In the story of the Conference of the Birds, by the twelfth Century Persian poet Attar, the Hoopoe, the symbol of inspiration, assembles the birds (or faculties) to begin the Quest for the fabulous Simorgh. Those who are attached to the phenomenal world give excuses of not making the journey. The nightingale, that aspect of self caught in the exterior form of things, cannot leave the water- the hawk cannot leave its prey. Only those faculties which have been awakened to the inner aspect of things, and see beyond materiality, choose to make the journey towards completion.
At the of the Quest, the birds find that the Simorgh has been with them, guiding them from within, throughout the journey. The goal of the Quest is the self.
SIMORGH – WOMEN’S RESOURCE & PUBLICATION CENTRE STARTED IN 1985 AS A PART-TIME INITIATIVE AND FORMALISED AS A FULL-TIME ORGANISATION IN 1995, SIMORGH IS A NON-GOVERNMENT, NON-PROFIT, FEMINIST/ACTIVIST ORGANISATION.
The various projects Simorgh has undertaken over the past years have been made possible by the generous support of donors
Our members are our true motivation these collective members help us in bringing new ventures
We have a strong network of National , International, and Regional People
Simorgh works with students, teachers, media professionals, NGOs and CBOs. Our main focus being research and dissemination of information, we strive to achieve our objective through publications, seminars, conferences, documentary films, gender awareness workshops, and, skill dissemination and income-generation projects.
The project aimed to recognize the right to freedom of thought, expression and belief is afundamental human right, and along with the acceptance of diversity and difference forms thecornerstone of meaningful democracy. The project sought to work with the students and faculty ofinstitutions of higher…
The project aims to increase the political empowerment and enjoyment of rights by women, particularly young women, marginalized groups, and those at risk. The project also seeks to empower the poor and marginalized, especially women to articulate their concerns, exercise political choice and hold de…
Worlds in the Making- Our bodies- Our lives 2016- 2018 Body Politics- Breaking the season of silence 2017- 2019 Worlds in the Making- Pushing the Boundaries 2019-2020 Our Bodies Our Lives-Pushing the Boundaries- Extended Outreach 2020- 2021 Main Objective To create new, and enlarge existing……
In this ongoing project Simorgh is currently working on active participation of the women in economics social and political matters. This project major aims to transform the politics of women‘s vulnerability into the politics of voice by boosting their Confidence, their active participation in the…
Planting the Seeds Change III is a community project for women in Lahore’s Walled City. Starting initially with students of the Fatima Jinnah College for Women in Chuna Mandi, it slowly gained ground among women living in the environs of Yakki, Delhi and Kashmiri Gates……
This Project was one for teacher’s education on Human Rights and Participatory Teaching Methodology through workshops with school teachers. In all 6 workshops were conducted to educate the teachers all of which came from different backgrounds/income sectors.These workshops were third in the series…
A comparative action-research project undertaken jointly with BRAC University Dhaka as part of the ‘Pathways of Women’s Empowerment Research Consortium’. Simorgh is a member of the South Asia Hub located in Dhaka. Simorgh was invited by BRAC University Dhaka as a South Asia Hub partner……
Lahore Grammar School System, Lahore: Lahore Grammar School (LGS) which now comprises a chain of school based mainly in Lahore but with branches in Karachi, Islamabad, Multan and Faisalabad, was found by group of women in 1976. Conceived as a liberal/ progressive coeducational venture, one……
A Simorgh Human Rights Foundation Project The ‘ Worlds in the Making,’ a teacher’s education project through workshops on Human Rights and Participatory Learning, was designed as a 10 month activity for 2008-2009 comprising 6 workshops with teachers from different schools from high and low……
The Overall Objective of this Project is to raise awareness on women’s rights as equal citizen’s and counter GBV especially forced marriage and denial of inheritance/land-ownership through the improvement of women’s condition and status by enabling them/their concerned family member’s (i.e. …
Objectives : To explore (i) the syncretism of the Suffic strand in religion and especially its roots in religio-cultural rituals that are common to the different religious communities of this area and (ii)the centrality of both the female voice and poetry, music and dance Suffic……
Background ‘Tracking Change – the impact of women’s religious gatherings on their lives’ was a short project to supplement research undertaken as part of the larger Pathways to Women’s Empowerment Project. As Simorgh’s was a small 18 month component of the project, it…
As part of its’ earthquake relief activity Simorgh decided to put up a school in the village Shang, Battagram.It did this in partnership with Lahore Grammar School 55 Main Gulberg and Lahore Grammar School, Johar Town Branch. This decision was based on the desire to……
In partnership with Shirkat Gah and the Agha Khan University Community Health Department. Simorgh became part of the WEMC programme. This project is part of a four-country action research project. Although Simorgh did not get an opportunity to carry on with this project for long,……
This project was conducted from July 2005 to December 2007. It was an awareness raising research project. A series of workshops, lectures, discussion sessions, activities were held in the pursuance of this project. Prior to and during the duration of this project Simorgh visited various……
A series of three lectures were held in January 2006 as part of Simorgh’s overall aim to raise awareness and generate public debates on the ‘rights’ issues and related laws. Conducted by Najma Sadeque these lectures highlighted the threat to life and livelihood by globalization……
2007 began with the Asia Pacific Advisory Forum for Judicial Education on Equality Issues [Forum] and comprised three activities viz. (i) the Forum Management Team Meeting, (ii) a Results Based Management (RBM) Training Workshop and (iii) a Protocol Meeting. These activities were held in Karachi……
Simorgh has been a member organization of the AWHRC since 1988,when it was formed in Bangkok to (i)examine and address the lacunae in the UN Charter of Human Rights from a third world perspective and (ii)to work regionally and locally for the rights of women……
