AWARE GIRLS

AWARE GIRLS

AWARE GIRLS is young women membership organization working for promotion and protection of young women rights in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan.

Values of Organization:

a. Women's Rights are Human Rights

b. Human Rights are Unviersal, Indivisible,  

c. “Aware Girls” affirms that full and equal enjoyment of human rights is due to all women and girls.

d.  Aware Girls maintains that a prerequisite to securing these rights is the universal ratification and  implementation without reservation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

e.  Peace, Tolerance and Pluralism are the basic pillars of Human Rights

 Mission

To enable young women to have equal access to Decision making, education, health, recreation, and to advocate for 50/50 opportunities for young women in Governance and employment

 Vision

To create a world where women rights are respected as human rights

 

 Objectives of the Organization:

 o        To Promote and protect young women’s rights  and responsibilities to enable them to have equal access to Decision making, education , health , recreation and other Social Services  .

o        To advocate for 50/50 opportunities for women in Employment and Governance

o        To organize and strengthen the Capacity of young women Groups

o        To promote equity, justice, equality, peace, Non violence and tolerance in the Society through holding dialogues

Structure of the Organization:

 

·                     The organization demonstrates its commitment to Girls' equality and female human rights as well as concern about the way Girls are viewed and view themselves in society.

·                     The organization is governed and directed by Young girls

·         The membership is open to girls of the age 12 to 29.

Focus of Organization:

i.                     Women Rights

ii.                    Human Rights

iii.                  Reproductive Health/Rights of young Women

iv.                  Peace, non-violence, tolerance and Pluralism

v.                   Promotion of Micro entrepreneurship of young women

International Donor Agencies:

i.                     World bank (Small Grants)

ii.                    The Hesperian Foundation USA

iii.                  GYCA

iv.                  MTV Staying Alive Foundation UK

v.                   Urgent Action Fund for Women

vi.                  AHN

Activities:

a.       Organizing Young Girls’ Groups

b.       Capacity Building

c.      Promotion of Dialogue on

i.                     Effects of Islamisation on Young girls in Pakistan

ii.                    HADOOD (Islamic Laws)  and its effects on women

iii.                  Honor Killings in the North West Pakistan

iv.                  Domestic Violence

v.                   Discrimination against Young Girls in Pakhtoon Society

d.       Promoting Girls Rights through Poetry and Paintings

e.        Advocacy in partnership of AASHA for policies against sexual harassment at workplaces

 Major Projects of Organization:

1. Health

a.                   Raising Awareness among young women of rural areas about HIV/AIDS transmission, prevention, and treatment using interactive education tools and establishing Anti-AIDS Clubs in Girls Schools of District Swabi, Mardan, Nowshehra, Peshwar (2008-2012) financially supported by MTV-Staying Alive Foundation (International Donor)

b.                   Promoting awareness among young women about prevention of HIV/AIDS to reduce High risk sexual behavior by behavioral change communication and interventions in Peshawar city of North West Frontier Province of Pakistan (2008) financially supported by Global Youth Coalition Against AIDS  (International Donor)

c.                    Research on Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perception of young women of Swabi  and Peshawar about HIV/AIDS supported by MTV-Staying Alive Foundation  (International Donor)

d.                   Building Capacity of young women in Family Planning and Safe Motherhood (2007) financially supported by “The Hesperian Foundation-USA” (International Donor)

 2. Leadership

a.             Building capacity of young women of North West Frontier Province of Pakistan enabling them to act as agents of women empowerment in their communities (2006-2007) supported by “Rural Initiatives in Sustainability and Empowerment”  (Local Donor)

b.             Promoting community based system and activism to eliminate violence against women through active involvement of elected female counsellors of the local government system.  (2007-2008) supported by Rural Initiatives in Sustainability and Empowerment (Local Donor)

 3. Micro Entrepreneurship

 a.             Empowering Young women with disabilities by building their capacity in micro entrepreneurship and linking them with donor agencies (2007) supported by world Bank Small Grants Program

 Research

 1.             Research on Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perception of young women of Swabi about HIV/AIDS

2.             Research on Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perception of young women of Peshawar about HIV/AIDS

 Associations with National and International Organizations:

i.                     International Association of Impact Assessment

ii.                   Asian Alliance of IHEYO (International Humanists and Ethical Youth Organization)

iii.                 Gender and Water Alliance

iv.                  AWID (Association of Women in Development)

v.                   NWFP AIDS Consortium