DNA
Islamabad: “Building the capacity of women to promote and protect human rights at village level is essential for a sustainable culture of peace and democracy in the society”, said Sameena Nazir, executive director of PODA, a women’s rights NGO in Pakistan that organized the training.
Mr. Tomas Smetanka, Ambassador Czech Republic to Pakistan in his inaugural remarks said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic is pleased to support this Training of Trainers on Capacity Building of Women Rights Defenders to Protect Rights.
Advocate Jehangir Jadoon,Advocate General, ICT, Chairman Islamabad Bar Council, Prosecutor General ICT, Board member Legal Aidd and Justice Authority also addressed the workshop and in his remarks highlighted the importance of defending the rights of vulnerable members of society. He shared that the government of Pakistan is making all efforts to provide free legal aid to the poor and has made special programs for the protection of women and children.
The first part of this workshops is organized by PODA as a Training of Training (ToT) from 13 to 17 July 2023 in Islamabad for 25 women from 20 districts of Pakistan. Each trainee will then provide this training to another 10 women in her district to increase the circle of learning and empowerment for women rights. The five day training will include practical sessions on basic understandings and concept of Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Constitution of Pakistan and develop district level monitoring, fact finding, reporting and advocacy plans for documenting women rights violations and preparing awareness and protection activities with local communities and government departments such as police, social welfare and child protection offices.
The training participants included university students, social mobilizers, journalists, community activists, police official, teachers, health workers and representatives of community groups. The trainees were selected from districts Naseerabad, Quetta, Jafferabad of Balochistan, Buner, DIKhan, Haripur, Mansehra, South Waziristan of KP province, district Ghotki, Khairpur, Jacobabad, Sukkur, Shaheed Benazirabad of Sindh and the districts from Punjab included Bahawalnagar, Bhakkar, Chakwal, Jhelum, Khanewal, Maianwali and Rajanpur and five participants from Islamabad. The second part of ToT series will be held in August and will include workshops on Women Protection Laws in Pakistan and women’s rights in the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
