Uks Community Interaction Sessions

The trained journalists/coordinators through the media consumers’ club meetings helped to raise awareness about Women Media Complaint Cell by mobilizing groups of 20 (at least) from within their respective communities encouraging them to file complaints against gender insensitive media content.

Rawalpindi (30 participants) – 20th January, 2017

Karachi (18 participants) – 26th December, 2016

Gilgit Baltistan (21 participants) – 26th December, 2016

Hyderabad (20 participants) – 25th December, 2016

Charsadda (19 participants) – 22nd December, 2016

Mansehra (20 participants) – 21st December, 2016

Quetta (17 participants) – 19th December, 2016

Islamabad (22 participants) – 19th December, 2016

Turbat (24 participants) – 16th December, 2016

As part of the project, a radio series of 15 radio programmes were produced. These meetings help to create a forum for awareness-raising and discussion on issues otherwise ignored as tabooed subjects. The presence of both men and women of the community in these meetings help to provide each other’s perspectives on issues which are otherwise next to impossible in such conservative communities.

These programmes create awareness about the existing laws regarding violence against women, women’s rights and protection centres”.Participant from Haripur

Mansehra (29 participants) – 1st October, 2016

Kohat (22 participants) – 27th September, 2016

Swat (24 participants) – 18th September, 2016

D.I.Khan (27 participants) – 1st September, 2016

Charsadda (18 participants) – 30th August, 2016

Haripur (26 participants) – 29th August, 2016

At the existing AAWAZ forums in the targeted districts, women were encouraged to come forward and share stories on VAW. The sessions also provided information to the community members on availability of legal and help centres in their vicinity and laws on women protection of women against violence.

Swat (35 participants) – 30th July, 2016

Charsadda (24 participants) – 28th July, 2016

D.I.Khan (26 participants) – 27th July, 2016

Kohat (35 participants) – 23rd July, 2016

Haripur (30 participants) – 22nd July, 2016

Mansehra (30 participants) – 20th July, 2016

The ten trained journalists/coordinators helped to raise awareness about Women Media Complaint Cell by mobilizing groups of 20 (least) from within their respective communities encouraging them to file complaints against gender insensitive content. Each of the ten coordinators carried out two of the said activities making it a total of 20 audience club sessions.

Karachi (14 participants) – 23rd May, 2016

Gilgit Baltistan (21 participants) – 2nd April, 2016

Turbat (15 participants) – 8th March, 2016

Mardan (20 participants) – 8th March, 2016

Multan (20 participants) – 28th February, 2016

Hyderabad (20 participants) – 23rd February, 2016

Quetta (17 participants) – 22nd February, 2016

Gilgit Bltistan (22 participants) – 21st February, 2016

Rawalpindi (17 participants) – 21st February, 2016

Peshawar (20 participants) – 21st February, 2016

The workshops explained to the VO members the purpose of the pilot, namely to launch radio programs imparting information on GBV-related issues, causes and possible solutions to these problems. The workshops were an opportunity to understand the women and men’s personal stories and concerns around GBV, recognize the multitude dimensions of GBV and identify existing platforms / institutions that can be accessed for help and guidance.

Layyah (88 participants) – 30th May, 2015

Muzaffargarh (48 participants) – 29th May, 2015

Multan (59 participants) – 28th May, 2015

The objective of holding these conventions was to generate a discussion on legal rights and status of informal women workers and strategies to empower women workers in Islamabad/Rawalpindi District. The conventions served to provide a platform for the articulation of demands raised by nearly 200 grass root level women workers participated in the training workshops.

3rd Convention: Islamabad (197 participants) – 30th September, 2015

2nd Convention: Rawalpindi (222 participants) – 31st August, 2015

1st Convention: Rawalpindi (116 participants) – 15th January, 2015

The activity was held for employers of women workers in the formal sector to provide orientation to create awareness amongst them on the specific needs and requirements of women workers, gender sensitive work environments and policies, while educating them on practical measures that could be taken to address existing gaps on this front.

Each of the five women workers’ leaders (WWL) identified from the twenty-five women workers who were trained in the Women Workers Leadership Training implement five roll out activities as part of their leadership training for increased awareness of women workers in their respective regions.

Shah Faisal Colony Rawalpindi (30 participants) – 14th June, 2015

Dhok Dallal Rawalpindi (22 participants) – 9th May, 2015

Chamanzar Rawalpindi (52 participants) – 3rd May, 2015

Aqal Garrh Rawalpindi (35 participants) – 26th April, 2015

Iqbal Town Islamabad (78 participants) – 25th April, 2015

The 25 women identified from the group of 145 women workers who had received extensive training on workers legal rights and laws (earlier in December 2014) were trained in this ToT. These women workers were trained on leadership skills and advocacy prior to the rollout activities held by each of the five Women Workers Leaders (WWL) identified from this group.

The objectives of the training included:

• Building leadership skills
• Share advocacy and activism tools/methods
• Advanced awareness on worker’s rights situation

The Clubs brought together both men and women to discuss issues that were of great consequence to both genders and to promote mutual understanding on these issues. Through this inclusive approach the listener clubs aimed to bring about change in the households, work spaces and the communities at large.

The meetings were organized by the mother leaders as trainers who were trained earlier in a ToT at Islamabad. These meetings aimed:

• To reinforce the family and mother’s role in countering extremism and violence
• To provide trainings to mothers so that they can detect early warning signs of extremism in their sons
• To empower women to take action against violence and extremism in their own capacity

Following were the topics of meetings:

Lesson 1 – This is Me, Who are You

Lesson 2 – Me in My Community

Lesson 3 – Self Doubts & Self Esteem

Lesson 4 – Women & Security

Lesson 5 – Child Psycho-Social Development

Lesson 6 – Understanding Political Anarchy and Radicalization

Lesson 7 – Early Warning Signs of Radicalization

Lesson 8 – Father’s Role

Lesson 9 – Charity Begins at Home

The trained mothers would carry out 8-10 meetings with other 15-20 mothers from their areaon the skills they learned duringthis ToT. Personnel from ‘Women Without Borders’conducted this training. The mothers were trained on methods to detect the influence of violent and extremist ideologies in their children and a mother’s role in dissuading their childrenfrom turning towards extremism, for the establishment of a peaceful and tolerant society.

This initiative Women Leadership Initiative (WLI) Consortium provided a unique forum to all its members for actively engaging in dialogue, collaboration, and sharing of information, learning and experiences in order to jointly implement a successful project and achieve its common goals and objectives.

Uks took lead in organizing 6 FGDs in 5 regions. Focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with trained women parliamentarians and former and aspiring women councillors to identify issues/problem areas and common ground to enhance collaboration to pursue the joint aim of understanding differences and acting on commonalities that could be highlighted in the upcoming radio talk shows.

• Lahore-12th Dec, 2012
• Peshawar-20th Dec, 2012
• Quetta- 2nd Jan, 2013
• Karachi (first)- 10th Jan, 2013
• Karachi (second)- 11th Jan, 2013