Promoting Women's Leadership in Pakistan

Project Summary:   

This project aims to increase women's political participation in the face of extremism and conflict in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and the Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (PATA). Women are underrepresented at all levels of decision-making and their needs related to the conflict are not being sufficiently addressed in these areas. This project will empower women through documentation, political training, and the creation of a forum where they can voice their concerns to policymakers. It focuses on three districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and the Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (PATA) including Dir Lower, Dir Upper, and Malakand. However, the project will begin initially in Dir Lower.  

Activities accomplished during the first quarter of the project:   

• At the end of March, an orientation meeting was organized with the field staff in Lower Dir where they were briefed on the project objectives and targets. The team was prepared to start consultations with women leaders and elected women councilors on the ground about the project activities. During the meeting particulars about the selection criteria and processes for the identification and selection of women leaders and elected women councilors was discussed and agreed upon.

• During the month of April, field level meetings with women leaders and elected women councilors at the local level were initiated by the field staff.

• Profiling of women leaders and elected women councilors is in the process to further finalize the selection process in the 2nd quarter of the project at the District Dir Lower level initially.

• In May 2018, one day orientation meeting with women leaders and elected women councilors were conducted and the idea of establishing Gender Responsive Action Forum (GRAF) was introduced and discussed. The main aim of GRAF is to work together on one platform for women's rights and leadership development. In the next round of conversations, 10 women leaders and elected women councilors will be selected for initiating the GRAF in the 2nd quarter.

• Training manual development/modification has been started by the team for councilors’ capacity building trainings.

• Project monthly progress review and planning meetings were held in the head office. During the meeting, project progress was reviewed, challenges were discussed, and an action plan was reviewed and finalized for each next month.  

Challenges faced and mitigation strategies applied:

The project design is based on an integrated approach in terms of the relevancy of the activity sequence and effects. The total estimated budget of the project is 50,000 USD. Against this budget during the first quarter, GlobalGiving has wired around 1100.00 USD. This amount has yet to be received in ABKT’s account. The project team discussed the funding challenge and tried their best to reorganize the activities according to the received funds, making sure not to disturb the logical order of the project. As per the above given facts, it was decided to establish the GRAF and later on to gradually organize the rest of the initiatives.

Links:

• ABKT Website

• Quarterly Progress Report (PDF)