PROJECT INTRODUCTION:
The Netherlands Embassy–Simorgh project, From the Politics of Vulnerability to the Politics of Voice, showed that when women gain social and economic strength, it helps reduce poverty and create fairer communities. In the second phase- “From the margins to mainstream”, the project continues to build women’s skill for earning, increase their confidence, and support their role in family, community, and public life. It will also address challenges like gender-based violence, early marriage, health, food insecurity, climate change, and displacement. Through trainings, awareness sessions, and skill-building activities, women, men, and young people will work together with local leaders to create safe, strong, and inclusive communities where change is led from within.
Ongoing Activities:
Gender Sensitization Workshop for stakeholders including on constitutional rights/ human rights and women’s empowerment.
Leadership trainings of community advocates, youth advocates, union councilors on local and public political/ community participation, GBV, psychosocial support, accountability procedures
Parenting sessions including socio-political awareness sessions on GBV, civic awareness, mother-daughter/father-son conversations on pubertal
Advocacy Campaigns on voter registration, Nikkah registration, environment, gender based violence, inheritance rights, Drug prevention and personal wellbeing including any issue taken up by the community through community and youth groups
Exercise of fundamental rights: Access to ID card via NADRA mobile registration for Empowering Women and Girls. Voter registration of community women/ youth registration as voters for step forward for women’s equal participation in General Elections 2023. 2000 participants from 3 districts.
Fortnightly Baithaks or sittings for exchange of views/ideas etc. for young girls/ boys, women/ men, union councilors/local government representatives for identification/ reporting VAWG cases, community/local level issues.
District Forums to promote zero tolerance for all forms of violence against women and girls in public and private life, Environmental improvement actions, personal wellbeing.
Quarterly Newsletters by young leaders to highlight community issues including food security, GBV and climate change with collaboration of media journalists/youth group leaders and community advocates.
Development of IEC material: Podcast on right based information (small interviews from relevant project stakeholders), 3 life skills, and entrepreneurial skills based board games.
Kaleidoscope and Larrian tri-lingual readers for children’s (ages 5-12) storytelling sessions
Mugs (GBV, SRHR, underage marriage, planned parenthood, economic empowerment, political empowerment, leadership, climate change, religiosity)
Capacity and skill development courses for women/ youth girls and transgender people for knowledge and skills to raise awareness on VAW and income generation.
Established 3 capacity building and Resource Schools to enhance their skills, Women Safe Spaces to combat GBV, referral system mechanism for VAW survivors.
Digital literacy training workshops on development of skills and attitudes towards budgeting, savings, investment, debt management and financial negotiation
Exposure visits of women leaders to UC office, Police station, BHU, Municipal office and Saalsi Committee, livestock department and relevant government departments for accountability and to participate in democratic process at community and local level and access rights and services more effectively. Women safe spaces sustainability planning workshops via Zoom with extended outreach to strengthen women’s rights, transforming lives and preventing VAW.