Donor: Norwegian Human Rights Fund (NHRF)
Project Title: Violence Against Women in Malakand Agency
Project Duration: Two Years (24 months), (Running)
Location: Malakand Agency, NWFP-Pakistan
Project Goal: To contribute to the Socio-cultural, economic and Political uplift of women community in Malakand Agency
Project Objectives: General Objectives:
• To explore ways and means in order to enhance the Human rights situation of women community in the area.
• To contribute in the productive role of women in socio-cultural, economic and political spheres in Malakand Agency.
Specific Objectives:
• To evaluate the existing violence cases by conducting research and data collection in Malakand Agency
• To create awareness about CEDAW (Convention on the
Elimination of all forms of discrimination Against Women) through
seminars, workshops, walks, rallies, pamphlets, banners, print and
electronic media
• To establish women CBOs and arrange capacity building trainings for them
• Formation of Core group/pressure group to negotiate with policy makers to repeal the discriminatory laws against women
• To established a Legal Aid Centre for the economically weak and socially depressed women in the project area
• To improve the skills of women through various vocational and Non-vocational trainings
Beneficiaries of the Project:
Women Community of Malakand Agency, which contribute almost
half of the total population. Nearly fifty percent of the community will
get awareness on basic human rights especially women rights.
Project Background:
Human rights particularly women rights situation in Pakistan is
very dismal as compared to other regions of the world. Though the
situation is improved a little bit since our independence, but still
it's a long way to reach our destination. There are regions like the
tribal areas of our country, which should be termed as savage societies
if compared to the other settle areas of the country. Malakand Agency
which is under the high influence of religious extremism is copious with
Domestic violence, honour killings, forced marriages and other social
evils.
A brief view of the general condition of women in the area:
In the presence of so-called traditions and culture, it is
considered a transgressed of Pukhtoon family system when a girl
expresses openly her choice at the time of engagement. Consequently, she
is compelled to live with her life partner forever without her own
desire. It is highly significant to understand that such injustice
decision leads toward terrible and horrendous situation, which engulfs
the lives of many innocent women and girls every year in the name of Honour killing
in the project area as well as all over the country. It is anticipated
that thousands of innocent women are killed in the name of “honour”. It
is worth mentioning that majority of the cases in such circumstances go
unreported to avoid any police investigations. It may be due to a bad
reputation in the society.
Man is considered superior than women in all walks of life and no attention has been given to women in decision-making. In
personal and feudal rivalries, women are used as a tool and are
exchanged without her will and agreements to the opposite party for
resolving the disputes. This tradition is called “ SWARA” that
is against the Islamic principles and human rights law. Another drastic
and tragic practice against women in the area is that they are not
given their due share in the property of their parents and forefather.
HDPG deems that the factors responsible for the misery of women
community in the area are; Lack of awareness and information, Low level
of women education, cultural bearers, traditions and norms, economic
dependency of women on men, low/zero participation in the politics,
judicial System in the Country, improper Implementation of Law/Policies
and attitude of the Law enforcement agencies.
Project Activities:
In order to address the prevailing problems and issues in the
target area, HDPG has chalked out the following activities to address
these social, cultural, political and human rights abuses against women.
The proposed project is consists of the following activities:
• Research & Data Collection
• Awareness, Advocacy & Social Organization/Pressure Group Formation
• Workshops and Seminars
• Community Gatherings
• Brochures and pamphlets
• Magazine at the Name of Bibi Hawa
• Formation of Women CBOs
• Capacity Building Programme for women CBOs
Results/Outcomes:
A project commencement on women's rights in Malakand Agency is by
itself a great achievement of HDPG. In the presence of such a great
resistance and opposing forces, it is really a landmark achievement of
the Human Development Promotion Group (HDPG) to go for a project intervention.
Before, this project, no reliable data was available about the
condition of women in the area. But now, due to the extensive research
conducted by HDPG to develop its database would hopefully prove a
milestone and will provide a strong base for the future women rights
activities in Malakand Agency.
HDPG deems that on account of this project, women will get
awareness and access to their rights in a professional way. It would
contribute to minimize the human rights abuses. The successful
completion of this project will encourage other agencies to take the
task of minimizing human rights violations in different parts of the
country especially in areas where these violations are frequent and
really hindered the society's progress towards prosperity.
Others achievements during this project are;
• Awareness creation
• Formation of twenty two (22) Women CBOs in the project area
• Capacity building of women CBOs
• Publishing materials on Human Rights
• Publishing magazine on women rights at the name of HAWA
• Paving the way for other organizations to work in this area
• Involvement of religious scholars in such activities
• Highlighting the issue of Violence Against Women in the area
• Starting work for the economic independence of women
|