Provincial Commission on the Status of Women KP, Dr Anush Khan,  gender specialist and Arshad Haroon, SPO

Key points discussed on the forum were:

·         Raising awareness about  gender-based violence as a human rights issue at the local, national, regional and international levels;

·         Strengthening local work around violence against women;

·         Establishing a clear link between local and international work to end violence against women;

·         Providing a forum in which organizers can develop and share new and effective strategies;

·         Demonstrating the solidarity of women around the world organizing against violence against women; and

·         Creating tools to pressure governments to implement promises made to eliminate violence against women.

Aurat Foundation organized and hosted the inaugural meeting of AAWAZ National Forum (ANF) on November 7, 2013, at its head office in Islamabad.   The Forum, a representative body of AAWAZ – Voice and Accountability Programme, envisioned as a national forum, will serve as a strategic platform to strategize on key reform areas and provide technical input for promoting women’s political participation, ending violence against women and gender-based legislation, as well as peaceful resolution of conflicts and citizens’ engagement for effective service delivery under main AAWAZ themes in consultation with similar provincial forums and different stakeholders. The forum would comprise representatives of political parties, members of civil society organizations including six AWAZ programme’s partner organizations, representatives from media, academia, lawyers, from relevant institutions like NADRA and ECP, two members from Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces where the AAWAZ programme is being implemented.

Mr Harris Khalique, Team Leader AAWAZ programme, gave a brief note on objectives of the programme. He said that AAWAZ programme would focus on enhanced political participation of women in larger public life without fear of gender-based violence, conflict resolution to address tribal, familial, sectarian, ethnic, faith-based or other kinds of conflicts, and citizens’ engagement to achieve better public service delivery particularly in the areas of health and education.  Another overarching component of AAWAZ is policy, analysis, research and results (PARR) facility to synthesise information build robust evidence base around community voice and empowerment, social change, relevant policy influence and government reform

Mr Naeem Mirza, Chief Operating Officer, Aurat Foundation said that AAWAZ programme is flagship project in the broad area of gender, governance, democracy and civil society, and it was cconceived after taking stock of Pakistan’s political economy, sociology and issues around development and much larger corresponding support to public sector.  He further said that it is designed to nourish and nurture democratic processes from below by capitalising on existing citizens’ action.

Ms Feroza Zahra, briefed the ANF members about its Terms of Reference (TORs) and role. She said that the ANF will develop a strategic plan in consultation with concerned partners and stakeholders. Important TORs include: Regular periodic consultations for thematic areas particularly increased women’s participation in politics, advocacy and lobbying for AAWAZ thematic areas, facilitate legislation, policy making and procedural changes/ amendments for AAWAZ thematic inputs, follow ups on different initiatives, and provide capacity support by technical experts to understand and promote issues of women’s participation and safety in the political and public spaces.  The ANF’s structure include all five partners and management organization will be core body; all partners nominates one person from each organization including MO but three technical leads will be also part of this forum to facilitate in respective output thematic areas as and when required. Aurat Foundation will provide secretarial support to AAWAZ National Forum as thematic lead. 

Ms Riffat But, legal expert, spoke on the current issues of citizen’s rights and gender based legislation.  She said that Pakistan has recently made progressive achievement on gender-based legislation, and that has brought another challenge of the effective implementation of these women-friendly laws / legislation.  However, there remain some other daunting issues which still require a lot of work and lobbying e.g. domestic violence, trafficking, early marriages, economic empowerment of rural women etc.  Provincial assemblies must be provided technical support for introducing legislation on the issues of minority women. She suggested that the forum shall focus on the compliance of all the UN conventions reference to women’s rights which Pakistan has signed including CEDAW.

While discussing the major objectives of the forum, the members suggested that after evaluating the type and rate of violence against women, the forum shall raise the issue at relevant forums so that to effectively eradicate the violence against women and intolerance from the society.  Ms Farhana Qamar, MNA- PML (N) and Ms. Asiya Nasir, MNA (JUI-F) suggested that the forum shall involve the parliamentarians from the districts where the AAWAZ programme is being implemented.  

Instead of nominating the parliamentarian the consortium partners need to contact the mainstream parties and ask for nominating their representatives.  Ms Khawar Mumtaz, Chairperson NCSW, said that suggested the representation from all provinces in the ANF.

Role of provinces is very important and we need to add representatives from the provincial level also. On the issue of sustainability of the forum, the AAWAZ  partners responded that looking at their history and experiences of networking and advocacy they are sure to ensure the sustainability of the forum.   It was envisaged to also engage law ant d human rights commission representative in this forum.

AAWAZ – Voice and Accountability Programme, a five-year (2012 to 2017), is striving to strengthen stable, inclusive and tolerant democracy in Pakistan. The Programme views democracy through a gender lens, and intends to contribute to women’s political empowerment, resolution of conflicts across the communities that it works with, and better public service delivery in the areas of health and education through informed and active engagement of citizens. Between 2012 and 2017, AAWAZ will work in at least 7000 villages and urban settlements across 45 districts, 26 district of Punjab and 19 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.  The programme is managed by Development Alternatives Inc. (DAI) and implemented by Pakistan’s prime civil society organizations: Aurat Foundation (AF), South-Asia Partnership-Pakistan (SAP-PK), Strengthening Participatory Organisation (SPO), SUNGI Development Foundation (SDF) and Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI).  districts in Pakistan’s two provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

Aurat Foundation organized and hosted the inaugural meeting of AAWAZ National Forum (ANF) on November 7, 2013, at its head office in Islamabad.   The Forum, a representative body of AAWAZ – Voice and Accountability Programme, envisioned as a national forum, will serve as a strategic platform to strategize on key reform areas and provide technical input for promoting women’s political participation, ending violence against women and gender-based legislation, as well as peaceful resolution of conflicts and citizens’ engagement for effective service delivery under main AAWAZ themes in consultation with similar provincial forums and different stakeholders. The forum would comprise representatives of political parties, members of civil society organizations including six AWAZ programme’s partner organizations, representatives from media, academia, lawyers, from relevant institutions like NADRA and ECP, two members from Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces where the AAWAZ programme is being implemented.

Mr Harris Khalique, Team Leader AAWAZ programme, gave a brief note on objectives of the programme. He said that AAWAZ programme would focus on enhanced political participation of women in larger public life without fear of gender-based violence, conflict resolution to address tribal, familial, sectarian, ethnic, faith-based or other kinds of conflicts, and citizens’ engagement to achieve better public service delivery particularly in the areas of health and education.  Another overarching component of AAWAZ is policy, analysis, research and results (PARR) facility to synthesise information build robust evidence base around community voice and empowerment, social change, relevant policy influence and government reform

Mr Naeem Mirza, Chief Operating Officer, Aurat Foundation said that AAWAZ programme is flagship project in the broad area of gender, governance, democracy and civil society, and it was cconceived after taking stock of Pakistan’s political economy, sociology and issues around development and much larger corresponding support to public sector.  He further said that it is designed to nourish and nurture democratic processes from below by capitalising on existing citizens’ action.

Ms Feroza Zahra, briefed the ANF members about its Terms of Reference (TORs) and role. She said that the ANF will develop a strategic plan in consultation with concerned partners and stakeholders. Important TORs include: Regular periodic consultations for thematic areas particularly increased women’s participation in politics, advocacy and lobbying for AAWAZ thematic areas, facilitate legislation, policy making and procedural changes/ amendments for AAWAZ thematic inputs, follow ups on different initiatives, and provide capacity support by technical experts to understand and promote issues of women’s participation and safety in the political and public spaces.  The ANF’s structure include all five partners and management organization will be core body; all partners nominates one person from each organization including MO but three technical leads will be also part of this forum to facilitate in respective output thematic areas as and when required. Aurat Foundation will provide secretarial support to AAWAZ National Forum as thematic lead. 

Ms Riffat But, legal expert, spoke on the current issues of citizen’s rights and gender based legislation.  She said that Pakistan has recently made progressive achievement on gender-based legislation, and that has brought another challenge of the effective implementation of these women-friendly laws / legislation.  However, there remain some other daunting issues which still require a lot of work and lobbying e.g. domestic violence, trafficking, early marriages, economic empowerment of rural women etc.  Provincial assemblies must be provided technical support for introducing legislation on the issues of minority women. She suggested that the forum shall focus on the compliance of all the UN conventions reference to women’s rights which Pakistan has signed including CEDAW.

While discussing the major objectives of the forum, the members suggested that after evaluating the type and rate of violence against women, the forum shall raise the issue at relevant forums so that to effectively eradicate the violence against women and intolerance from the society.  Ms Farhana Qamar, MNA- PML (N) and Ms. Asiya Nasir, MNA (JUI-F) suggested that the forum shall involve the parliamentarians from the districts where the AAWAZ programme is being implemented.  

Instead of nominating the parliamentarian the consortium partners need to contact the mainstream parties and ask for nominating their representatives.  Ms Khawar Mumtaz, Chairperson NCSW, said that suggested the representation from all provinces in the ANF.

Role of provinces is very important and we need to add representatives from the provincial level also. On the issue of sustainability of the forum, the AAWAZ  partners responded that looking at their history and experiences of networking and advocacy they are sure to ensure the sustainability of the forum.   It was envisaged to also engage law ant d human rights commission representative in this forum.

AAWAZ – Voice and Accountability Programme, a five-year (2012 to 2017), is striving to strengthen stable, inclusive and tolerant democracy in Pakistan. The Programme views democracy through a gender lens, and intends to contribute to women’s political empowerment, resolution of conflicts across the communities that it works with, and better public service delivery in the areas of health and education through informed and active engagement of citizens. Between 2012 and 2017, AAWAZ will work in at least 7000 villages and urban settlements across 45 districts, 26 district of Punjab and 19 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.  The programme is managed by Development Alternatives Inc. (DAI) and implemented by Pakistan’s prime civil society organizations: Aurat Foundation (AF), South-Asia Partnership-Pakistan (SAP-PK), Strengthening Participatory Organisation (SPO), SUNGI Development Foundation (SDF) and Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI).  districts in Pakistan’s two provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).