AAWAZ National Forum (ANF)

Background:

AAWAZ-Voice and Accountability a five-year (2012 to 2017) Programme 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. AAWAZ is being 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). 

Between 2012 and 2017, AAWAZ will work in at least 7000 villages and urban settlements across 45 districts in Pakistan’s two provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). During the first year, in all targeted areas community forums will be established at village, UC, Tehsil and District, provincial and National Level. AAWAZ Programme providing space and opportunity to marginalized and vulnerable communities to raise their issues and concerns from bottom to top level decision making institutions and also providing space to initiate national and provincial level advocacy on current citizen’ issues and thematic areas.

 The ANF 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.

Composition:

The ANF will comprise renowned personalities from Parliament, relevant state institutions, academia, media, lawyers and civil society organizations who work towards strengthening democracy and supporting more open, inclusive democratic processes and accountable governance in Pakistan.

AAWAZ National Forum (ANF) will be Islamabad based representatives of program partners, elected representatives, nominee from elected representatives of the parliament the senate, leaders of political parties; as ally representatives from the relevant government functionaries or technical expert on thematic areas (health, education, NADRA, Election Commission), journalists and leading human rights activists will be the members of this forum. In addition, National Commission on the Status of Women and National Women’s Caucus representation will also be ensured at this Forum. Gender balance will be ensured in the membership of the ANF.

Role and Functions:

The ANF will serve as the interface between the rights holders and duty bearers. It will develop a concrete evidence based advocacy campaign at the national level around national and international commitments on gender equality in decision-making and protection from violence in the private and in public space. The ANF will develop a comprehensive advocacy plan after strategic priority setting to boast women’s political participation and representation and ensure their safety and security in public life.

The ANF will work towards building a social consensus to remove discriminatory laws against women and identify the legal gap where new laws are needed. The ANF will work closely with legislators to motivate, mobilize them to take legal initiatives to fill the gap. The ANF will facilitate legislators by providing them authentic information, research based evidence and technical assistance to take up gender issues and to draft private members bills.  The group will also work closely with parliamentary women caucus and the relevant parliamentary standing committees to ensure that they play an effective oversight role to ensure that legal practices are not working against women and policies and laws are enforced. Law enforcement agencies (police and judiciary) must uphold women’s rights, dignity and strengthen their security.  The ANF will also work with political parties and election commission for political party and electoral reforms to ensure women’s improved participation and representation within party structures and in electoral processes.

To build and strengthen the collective political voice of women, the ANF will establish close linkages with women’s movement and the civil society organizations. It will provide capacity support to relevant government departments, political parties, election commission, police, judiciary/lawyers and the media to understand and promote issues of women’s participation and safety in the political and public space.

In a joint meeting on 7^th Oct, 2013, all partners (except SAP-PK) but including MO revised the role and functions of forum, defined selection criteria and also selected 25 different representatives, relevant institutions (NCSW, ECP, women caucus and two provincial forums) representatives will be reconfirmed.   Brief detail is given below:

Revised terms of Reference and roles of ANF are given below:

ANF will develop a strategic plan in consultation with concerned partners and stakeholders. Following are some of the suggested broader TORs:

1. Regular periodic consultations for thematic areas particularly increased women’s participation in politics and VAW
2. Advocacy and lobbying for AAWAZ thematic areas particularly increased women’s participation in politics and VAW
3. Facilitate legislation, policy making and procedural changes/ amendments for AAWAZ thematic inputs particularly increased women’s participation in politics and VAW through following steps:
1. Identify legal gap in women’s equal status and list laws that needs to be drafted and passed.
2. Review and assess the implementation status of existing Laws that affect women’s and citizens status (such Sexual Harassment at the workplace; Acid burning; Anti-Women Practices; Unequal rights in marriage, property and inheritance, political and electoral reform agenda in consultation with stakeholders
3. Provide technical support to relevant ministries and parliamentarians (especially women) in drafting bills
4. Provide support to elected representative for moving bills and enactment of laws in the National Assembly and senate to fill the legal gap. Work closely with consortium B to identify research areas in this regard.
4. Follow ups on different initiatives, advocacy and  lobbying
5. Provide capacity support by technical experts to understand and promote issues of women’s participation and safety in the political and public spaces for AAWAZ thematic areas.

Structure:

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 of Output1 but chair will be rotated after six months. At least two persons (Women/ Men) from both provincial forums will also represent their forums.

All partners sent their nominations and after consultations 29 members were selected as per following criteria. 

Selection Criteria:

1. Subject Specialty as per AAWAZ themes and outputs
2. Representatives will be likeminded people from potential allies
3. Directly and relevant Institutions representatives (NCSW and Women Caucus, NADRA, EC)
4. Inclusiveness (new activists, academia, lawyers, media,  
5. Good and strong linkages
6. Representative from political parties should have influence within the party and parliament
7. Representatives will be based in Islamabad