At Mardan, young IDPs have started to involve themselves in sport activities to vent out their anger, badminton and volley ball are serving as a healthy outlet for young girls residing in the IDP camps.
In all, seventy-seven girls aged between eight- twenty, from both Shaikh Shehzad and Shaikh Yasin IDP camps registered their names for playing activities in the camps.
Zakia said “Thank God, we can now breathe in fresh air as Swatis especially the women were deprived of it till launching of the full scale operation against the Talibans.”
Another young badminton player aged fifteen Shazia said “ Sports are not just for boys, we planned out earlier to visit the distribution points where Pakistan Sports Board provided the sport equipment and I am happy to receive my badminton racket and other gear.”
“We don’t know what will happen to us in future, but for now we are “free” and want to get involved in sports activities so we will try to make use of this opportunity and use the camp site for our playing activities.”
Interestingly the Pakistan Sports Board had a special event at the IDP camp where children were given table tennis bats, ball, badminton rackets, net, shuttles, volleyball, volleyball nets, and tables of the table tennis.
These girls arrived at the event to actively participate in the speeches and dialogue with the Pakistan Sports Board officials and they also showed their interest and commitment to play sports even while living in camps. Later on, upon receiving the equipment, a large number of girls looked very satisfied and also thanked the department’s officials.
Sports equipment worth ten million goods would be distributed among children of IDPs in the camp including a special consignment donated by Pakistan Sports Trust in the coming weeks.
For the IDP boys games like football, cricket, volleyball and a mini-races will be organized and for girls, games including badminton, table tennis and volleyball will be arranged under the supervision female from Patan NGO.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
War for Peace: Pakistan's Displaced Lack Basic Necessities for Survival
Pakistan’s military offensive to combat the issue of terrorism and militancy in Swat and Lower Dir, districts in North West Frontier Province (NWFP) for bringing stability to the country adversely affected the area’s population of nearly 3.3 million people.
Globally the media is full of information on the humanitarian crisis and describes the plight of these individuals. Barefooted children walked miles to reach a camp without adequate facilities or the overcrowded home of a poor relative. A widowed mother, whose husband died from injuries caused in the crossfire between Taliban and army, escapes with her young children to find that she cannot receive food or milk for her children. These are not the stories of particular individuals but rather the living reality that hundreds of thousands of people face. Leaving all possessions and without money, nearly one million individuals find themselves without the means to survive, thus, pressurizing the host communities who themselves struggle daily to feed and educate their children, to care for ill family members, and to keep a roof over their heads.
The IDPs in these areas face acute problems and are deprived of basic life necessities including shelter, food, child education, and health and hygiene provision. Women and children, particularly, face unhygienic conditions that result in preventable diseases. IDPs do not have money or means to purchase food or milk for infants. A similar survey in Abbottabad exposed that the 1,213 IDP families have yet to receive assistance from the government or non-government organizations. The families in Abbottabad are in dire need of shelter, food items, non-food items, health and hygiene provision, kitchen utensils, and education for children. Women and children in this area also require psychosocial support as severe trauma was observed. In both areas, large groups of two or more families take refuge in a rented house or with extended families; the hygienic conditions are terrible and insufficient storage for clean water worsens the living condition. Children have no place to go to school; the government requires certificates for admission to a new school, but for the displaced children, this is not possible, and parents are more concerned about feeding their children at the moment.
Globally the media is full of information on the humanitarian crisis and describes the plight of these individuals. Barefooted children walked miles to reach a camp without adequate facilities or the overcrowded home of a poor relative. A widowed mother, whose husband died from injuries caused in the crossfire between Taliban and army, escapes with her young children to find that she cannot receive food or milk for her children. These are not the stories of particular individuals but rather the living reality that hundreds of thousands of people face. Leaving all possessions and without money, nearly one million individuals find themselves without the means to survive, thus, pressurizing the host communities who themselves struggle daily to feed and educate their children, to care for ill family members, and to keep a roof over their heads.
The IDPs in these areas face acute problems and are deprived of basic life necessities including shelter, food, child education, and health and hygiene provision. Women and children, particularly, face unhygienic conditions that result in preventable diseases. IDPs do not have money or means to purchase food or milk for infants. A similar survey in Abbottabad exposed that the 1,213 IDP families have yet to receive assistance from the government or non-government organizations. The families in Abbottabad are in dire need of shelter, food items, non-food items, health and hygiene provision, kitchen utensils, and education for children. Women and children in this area also require psychosocial support as severe trauma was observed. In both areas, large groups of two or more families take refuge in a rented house or with extended families; the hygienic conditions are terrible and insufficient storage for clean water worsens the living condition. Children have no place to go to school; the government requires certificates for admission to a new school, but for the displaced children, this is not possible, and parents are more concerned about feeding their children at the moment.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Injecting Drug Users a threat to the HIV spread in Pakistan
The UNAIDS estimates show some 70,000 to 80,000 persons, or 0.1 percent of the adult population in Pakistan, to be infected with HIV. The World Bank estimates for the country show HIV transmission by sex is 63%, mother to child is 3%, and 8% by exposure to infected blood, blood products and injecting drug users. The HIV virus can be transmitted to the recipient by infection in the blood by the unscreened blood transfusions, un sterile surgical instruments used during surgeries, needle sticks injuries and re using of the syringes and needles while injecting drug use that always have some blood left after usage.
The year of 1986, saw the launch of the HIV surveillance networks in the country; the provision of services included the voluntary counselling and testing centres in all four provinces of the country, public sector blood banks in all four provinces and STI clinics in all tertiary-level hospitals in three provinces (North-West Frontier Province, Punjab, and Sindh). Then in 1990, with the establishment of the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) the programme focus objectives have included safe blood transfusions. The holistic aim of this component is the reducing the HIV transmission through blood and blood products. Later on the Social Action Program focused in a multi dimensional framework agenda of information education, blood screening and establishing provincial implementation units at the federal and provincial levels.
The 60% population of the country falling in the youth age group, an inefficient blood transfusion system, 40% of the I.5 million annual blood transfusions in our country is not screened for HIV, a poor STI management’s service, and the low status of women are identified areas of challenge. Multi faced key areas termed as “High Risk” include the prevailing low literacy rates in male and female populations, large number of internal and external migrant workers, high rates of poverty and unemployment, illicit drug trade and injecting drug use, a continued silence and denial and glaring gender inequalities are focus implementation areas for the present Government Programme for the prevention of the epidemic.
Geographically, straddled Pakistan is a major transit and consumer country for opiates from neighbouring Afghanistan, world’s largest producer of opium. Afghanistan produces approximately 90% of the world's heroin, about a third of which is believed to reach out to the rest of the world via Pakistan. The 2002, UNODC’s National Assessment on Drug Abuse estimates that there are approximately 500,000 chronic heroin users in the country out of whom 15% report injecting as their primary mode of use. During the course of last two years, there has been a substantial increase in the heroin smuggling and production along the Pakistan– Afghanistan border.
The Injecting Drug Users (IDUs) are at a high risk of acquiring HIV and other blood-borne infections because they often resort to the unsafe practices such as needle and syringe sharing. Prevalence is rising among the country's estimated 150,000 IDUs. The 2005, NACP studies report that IDUs are highly concentrated in Karachi bringing the estimates to as many as 3,200 home-based IDUs and almost four times street-based IDUs. A substantial proportion of IDUs through out the country (40 - 77 %) have used a needle and syringe previously used by someone else. From the 60 to 80% injected drug use in the group setting, the contaminated equipment as well as the drug is more likely shared. The Risky behaviour among IDUs in Lahore is even higher where 82% of injectors had used non-sterile syringes. Another key feature among the injecting drug users is the presence of “street doctors” or ‘professional injectors’. These are the matured drug addicts who also receive payment from the IDUs for the injections but at the same time go for needle and syringe for multiple IDUs. In Pakistan, approximately as low as 37% to high ratio 80% IDUs have received injections from such street doctors.
With the trend driven by the on going combination of injecting drug use and commercial sex among the IDUs in urban cities, the Government of Pakistan has taken steps with the coordination with UNODC and are the working on a five-year plan for eradication of narcotics in the country. The Anti Narcotics Force and UNODC (UN Office of Drug Control) collaboration for the national drug-abuse assessment study being jointly carried out in the country will also identify priority areas assisting the Government and its Narcotics Control agencies for policy formulation and allocation of resources.
The Second National Drug Control Master Plan for 2007-2011, comprising both the ANF and UNODC will finalize a plan that shall be submitted to the Federal Government for approval and further implementation. The focus areas of the plan include identification of prioritized strategies, agency responsibilities and funding requirements for combating the drug supply and demand in this region. The leading narcotics agency ANF is supported by other law enforcement agencies having narcotics mandates including the Frontier Corps (FC), the Coast Guards, the Maritime Security Agency, the Frontier Constabulary, the Rangers, Customs, POLICE and the Airport Security Force (ASF). As of now, the Government has also approved significant personnel expansions for both the ANF and FC Baluchistan while the Coast Guards utilize anti drug cells within its headquarters for better coordination and execution of counter narcotics operations at the national and international level.
Regardless of the age, sex and class, public has always been interested in their health, lack of accurate information related to an epidemic like HIV leads to the existing negative and hostile social attitudes that results in difficulties for people with living with HIV to continue living in silence that threatens our society at large. While the epidemic continues spreading the unseen; Government and Civil Society initiatives focusing on the information dissemination to the grass root level with clear and simple meaning, reintegration of high-risk groups including the Injecting Drug Users and Sex Workers in the mainstream by providing them livelihoods are opportunities that earlier discussed were perceived as challenges, now a vast arena for exploration by all concerned stakeholders.
The year of 1986, saw the launch of the HIV surveillance networks in the country; the provision of services included the voluntary counselling and testing centres in all four provinces of the country, public sector blood banks in all four provinces and STI clinics in all tertiary-level hospitals in three provinces (North-West Frontier Province, Punjab, and Sindh). Then in 1990, with the establishment of the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) the programme focus objectives have included safe blood transfusions. The holistic aim of this component is the reducing the HIV transmission through blood and blood products. Later on the Social Action Program focused in a multi dimensional framework agenda of information education, blood screening and establishing provincial implementation units at the federal and provincial levels.
The 60% population of the country falling in the youth age group, an inefficient blood transfusion system, 40% of the I.5 million annual blood transfusions in our country is not screened for HIV, a poor STI management’s service, and the low status of women are identified areas of challenge. Multi faced key areas termed as “High Risk” include the prevailing low literacy rates in male and female populations, large number of internal and external migrant workers, high rates of poverty and unemployment, illicit drug trade and injecting drug use, a continued silence and denial and glaring gender inequalities are focus implementation areas for the present Government Programme for the prevention of the epidemic.
Geographically, straddled Pakistan is a major transit and consumer country for opiates from neighbouring Afghanistan, world’s largest producer of opium. Afghanistan produces approximately 90% of the world's heroin, about a third of which is believed to reach out to the rest of the world via Pakistan. The 2002, UNODC’s National Assessment on Drug Abuse estimates that there are approximately 500,000 chronic heroin users in the country out of whom 15% report injecting as their primary mode of use. During the course of last two years, there has been a substantial increase in the heroin smuggling and production along the Pakistan– Afghanistan border.
The Injecting Drug Users (IDUs) are at a high risk of acquiring HIV and other blood-borne infections because they often resort to the unsafe practices such as needle and syringe sharing. Prevalence is rising among the country's estimated 150,000 IDUs. The 2005, NACP studies report that IDUs are highly concentrated in Karachi bringing the estimates to as many as 3,200 home-based IDUs and almost four times street-based IDUs. A substantial proportion of IDUs through out the country (40 - 77 %) have used a needle and syringe previously used by someone else. From the 60 to 80% injected drug use in the group setting, the contaminated equipment as well as the drug is more likely shared. The Risky behaviour among IDUs in Lahore is even higher where 82% of injectors had used non-sterile syringes. Another key feature among the injecting drug users is the presence of “street doctors” or ‘professional injectors’. These are the matured drug addicts who also receive payment from the IDUs for the injections but at the same time go for needle and syringe for multiple IDUs. In Pakistan, approximately as low as 37% to high ratio 80% IDUs have received injections from such street doctors.
With the trend driven by the on going combination of injecting drug use and commercial sex among the IDUs in urban cities, the Government of Pakistan has taken steps with the coordination with UNODC and are the working on a five-year plan for eradication of narcotics in the country. The Anti Narcotics Force and UNODC (UN Office of Drug Control) collaboration for the national drug-abuse assessment study being jointly carried out in the country will also identify priority areas assisting the Government and its Narcotics Control agencies for policy formulation and allocation of resources.
The Second National Drug Control Master Plan for 2007-2011, comprising both the ANF and UNODC will finalize a plan that shall be submitted to the Federal Government for approval and further implementation. The focus areas of the plan include identification of prioritized strategies, agency responsibilities and funding requirements for combating the drug supply and demand in this region. The leading narcotics agency ANF is supported by other law enforcement agencies having narcotics mandates including the Frontier Corps (FC), the Coast Guards, the Maritime Security Agency, the Frontier Constabulary, the Rangers, Customs, POLICE and the Airport Security Force (ASF). As of now, the Government has also approved significant personnel expansions for both the ANF and FC Baluchistan while the Coast Guards utilize anti drug cells within its headquarters for better coordination and execution of counter narcotics operations at the national and international level.
Regardless of the age, sex and class, public has always been interested in their health, lack of accurate information related to an epidemic like HIV leads to the existing negative and hostile social attitudes that results in difficulties for people with living with HIV to continue living in silence that threatens our society at large. While the epidemic continues spreading the unseen; Government and Civil Society initiatives focusing on the information dissemination to the grass root level with clear and simple meaning, reintegration of high-risk groups including the Injecting Drug Users and Sex Workers in the mainstream by providing them livelihoods are opportunities that earlier discussed were perceived as challenges, now a vast arena for exploration by all concerned stakeholders.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Anti terrorism and civil society common strategy, Pakistan and India Case
Pakistan Case
Pakistan is in the midst of an historic political transition that will determine the core direction of the country at a time when extremists are seeking to provoke an Islamic revolution.
We have seen dramatic developments in recent weeks with the 2008 elections being held and the nation is awaiting the formation of a democratic government ; still the final outcome of the political changes is still uncertain.
With the increase in attacks in Pakistan during the year period 2007 – Feb 2008, over 300 civilians and security personnel, it appeared to be both retaliation for the July 10 military operation at the Red Mosque were killed and aimed at taking advantage of the political unrest.
Pakistan is now second only to Iraq in the number of suicide attacks during the past few months. The attacks on government forces have mainly taken place in the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), where the Pakistan military has resumed operations against militants.
Only in March a suicide bomber killed 15 people when he blew himself up near a police checkpoint in the town of Bannu in the NWFP. The prior weekend a bomb blast in a restaurant at Islamabad killed 2 foreigners and pressured the security agencies bringing international pressure to a failing democracy.
Pakistan has reported killing 200 militants in clashes over the weekend in North Waziristan( tribal agencies). Pakistani journalists reporting the issues are on their own as the present establishments does not want any media coverage.
Historical Background
Also after 1947 both Pakistan and India have fought against each other wars several times without any result – except that many more citizens had to suffer. ‘It is known fact that India and Pakistan have had a very difficult relationship for the last 50 years ’.
We have gone through full-scale wars, smaller battles, ongoing conflict over the status of Kashmir, economic disputes, and a great psychological divide.
Some time or other, some one or either must take lead, to turn the wheels of time. For too long we have been trapped in the past. It’s more than urgent to begin the non violent future. The Partition of British India in 1947, which created the two independent states of Pakistan and India, was followed by one of the cruellest and bloodiest migrations and religious and ethnic cleansing in history and resulted in the forced transfer of an estimated 14 to 18 million people between the two countries.
The ensuing religious animosity and communal strife resulted in the deaths of some two million Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs with the aftermath of abduction, rape and killing of countless women and children. It was indeed one of the most inhuman manifestations of religious and communal intolerance with few parallels in history. Those who survived were brutalised and traumatised and still carry the scars of their suffering which, in so many ways, have continued to dictate the relations between the two countries for more than half a century.
Pakistan India Relations ---- an overview of change
India and Pakistan have achieved tangible progress in the peace talks that started in January 2004. They have held dozens of official meetings, increased people-to-people exchanges, increased annual bilateral trade to over $1 billion, launched several cross-border buses and train services, and liberalized visa regimes to encour¬age travel between the two countries.
During a meeting in September 2006—just two months after the Mumbai train blasts that killed nearly 200 – both the Governments established a joint terrorism mechanism and agreed to expedite resolution of disputes over the Siachen Glacier and Sir Creek, a narrow strip of marshland separating the province of Sindh in Pakistan and the state of Gujarat in India.
Perhaps the most significant progress has been the narrowing of differences about how to addressthe seemingly intractable issue of Occupied Kashmir.
Pakistan’s Former President Pervez Musharraf and the Indian Government are beginning to craft their statements on Kashmir in ways that narrow the gap between their countries' long-held official positions on the disputed territory.
Relationship between Civil & Political Society
The "principle of subsidiary" demarcates the proper arenas for civil and political society and for local, state, and central government within the political society.
The principle suggests that the state should undertake those tasks that people cannot undertake for themselves through voluntary associations of civil society.
The functions thus assigned to the state must be entrusted first to local governments. The functions that local governments cannot perform should be given to state governments and only those that state governments are unable to undertake should be delegated to the central government.
The rampant growth of the political society—the institutions of government—since independence has hindered the flourishing of civil society in Pakistan. It is only by rethinking and reconfiguring the political society that Pakistan will be able to achieve economic prosperity, social peace and cohesion, and genuine political democracy.
The civil societies focuses to enabling environment on work from both directions; it provides a ‘mortar’ program of building or rebuilding the institutions of civil society and a ‘hammer’ program of readjusting the size and scope of the political society.
Both programs are equally critical and must be pursued simultaneously. Weeds of the political society must be uprooted and seeds of a civil society must be sown.
The Civil Societies common strategy
Social campaigning (as distinct from campaigns used in warfare, politics or business) covers the very diverse practices used in civil society for advocating change to decision-makers - often through public mobilisations or the staging of popular demands, but also through less obvious processes of lobbying and elite organising.
It plays a vital role in
publicly identifying social problems,
proposing ways of tackling them,
staging competing claims for the good society,
and encouraging association,
volunteering and active citizenship.
Special Chapter Pakistan’s Internal Conflict and Civil Societies Role
A large-scale U.S. troop invasion of Pakistan's Tribal Areas could have disastrous consequences for the Pakistani state and would not provide a lasting solution to the problem. A more effective strategy involves working cooperatively with Pakistan's military to assert state authority over the areas. Once they are secure, substantial assistance should be provided to build up the economy and social infrastructure.
Washington's pledge of $750 million to develop the Tribal Areas over the next five years is welcome, but the aid should not be delivered until it is clear the Pakistani authorities have the upper hand in the region and can ensure the aid does not fall into the wrong hands. This will require U.S. access to the region and a clear commitment. Many question that U.S has already established its troops inside the country and also the infamous Airport taken over by U.S military in the Northern Areas(tribal agencies).
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has implemented assistance programs in the FATA for several years, including road building and school construction, and through opium cultivation eradication programs that were successful in the 1980s.
Although the U.S and other donor agenices will have to provide aid initially through Pakistani government channels, they should seek out potential non-governmental organizations that could work in these areas so that eventually it can work through them rather than relying solely on the local administration.
Civil Societies Initiatives for ending terrorism in the region
Arts and Literature
The pain and suffering of the post independance times time have been the subject of many a poignant work of prose and poetry in the South Asian literature and more recently of some touching and sensitive audio and visual films produced by NGOs under the banner of peace movements and ending of violence
between the two nieghbours.
Significance to the post partition sufferings in the region
The CSO initiative and human rights activists --- Pakistanis for Peace and Alternative Development (PPAD) sincerely feel that ways ought to be found to ensure that the suffering and humiliation of that period are neither forgotten nor allowed to occur ever again.
Rather than the Partition leaving a legacy of perpetual animosity and conflict between Pakistan and India and between Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and others, it ought to be assigned a wholly different meaning and significance. It should instead represent the pain and agony of common humanity.
Peace and Interactive Dialogue
Civil Societies Organizations focusing on Peace and Interactive Dialogue
Of late many concerned citizens in India and Pakistan have made contributions towards new thinking about resolving conflicts and promoting co-operation between the two countries. The civil societies movements are both sides are now excited to come together to jointly suggest a road map to begin the future.”
(A joint statement by Institute of Regional Studies/Islamabad/Pakistan and International Centre for Peace Initiatives/Mumbai/India)
Making a historical breakthrough
Pakistan-India Peoples Forum For Peace and Democracy
The Pakistan-India People's Convention on Peace and Democracy, in which more than two hundred Pakistani and Indian delegates participated, has been hailed as a major breakthrough.
For two days, the delegates freely discussed the contentions issues of Occupied and Azad Kashmir, demilitarisation, and the politics of religious intolerance which have locked the ruling elites of the two countries in conflict.
The delegates demonstrated that at the people's level the area of agreement on all these issues, is much larger than the areas of conflict.”
It was a big event which took place in India and which showed that even if both the governments of two countries were unable to find a way it was possible for the people to show that there is a way – the way of talking with each other.
In its press conference Justice Dorab Patel (Pakistan) Mubashir Hasan spoke for Pakistan and Nirmal Mukarji and Teesta Setalvad for India. It was said that they would like to meet next in Lahore, Pakistan:
“The Lahore meet is expected to take up two additional issues, business and trade
relations and ecology and environment. An exchange of literature and views, especially on human rights and secular struggles, environmental and people's
movements to enable the commitment of this Forum to Peace and Democracy, is to
be disseminated to a wider cross section. Exchange of professional groups and
students on a systematic basis. All sports activities between India and Pakistan to
be resumed. Future such people to people meetings should include Indian and
Pakistani Diaspora.
This first-ever people to people dialogue between 92 citizens from Pakistan and 117 from India is an independent initiative financed by contributions from groups and individuals in India. Delegates from Pakistan came to the Convention at their own cost. Delegates, especially from India, felt that statements in a section of the Indian press suggesting that it is "government backed two track diplomacy" are misleading and false.
The video film "Deadlock" was screened for delegates Directed by Dr. Peggy Mohan,the
filmis an "offering from children, the people most at risk from nuclear militarization inSouth Asia".
The Pakistan-India People's Forum also released a copy of the book Other Voices from Pakistan, a collection of alternate writings from Pakistan of the suffering experiances after partition.
The event focused on the animated discussions on four issues
Kashmir dispute,
militarization,
religious intolerance and
governance.”
Pakistan Peace Coalition (PPC)
Urge for joint initiatives – Formation of Pakistan Peace Coalition (PPC)
This is a joint Forum of Action Committee Against Arms Race (ACAAR) in Karachi, Joint Action Committee for People's Rights (JAC) in Lahore and the Citizen's Peace Committee (CPC) in Rawalpindi Islamabad. Several organisations came together to form the Pakistan Peace Coalition because they had the feeling that “there was little co-ordination amongst the various peace groups, the initiatives being spontaneous and carried out independently of one another” the beginning the groups which came together rallied against nuclear weapons. The nuclear holocaust in the area became more dangerous after the tests in May 1998 by Pakistan and India.
“An acute sense of insecurity and threat to life which had already been there due to the prevalence of religious, sectarian, political, tribal and other forms of violence and intolerance became overwhelming when the threat of a nuclear holocaust in the subcontinent appeared afterthe May 98 nuclear tests by the two countries. It was this realisation of the impending threat of extinction which impelled these organisations and individuals to unite into a
national coalition of peace activists.”
This groups focusing its work on :
- to oppose nuclear weapons in all forms in all countries, rejecting weapons of mass destruction and nuclear deterrence as legitimate ways of achieving national security;
- to seek global nuclear disarmament, and for this purpose co-operate with and seek support from movements, organisations and groups elsewhere in the world that are engaged in this pursuit;
- to pursue, as an immediate measure, nuclear disarmament and peace in the region of South Asia, and for this purpose join hands with regional movements and organisations working for this goal;
- to press upon the Pakistani state to reduce defence expenditure in order to promote human development;
- to counter the increasing trends of intolerance and violence in Pakistani society.”
The need for Peace Dialogue between the two countries and way forward
According to the idea of Institute of Regional Studies and International Centre for Peace Initiatives, the process for achieving peace is divided in five phases.
Phase 1: Preparing the Ground
In the first phase the ground has to be prepared which will be done by declaring by the Governments of both Pakistan and India their commitment to resolve all conflicts and issues –including the Kashmir problem through peaceful negotiations. Both have to accept the Line of Control (LOC) till the negotiations are concluded. Very important is that both sides should stop hostile propaganda in the state owned media. In each news in the Pakistan /India TV a big part is reserved for the Kashmir item. As it is “normal” with news only negative aspects of this conflict are given. The efforts made by different organisations to solve the Kashmir conflict are not brought into notice of the media audience. All leaders of various Kashmiri groups on both side of the LoC, representing different ethnical, religious and political groups should initiate a dialogue about their views on the future of Kashmir at a feasible time and location.
Phase 2: Initial Official Contact
In the second phase the official contacts have to be initiated by the two foreign secretaries or the foreign Ministers to discuss modalities of official and periodical dialogue, which should happen at least once every few weeks irrespective of the state of bilateral relations.
Phase 3: Official Dialogue
Talks conducted in Islamabad/New Delhi in October/November 1998 should be launched with two components. First component should discuss Kashmir and peace and security issues; the second component other issues. Both sides should commit that at least thrice per year such talks should take place .There should be a commitment for the reuniciation of violence, support for terrorism and firing across the LoC.( Kashmir – Srinagar and Lahore – Dehli Bus service are two major break throughs after 2002.
Phase 4: Groundwork for Political Breakthrough
Once adequate progress is made on all front in the official dialogue, the Heads of Government should appoint special envoys to prepare for a summit meeting. These Heads should open dialogue with the main opposition parties and groups in their respective countries. Especially also with parties and religious-political groups which is debatable with the rigid mind set of such parties at both sides of the border.
Phase 5: Summit Meeting
Once the preparations are made the Heads of Government of India and Pakistan should meet. Meeting have been made at both side of the borders with ruling establishments on this ground. They are trying to specifically explore a political solution to all outsiding conflicts, in particular Jammu and Kashmir, and work out a compromise solution in the interest of the security of India and Pakistan and honour and justice for the Kashmiri people.
Updated scenario --- October 2008
With the recent political crisis at both sides of the border, the on going ‘ War on Terror’ in Pakistan that has created IDPs of more then 125,000, the secretaian violence in different parts of India including the latest serial bombings crack in Assam that killed more then 50 killed, the masses from both sides of the border still await a political will to take active steps by thier Governments for the return of peace and stability in the South Asian region and thier homelands.
Research Paper presented by Ms. Saadia Haq at the “INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON TERRORISM” ALGERIA 21- 24 March, 2008
Pakistan is in the midst of an historic political transition that will determine the core direction of the country at a time when extremists are seeking to provoke an Islamic revolution.
We have seen dramatic developments in recent weeks with the 2008 elections being held and the nation is awaiting the formation of a democratic government ; still the final outcome of the political changes is still uncertain.
With the increase in attacks in Pakistan during the year period 2007 – Feb 2008, over 300 civilians and security personnel, it appeared to be both retaliation for the July 10 military operation at the Red Mosque were killed and aimed at taking advantage of the political unrest.
Pakistan is now second only to Iraq in the number of suicide attacks during the past few months. The attacks on government forces have mainly taken place in the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), where the Pakistan military has resumed operations against militants.
Only in March a suicide bomber killed 15 people when he blew himself up near a police checkpoint in the town of Bannu in the NWFP. The prior weekend a bomb blast in a restaurant at Islamabad killed 2 foreigners and pressured the security agencies bringing international pressure to a failing democracy.
Pakistan has reported killing 200 militants in clashes over the weekend in North Waziristan( tribal agencies). Pakistani journalists reporting the issues are on their own as the present establishments does not want any media coverage.
Historical Background
Also after 1947 both Pakistan and India have fought against each other wars several times without any result – except that many more citizens had to suffer. ‘It is known fact that India and Pakistan have had a very difficult relationship for the last 50 years ’.
We have gone through full-scale wars, smaller battles, ongoing conflict over the status of Kashmir, economic disputes, and a great psychological divide.
Some time or other, some one or either must take lead, to turn the wheels of time. For too long we have been trapped in the past. It’s more than urgent to begin the non violent future. The Partition of British India in 1947, which created the two independent states of Pakistan and India, was followed by one of the cruellest and bloodiest migrations and religious and ethnic cleansing in history and resulted in the forced transfer of an estimated 14 to 18 million people between the two countries.
The ensuing religious animosity and communal strife resulted in the deaths of some two million Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs with the aftermath of abduction, rape and killing of countless women and children. It was indeed one of the most inhuman manifestations of religious and communal intolerance with few parallels in history. Those who survived were brutalised and traumatised and still carry the scars of their suffering which, in so many ways, have continued to dictate the relations between the two countries for more than half a century.
Pakistan India Relations ---- an overview of change
India and Pakistan have achieved tangible progress in the peace talks that started in January 2004. They have held dozens of official meetings, increased people-to-people exchanges, increased annual bilateral trade to over $1 billion, launched several cross-border buses and train services, and liberalized visa regimes to encour¬age travel between the two countries.
During a meeting in September 2006—just two months after the Mumbai train blasts that killed nearly 200 – both the Governments established a joint terrorism mechanism and agreed to expedite resolution of disputes over the Siachen Glacier and Sir Creek, a narrow strip of marshland separating the province of Sindh in Pakistan and the state of Gujarat in India.
Perhaps the most significant progress has been the narrowing of differences about how to addressthe seemingly intractable issue of Occupied Kashmir.
Pakistan’s Former President Pervez Musharraf and the Indian Government are beginning to craft their statements on Kashmir in ways that narrow the gap between their countries' long-held official positions on the disputed territory.
Relationship between Civil & Political Society
The "principle of subsidiary" demarcates the proper arenas for civil and political society and for local, state, and central government within the political society.
The principle suggests that the state should undertake those tasks that people cannot undertake for themselves through voluntary associations of civil society.
The functions thus assigned to the state must be entrusted first to local governments. The functions that local governments cannot perform should be given to state governments and only those that state governments are unable to undertake should be delegated to the central government.
The rampant growth of the political society—the institutions of government—since independence has hindered the flourishing of civil society in Pakistan. It is only by rethinking and reconfiguring the political society that Pakistan will be able to achieve economic prosperity, social peace and cohesion, and genuine political democracy.
The civil societies focuses to enabling environment on work from both directions; it provides a ‘mortar’ program of building or rebuilding the institutions of civil society and a ‘hammer’ program of readjusting the size and scope of the political society.
Both programs are equally critical and must be pursued simultaneously. Weeds of the political society must be uprooted and seeds of a civil society must be sown.
The Civil Societies common strategy
Social campaigning (as distinct from campaigns used in warfare, politics or business) covers the very diverse practices used in civil society for advocating change to decision-makers - often through public mobilisations or the staging of popular demands, but also through less obvious processes of lobbying and elite organising.
It plays a vital role in
publicly identifying social problems,
proposing ways of tackling them,
staging competing claims for the good society,
and encouraging association,
volunteering and active citizenship.
Special Chapter Pakistan’s Internal Conflict and Civil Societies Role
A large-scale U.S. troop invasion of Pakistan's Tribal Areas could have disastrous consequences for the Pakistani state and would not provide a lasting solution to the problem. A more effective strategy involves working cooperatively with Pakistan's military to assert state authority over the areas. Once they are secure, substantial assistance should be provided to build up the economy and social infrastructure.
Washington's pledge of $750 million to develop the Tribal Areas over the next five years is welcome, but the aid should not be delivered until it is clear the Pakistani authorities have the upper hand in the region and can ensure the aid does not fall into the wrong hands. This will require U.S. access to the region and a clear commitment. Many question that U.S has already established its troops inside the country and also the infamous Airport taken over by U.S military in the Northern Areas(tribal agencies).
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has implemented assistance programs in the FATA for several years, including road building and school construction, and through opium cultivation eradication programs that were successful in the 1980s.
Although the U.S and other donor agenices will have to provide aid initially through Pakistani government channels, they should seek out potential non-governmental organizations that could work in these areas so that eventually it can work through them rather than relying solely on the local administration.
Civil Societies Initiatives for ending terrorism in the region
Arts and Literature
The pain and suffering of the post independance times time have been the subject of many a poignant work of prose and poetry in the South Asian literature and more recently of some touching and sensitive audio and visual films produced by NGOs under the banner of peace movements and ending of violence
between the two nieghbours.
Significance to the post partition sufferings in the region
The CSO initiative and human rights activists --- Pakistanis for Peace and Alternative Development (PPAD) sincerely feel that ways ought to be found to ensure that the suffering and humiliation of that period are neither forgotten nor allowed to occur ever again.
Rather than the Partition leaving a legacy of perpetual animosity and conflict between Pakistan and India and between Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and others, it ought to be assigned a wholly different meaning and significance. It should instead represent the pain and agony of common humanity.
Peace and Interactive Dialogue
Civil Societies Organizations focusing on Peace and Interactive Dialogue
Of late many concerned citizens in India and Pakistan have made contributions towards new thinking about resolving conflicts and promoting co-operation between the two countries. The civil societies movements are both sides are now excited to come together to jointly suggest a road map to begin the future.”
(A joint statement by Institute of Regional Studies/Islamabad/Pakistan and International Centre for Peace Initiatives/Mumbai/India)
Making a historical breakthrough
Pakistan-India Peoples Forum For Peace and Democracy
The Pakistan-India People's Convention on Peace and Democracy, in which more than two hundred Pakistani and Indian delegates participated, has been hailed as a major breakthrough.
For two days, the delegates freely discussed the contentions issues of Occupied and Azad Kashmir, demilitarisation, and the politics of religious intolerance which have locked the ruling elites of the two countries in conflict.
The delegates demonstrated that at the people's level the area of agreement on all these issues, is much larger than the areas of conflict.”
It was a big event which took place in India and which showed that even if both the governments of two countries were unable to find a way it was possible for the people to show that there is a way – the way of talking with each other.
In its press conference Justice Dorab Patel (Pakistan) Mubashir Hasan spoke for Pakistan and Nirmal Mukarji and Teesta Setalvad for India. It was said that they would like to meet next in Lahore, Pakistan:
“The Lahore meet is expected to take up two additional issues, business and trade
relations and ecology and environment. An exchange of literature and views, especially on human rights and secular struggles, environmental and people's
movements to enable the commitment of this Forum to Peace and Democracy, is to
be disseminated to a wider cross section. Exchange of professional groups and
students on a systematic basis. All sports activities between India and Pakistan to
be resumed. Future such people to people meetings should include Indian and
Pakistani Diaspora.
This first-ever people to people dialogue between 92 citizens from Pakistan and 117 from India is an independent initiative financed by contributions from groups and individuals in India. Delegates from Pakistan came to the Convention at their own cost. Delegates, especially from India, felt that statements in a section of the Indian press suggesting that it is "government backed two track diplomacy" are misleading and false.
The video film "Deadlock" was screened for delegates Directed by Dr. Peggy Mohan,the
filmis an "offering from children, the people most at risk from nuclear militarization inSouth Asia".
The Pakistan-India People's Forum also released a copy of the book Other Voices from Pakistan, a collection of alternate writings from Pakistan of the suffering experiances after partition.
The event focused on the animated discussions on four issues
Kashmir dispute,
militarization,
religious intolerance and
governance.”
Pakistan Peace Coalition (PPC)
Urge for joint initiatives – Formation of Pakistan Peace Coalition (PPC)
This is a joint Forum of Action Committee Against Arms Race (ACAAR) in Karachi, Joint Action Committee for People's Rights (JAC) in Lahore and the Citizen's Peace Committee (CPC) in Rawalpindi Islamabad. Several organisations came together to form the Pakistan Peace Coalition because they had the feeling that “there was little co-ordination amongst the various peace groups, the initiatives being spontaneous and carried out independently of one another” the beginning the groups which came together rallied against nuclear weapons. The nuclear holocaust in the area became more dangerous after the tests in May 1998 by Pakistan and India.
“An acute sense of insecurity and threat to life which had already been there due to the prevalence of religious, sectarian, political, tribal and other forms of violence and intolerance became overwhelming when the threat of a nuclear holocaust in the subcontinent appeared afterthe May 98 nuclear tests by the two countries. It was this realisation of the impending threat of extinction which impelled these organisations and individuals to unite into a
national coalition of peace activists.”
This groups focusing its work on :
- to oppose nuclear weapons in all forms in all countries, rejecting weapons of mass destruction and nuclear deterrence as legitimate ways of achieving national security;
- to seek global nuclear disarmament, and for this purpose co-operate with and seek support from movements, organisations and groups elsewhere in the world that are engaged in this pursuit;
- to pursue, as an immediate measure, nuclear disarmament and peace in the region of South Asia, and for this purpose join hands with regional movements and organisations working for this goal;
- to press upon the Pakistani state to reduce defence expenditure in order to promote human development;
- to counter the increasing trends of intolerance and violence in Pakistani society.”
The need for Peace Dialogue between the two countries and way forward
According to the idea of Institute of Regional Studies and International Centre for Peace Initiatives, the process for achieving peace is divided in five phases.
Phase 1: Preparing the Ground
In the first phase the ground has to be prepared which will be done by declaring by the Governments of both Pakistan and India their commitment to resolve all conflicts and issues –including the Kashmir problem through peaceful negotiations. Both have to accept the Line of Control (LOC) till the negotiations are concluded. Very important is that both sides should stop hostile propaganda in the state owned media. In each news in the Pakistan /India TV a big part is reserved for the Kashmir item. As it is “normal” with news only negative aspects of this conflict are given. The efforts made by different organisations to solve the Kashmir conflict are not brought into notice of the media audience. All leaders of various Kashmiri groups on both side of the LoC, representing different ethnical, religious and political groups should initiate a dialogue about their views on the future of Kashmir at a feasible time and location.
Phase 2: Initial Official Contact
In the second phase the official contacts have to be initiated by the two foreign secretaries or the foreign Ministers to discuss modalities of official and periodical dialogue, which should happen at least once every few weeks irrespective of the state of bilateral relations.
Phase 3: Official Dialogue
Talks conducted in Islamabad/New Delhi in October/November 1998 should be launched with two components. First component should discuss Kashmir and peace and security issues; the second component other issues. Both sides should commit that at least thrice per year such talks should take place .There should be a commitment for the reuniciation of violence, support for terrorism and firing across the LoC.( Kashmir – Srinagar and Lahore – Dehli Bus service are two major break throughs after 2002.
Phase 4: Groundwork for Political Breakthrough
Once adequate progress is made on all front in the official dialogue, the Heads of Government should appoint special envoys to prepare for a summit meeting. These Heads should open dialogue with the main opposition parties and groups in their respective countries. Especially also with parties and religious-political groups which is debatable with the rigid mind set of such parties at both sides of the border.
Phase 5: Summit Meeting
Once the preparations are made the Heads of Government of India and Pakistan should meet. Meeting have been made at both side of the borders with ruling establishments on this ground. They are trying to specifically explore a political solution to all outsiding conflicts, in particular Jammu and Kashmir, and work out a compromise solution in the interest of the security of India and Pakistan and honour and justice for the Kashmiri people.
Updated scenario --- October 2008
With the recent political crisis at both sides of the border, the on going ‘ War on Terror’ in Pakistan that has created IDPs of more then 125,000, the secretaian violence in different parts of India including the latest serial bombings crack in Assam that killed more then 50 killed, the masses from both sides of the border still await a political will to take active steps by thier Governments for the return of peace and stability in the South Asian region and thier homelands.
Research Paper presented by Ms. Saadia Haq at the “INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON TERRORISM” ALGERIA 21- 24 March, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Uks launches radio programs in memory of Pakistan Earthquake 2005
“AAO SUNAIN UNSUNI BATAIN, UNKAHI KAHANIAN” (LET US HEAR UNHEARD VOICES, UNTOLD STORIES) A series of radio programmes to advocate women’s empowerment during reconstruction
A series of 10-part radio programmes supported by the Global Fund for Women, undertaken by Uks Research Centre’s advocating women’s empowerment during reconstruction after the October 5th, 2005 devastating earthquake.
Uks believes that providing of relief is not enough to bring about behavioral changes in society’s perceptions of women. Relief and reconstruction efforts have to be supplemented by continued process of sensitization for the public. Therefore by targeting government, civil society, academia, law enforcement agencies, religious leaders and media we aim to bring on board all stakeholders and increase their individual and collective capacity to foster change.
The project’s key objective is to provide a platform for women from the earthquake hit regions to share their stories and try to create awareness among Pakistani listeners particularly youth that ‘women’s rights are human rights’. It also aims to mix investigative journalism and story telling of characters from remote and difficult to access areas and creating awareness on post-disaster issues with a gender perspective.
The Uks radio project team investigated different themes in the field including Women as survivors coping with the demands of rehabilitation, women as caregivers, facing multiple problems of fending for themselves and the families, women and girl child education, women coping with trauma and emotional breakdowns, reproductive health concerns especially assistance to the pregnant women and facilities for women’s reproductive health concerns and livelihood opportunities for women.
The team traveled to Abbottabad, Mansehra, Balakot, Chimiali, Battagram, Azad Jammu Kashmir, Garhi Duppata, Ambor, Hattian Bala and Islamabad.
The Team
Executive Producer: Ms.Tasneem Ahmar
Radio Producers: Ms.Rukhsana Musarrat and Ms.Saadia Haq
Researchers: Ms.Tasneem Ahmar,Ms.Rukhsana Musarrat and Ms.Saadia Haq
Script Writing: Ms.Tasneem Ahmar,Ms.Rukhsana Musarrat and Ms.Saadia Haq
Music Composer and Graphics Designer: Ms.Gul Rukh Khan
Presenter: Ms.Samina Khameed
The first radio programme of this series was broadcasted from Voice of Kashmir FM 105(Muzaffarabad) and Azad Kashmir Radio on October 5th, 2008 in the memory of the Pakistani earthquake and soon will be aired from other radio stations in the country.
A series of 10-part radio programmes supported by the Global Fund for Women, undertaken by Uks Research Centre’s advocating women’s empowerment during reconstruction after the October 5th, 2005 devastating earthquake.
Uks believes that providing of relief is not enough to bring about behavioral changes in society’s perceptions of women. Relief and reconstruction efforts have to be supplemented by continued process of sensitization for the public. Therefore by targeting government, civil society, academia, law enforcement agencies, religious leaders and media we aim to bring on board all stakeholders and increase their individual and collective capacity to foster change.
The project’s key objective is to provide a platform for women from the earthquake hit regions to share their stories and try to create awareness among Pakistani listeners particularly youth that ‘women’s rights are human rights’. It also aims to mix investigative journalism and story telling of characters from remote and difficult to access areas and creating awareness on post-disaster issues with a gender perspective.
The Uks radio project team investigated different themes in the field including Women as survivors coping with the demands of rehabilitation, women as caregivers, facing multiple problems of fending for themselves and the families, women and girl child education, women coping with trauma and emotional breakdowns, reproductive health concerns especially assistance to the pregnant women and facilities for women’s reproductive health concerns and livelihood opportunities for women.
The team traveled to Abbottabad, Mansehra, Balakot, Chimiali, Battagram, Azad Jammu Kashmir, Garhi Duppata, Ambor, Hattian Bala and Islamabad.
The Team
Executive Producer: Ms.Tasneem Ahmar
Radio Producers: Ms.Rukhsana Musarrat and Ms.Saadia Haq
Researchers: Ms.Tasneem Ahmar,Ms.Rukhsana Musarrat and Ms.Saadia Haq
Script Writing: Ms.Tasneem Ahmar,Ms.Rukhsana Musarrat and Ms.Saadia Haq
Music Composer and Graphics Designer: Ms.Gul Rukh Khan
Presenter: Ms.Samina Khameed
The first radio programme of this series was broadcasted from Voice of Kashmir FM 105(Muzaffarabad) and Azad Kashmir Radio on October 5th, 2008 in the memory of the Pakistani earthquake and soon will be aired from other radio stations in the country.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Uks launches Best Practices Guide In Radio Journalism; a guide for Radio Practitioners
August 28th 2008
Uks launches the book: “Best Practices Guide In Radio Journalism – a guide for Radio Practitioners” at the Holiday Inn, Islamabad at 4.30pm.
The best practices guide is an outcome of a year-long project by Uks in collaboration with the British High Commission for ‘Building media capacity for gender-just and investigative reporting for better public understanding and support for gender equity and equality’. It is a the one year long journey of the Uks team through a series of trainings, radio monitoring of FM stations, their content analysis and the radio production series HTHM by Uks.
This guide will facilitate radio practitioners for producing gender sensitive radio programs on human rights and women issues, yet Uks hopes that it would be useful for media other the radio such as print, television media in the country.
Uks Team behind this compilation includes
Editor and Director: Ms. Tasneem Ahmar
Editorial Team: Ms. Saniya Jafree, Ms. Saadia Haq and Ms. Merium Tahir
Graphics and Layout: Ms. Gul Rukh Khan
The launch event programme comprises of reflections by the Uks team “Why this Guide”, Reviewing the Guide, where experts including Prof.Dr. Saeeda Asadullah Khan-Vice Chancellor, Fatima Jinnah Women’s University, and Mr. Iftikhar Arif, Chairman, Pakistan Academy of Letters will be sharing their feedback on this guide.
Chief Guest at the occasion, Ms. Sherry Rehman, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting will be sharing her views with the audience.
Uks launches the book: “Best Practices Guide In Radio Journalism – a guide for Radio Practitioners” at the Holiday Inn, Islamabad at 4.30pm.
The best practices guide is an outcome of a year-long project by Uks in collaboration with the British High Commission for ‘Building media capacity for gender-just and investigative reporting for better public understanding and support for gender equity and equality’. It is a the one year long journey of the Uks team through a series of trainings, radio monitoring of FM stations, their content analysis and the radio production series HTHM by Uks.
This guide will facilitate radio practitioners for producing gender sensitive radio programs on human rights and women issues, yet Uks hopes that it would be useful for media other the radio such as print, television media in the country.
Uks Team behind this compilation includes
Editor and Director: Ms. Tasneem Ahmar
Editorial Team: Ms. Saniya Jafree, Ms. Saadia Haq and Ms. Merium Tahir
Graphics and Layout: Ms. Gul Rukh Khan
The launch event programme comprises of reflections by the Uks team “Why this Guide”, Reviewing the Guide, where experts including Prof.Dr. Saeeda Asadullah Khan-Vice Chancellor, Fatima Jinnah Women’s University, and Mr. Iftikhar Arif, Chairman, Pakistan Academy of Letters will be sharing their feedback on this guide.
Chief Guest at the occasion, Ms. Sherry Rehman, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting will be sharing her views with the audience.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Uks: For Equity & Equality - One-Day Roundtable on Raising Women's Voices and Concerns through Radio
Uks Research Centre is holding a one-day Roundtable meeting on August 28, 2008 at Hotel Holiday Inn, Islamabad. The theme of the Roundtable is: “For Equity and Equality: Raising Women's Voices and Concerns through Radio”. The Roundtable aims to bring together media practitioners (especially broadcasters); trainers; civil society representatives and all those who subscribe to the Uks slogan “Empowering women through media” to share best practices in creating a more gender-sensitive and responsive media.
It may be mentioned that this Roundtable is the outcome of a year-long project by Uks in collaboration with the British High Commission for ‘Building media capacity for gender-just and investigative reporting for better public understanding and support for gender equity and equality’. The purpose of this project was to facilitate Pakistani broadcast media in reflecting women’s initiatives for development and empowerment through a series of trainings, radio monitoring and analysis, production and compilation of best practices manual.
The national One day Round Table would be having audience and participants from all the four provinces from UN agencies, INGOs/ CSOs, journalists from print, radio and television and other local and other media.
The themes of the Conference would focus on:
• The Raising awareness and sharing information on women’s concerns: Views from NGO/CSO representatives
• Putting together gender-sensitive and effective radio programmes: Producers speak
• Creating and maintaining a close partnership with the broadcasters: Feedback from FM managers
Subject Experts would be presenting and nternationally renowed names will be gracing the forum including Ms. Rashida Dohad Program Director OAKDF), Mr. Naeem Mirza (Program Director Aurat Foundation),Dr.Fareeda Shaheed(Coordiantor Shirkat Gah), Ms. Qudsia Mehmood(Free lance radio journalist),Ms. Saadia Haq(Uks’s Senior Radio Producer and free lance media consultant),Ms. Nabila Aslam (Executive Producer,Internews Radio Project), Mr. Wusat Ullah Khan (Senior Producer, BBC Pakistan),Ms. Hina Shafquat(Station Director, FM 103 Lahore) and Dr. Abrar Umar( writer and representative FM 100,Islamabad), Ms. Tasneem Ahmar(Director Uks)and Mr.Aidan Liddle(Head of Press and Public Affairs, British High Commision, Islamabad.
It may be mentioned that this Roundtable is the outcome of a year-long project by Uks in collaboration with the British High Commission for ‘Building media capacity for gender-just and investigative reporting for better public understanding and support for gender equity and equality’. The purpose of this project was to facilitate Pakistani broadcast media in reflecting women’s initiatives for development and empowerment through a series of trainings, radio monitoring and analysis, production and compilation of best practices manual.
The national One day Round Table would be having audience and participants from all the four provinces from UN agencies, INGOs/ CSOs, journalists from print, radio and television and other local and other media.
The themes of the Conference would focus on:
• The Raising awareness and sharing information on women’s concerns: Views from NGO/CSO representatives
• Putting together gender-sensitive and effective radio programmes: Producers speak
• Creating and maintaining a close partnership with the broadcasters: Feedback from FM managers
Subject Experts would be presenting and nternationally renowed names will be gracing the forum including Ms. Rashida Dohad Program Director OAKDF), Mr. Naeem Mirza (Program Director Aurat Foundation),Dr.Fareeda Shaheed(Coordiantor Shirkat Gah), Ms. Qudsia Mehmood(Free lance radio journalist),Ms. Saadia Haq(Uks’s Senior Radio Producer and free lance media consultant),Ms. Nabila Aslam (Executive Producer,Internews Radio Project), Mr. Wusat Ullah Khan (Senior Producer, BBC Pakistan),Ms. Hina Shafquat(Station Director, FM 103 Lahore) and Dr. Abrar Umar( writer and representative FM 100,Islamabad), Ms. Tasneem Ahmar(Director Uks)and Mr.Aidan Liddle(Head of Press and Public Affairs, British High Commision, Islamabad.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
