Category: AAWAZ Portal

Key Strategies

AAWAZ interventions are derived from these three pathways and rationally linked with different structural tiers of AAWAZ .i.e. village, UC, district, provincial and national levels. Awareness raising activities are more focused at the village, UC and district levels while institutions are more focused at district, provincial and national levels in the forms of gender based legislations, working with political parties, Legislators, Election Commission of Pakistan etc. The illustration below explains how interventions under the three pathways will help lead to change by removing key barriers and achieve the overall goal of the AAWAZ programme  

TORs of AAWAZ National Forum

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:  Regular periodic consultations for thematic areas particularly increased women’s participation in politics and VAW  Advocacy and lobbying for AAWAZ thematic areas particularly increased women’s participation in politics and VAW  Facilitate legislation, policy making and procedural changes/ amendments for AAWAZ thematic inputs particularly increased women’s participation in politics and VAW through following steps Identify legal gap in women’s equal status and list laws that needs to be drafted and passed. 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 Provide technical support to relevant ministries and parliamentarians (especially women) in drafting bills 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. Follow ups on different initiatives, advocacy and  lobbying 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:   Subject Specialty as per AAWAZ themes and outputs Representatives will be likeminded people from potential allies Directly and relevant Institutions representatives (NCSW and Women Caucus, NADRA, EC) Inclusiveness (new activists, academia, lawyers, media,   Good and strong linkages Representative from political parties should have influence within the party and parliament Representatives will be based in Islamabad

TORs of AAWAZ Provincial Forum

APF 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 to end VAW 2.     Advocacy and lobbying for AAWAZ thematic areas particularly increased women and excluded groups’ participation in politics and to end VAW 3.     Facilitate legislation, policy making and procedural changes/ amendments for AAWAZ thematic inputs through following steps: Identify legal gap in women’s equal status and list laws that needs to be drafted and passed. 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 Provide technical support to relevant ministries and legislators (especially women and minorities ) in drafting bills 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 four partners will be core body; all partners nominate one person from each. Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO) will provide secretarial support to AAWAZ Provincial Forum as thematic lead of Output3 but chair will be rotated after six months. At least 4 persons (Women/ Men) from district forums will also be member of APF.

Aawaz legislative agenda (National,KP,Punjab)

Suggestive areas Basis for suggestion Issues pertain to Personal laws of Muslims and minorities Laws are  outdated and need to be aligned with the current issues and scenarios   Non-Muslim minorities do not have/are personal laws outdated.     Girl marriage, divorce, child guardianship, inheritance etc.   Directly affect women due to the social environment in Pakistan; which places women in a socially inferior and vulnerable position. Amendments to the Anti – Women Practices Act-2011 Law is silent to deal with specifically systems of Jirgas and other illegal parallel legal system  issues relating to warrants and compoundability of the law that has resulted in making it difficult to stop such customs from occurring in time; this should be taken into a legislative action against anyone involved in such systems Law of acid crimes To combat easy and cheap access to corrosive substances used in acid crimes  Law punishing perpetrators of acid violence exists; a law outlawing and making it difficult to access different forms of corrosive substance must also be made. Provincial Commission on Status of the Women (PCSW) In lines with National Commission on Status of Women 2012 (NCSW); there is need to form at provincial level to support the government Alignment of law in KP must be improved in line with the NCSW 2012 law  Prioritization & mainstreaming women in respective sphere of life Trafficking As there is no such aw on internal trafficking and regulation of data on trafficking  Dealing with cases where the authorities  encounter cases of trafficking, resulting in mis-reporting, mis-management and the lack of capturing accurately capturing and dealing with the issue Laws on sexual violence Revision of laws on sexual violence, SoPs for police and medico-legal centers for dealing with such cases etc. The law remains silent on issues relating to incest, child molestation and a number of other issues. Procedural gaps remain as well as inadequate handling of such cases. Increase in  incidents of sexual violence A comprehensive approach to combat this issue Law on honour crime The present law of honour crime has gaps which results to weak implementation of the law and allow perpetrators impunity; hence amendment be passed accordingly  Horrific form of violence against women Home based workers At present, no protection to informal workers and home-based workers in the form of a policy and legislation. Social and labour protection to informal workers and home-based workers Recognition of such entities Women’s Representation in the Local Government, National, Provincial Assemblies, Senate & in Political Parties Increase in women’s quotas and reserved seats to 33% Amendment in the Political Parties Act to ensure 10% party tickets to women on general seats in addition to reserved seats quota  To ensure a viable majority of women at all levels of government Laws on Domestic violence Focus on the criminalization of law as opposed to just the response and rehabilitation Laws on domestic violence must be passed in all provinces  Increase in domestic violence against women Laws on Child marriages Amendment in the Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929 to increase the age of marriage of the girl child; given over-arching effect; increase punishments and improve modes of punishment A draft is ready for Punjab; needs to pursue For Sindh, Nikha nama needs to be amended, CNIC attachment with nikha nama should be mandatory  Early child marriages girls are affected badly; and it leads to domestic violence against girls At present, punishment is very lower, a meager amount just PKR 1,000. Enabling Acts for International Conventions Getting enable laws passed to enforce the acts for International Conventions ratified by Pakistan Providing legally mandate to the local application of international human rights conventions in Pakistan. In Pakistan, non-existing of enabling act to ratified International Conventions pertaining to human rights Health There is a need to explore the possibility of legislative reform through health initiatives Cases pertaining to polio vaccine should be penalized  Issues relates to maternal health, reproductive rights and even violence amongst others   Consolidated legislative agenda points Punjab   Khyber Pakhtunkhwa   At Federal level Amendments in land revenue act Right to Information Home based workers (HBWs) Policy Provincial Commission on Status of Women Domestic Violence Bill Women Protection Policy Domestic Child Labor Early Child Marriages Acid Crimes Minorities personal laws Amendments in Local Government Act-2013 Increasing women representation at all level    Child marriage restrained act (rejected by PA) Internal Trafficking of women and children (rejected by PA) Unified curriculum policy (Details to come) Acid and burn prevention legislation (law department) Women empowerment policy ( Draft ready with PSCW) Notification for mediation committee at polices station level (inclusion of women in committee) Rules of business for PCSW (draft ready) Home based workers policy draft   Cyber Crime Right to Education Domestic Violence Political Parties Act (at federal level) Right to Information HIV / AIDS