Editorial

June arrived with its usual dose of scorching heat and dry weather. As the most creatures ran for cover and blissful shade, the team at World Population Foundation travelled across the country and outside to further the message of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.

While the SRHR Education team travelled to Nowshera, Gujranwala and Sanghar in relation to various project activities, the Institutional Strengthening team visited Karachi and Matiari to chalk out the strategy for the forthcoming baseline in the target districts. A number of staff members also took part in trainings and conferences, both within and outside Pakistan. June also marked the first anniversary of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s resolution on ‘Preventable Maternal Mortality, Morbidity and Human Rights’. WPF marked the anniversary by sharing progress made on the resolution in Pakistan and the role of WPF and civil society in pushing the agenda forward in the media and within the masses. The second meeting of the Dutch NGO was also held in June to explore future avenues of collaboration.

This month’s newsletter focuses on all this in addition to the adoption of resolution at the United Nations marking the creation of UN’s first specialized agency on Women! Read on!

Life Skills Based Education (LSBE) – Formal

World Population Foundation, Pakistan’s Life Skill based Education (LSBE) programme, is being implemented by Peace Education and Development (PEAD) Foundation in 20 government High/Higher Secondary Schools (10 boys and 10 girls) in District Nowshera. The implementation of Level-1 of the curriculum was successfully concluded in May 2010. As a result, prior to the commencement of Level-2 of the curriculum, an orientation meeting was held in Nowshera with the objective of gathering Heads/Principals of the participating schools on a common platform and sharing plans for the Level-2 implementation of the LSBE programme.

After consensus was reached with all the Heads of schools and the representatives of the Education Department, it was agreed that the Training of Trainers (ToT) for Level-2 will be held in August. Moreover, it was also agreed that 8 sessions of Level-2 will be completed in September 2010 while whole-of-school activities will be conducted in the respective schools in September.

Life Skills Based Education (LSBE) – Non-Formal Education Systems

As part of advocacy measures for the furtherance of LSBE to be incorporated in the curriculums of core religious education institutions i.e. Wafaq-ul-Madaris, Rabitat-ul-Madaris, Tanzeem-ul-Madaris etc., WFP has started development of linkages development with representatives of different schools of thought. In this connection a meeting was held with Dr. Muhammad Hanif, Deputy Education Advisor/Project Coordinator, Projects Wing of the Ministry of Education on 9th June, 2010.

The meeting was aimed at establishing linkages with the Ministry of Education (Projects Wing) for advocating LSBE in Madaris - an agenda point in Madaris reforms and mainstreaming of LSBE in curriculums of core religious institutions i.e. Wafaq-ul-Madaris, Rabitat-ul-Madaris, Tanzeem-ul-Madaris etc.

The Educational Advisor suggested review of curriculum, while tagging some popular religious scholars, who also have a presence on Madaris’ boards. MoE ensured its full cooperation for this initiative in Madaris.

Empowering Girls – Transforming Communities

The findings of the Baseline study conducted to assess the indicators and current situation on SRHR, LSBE and economic empowerment of young girls in districts Sanghar and Gujranwala was formally shared through separate launch forums in June. The Launch Forums brought together important stakeholders, including, District Education and Health Departments, Master Trainers, Principals and media. These forums provided an opportunity for all stakeholders to sit together and reflect on the findings of the Baseline and interpret the data according to the social settings of the respective districts.

The Baseline launch forum was held in Gujranwala on 7th June, 2010. Programme Manager WPF took part in this forum. Country Representative and Project Coordinator WPF and Ms. Jin In, International Expert on Girls’ Empowerment, took part in the launch Forum in Sanghar, which was held on 10th June 2010.

Following the Launch Forums, feedback from the district baseline launch has been shared with the consultant for due incorporation. Those events were widely covered in the media with 17 newspaper articles being published regarding the project and baseline launch.

Capacity Building of Pakistani NGOs on Gender Based Violence (GBV) and Reproductive Health (RH)

One of the objectives of the GBV-RH project is to strengthen the capacity of Pakistan Gender Based Violence and Reproductive Health Network (PGRN) to reduce GBV-RH in 6 targeted districts. To further this end, a Training of Trainers workshop was organized by WPF for GBV-RH partners from 24th - 27th May 2010 at Fort Monro, D.G.Khan. A total of 18 participants from 6 partner NGOs attended the workshop.

The 4-day training aimed at training the PRGN partners' staff on leadership, gender and Gender Based Violence from a reproductive health perspective and on mapping of CBOs and other resources on GBV-RH. It also focused on training partners to establish a local tracking system for incidents of GBV-RH in their respective districts.

The training was designed to be highly interactive and employed a variety of training methodologies i.e. role plays, case studies, plenary discussions, group work, lecture style inputs and presentations to cater to differing learning styles and facilitate maximum learning. Sessions were also supported by additional handouts and resources.

The partners are currently engaged in a detailed mapping exercise in their respective districts to locate CBOs and identify local available resources.

Capacity Development of WPF and Partners working in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

From 2-3 June 2010 the seven partner organisations of the WPF and a local consultant met for two days at the WPF, Pakistan Field Office to discuss the findings of the Organizational Capacity Assessment report.

On the first day, highlights from organisation-specific findings were shared with each partner, after which partners were asked to fill out a matrix on their individual organisation’s capacity development needs.

On the second day, the partners met for a day-long meeting in which the key findings and recommendations of the Organisational Capacity Assessment were reviewed based on key themes in the initial assessment: Identity and Strategy; Governance and Participation; Management Systems; Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation; Financial Resource Management; Human Resource Management; Technical (SRHR) Capacity and Expertise; and External Relations and Lobbying.

The Core Principles of this project were then shared: overall quality improvement of SRHR work by Partners; South – South sharing; Reflection and Action Learning; Holistic and Organic Approach; Capacity Development Beyond Training; and Group Sharing and Group Learning. Emphasis was placed on the need to ensure time for reflection and learning.

Later, the partners engaged in a discussion to prioritise the areas where they, as a group, required capacity building. In the process of this discussion, each partner also identified areas where they could provide capacity development for other members of the group. Once the partners identified their priorities, they filled out a combined matrix to reflect on the whole group’s needs, identify next steps and the lead organization/individual for addressing those steps.

All the organizations are now engaged in providing feedback on the synthesis report. Furthermore, it was decided that WPF, Pakistan will focus on building technical capacity of partners on SRHR.

Rights-driven Institutionalization of Sexual and Reproductive Health in Pakistan

Gender Based Violence and Reproductive Health (GBV-RH)

A two member WPF team comprising of Programme Manager and Programme Officer for this European Union supported initiative visited implementing partners Health and Nutrition Development Society (HANDS) and Aahung at Matiari and Karachi, respectively, on 17th and 19th May 2010.

The visits were aimed at reviewing the implementation progress of SRHR education in schools and consulting the partner organizations on the Baseline Evaluation Plan and methodology.

Programme Manager, RDI of SRH in Pakistan will be sharing a brief proposal on the Baseline survey with implementing partners during July.

Two days consultative workshop with partners for developing Work plan

WPF organized a 2-day Review & Planning workshop in Islamabad with project staff of the Implementing Partners from 1-2 June, 2010. The participants shared their contextualized feed back and recommendations with regard to contents for level-2 curriculum. Resultantly, a work plan with time lines was completed with mutual understanding.

Father’s Day Celebrated to Spread the Message of Male Involvement in Child Development

International Fathers’ Day was celebrated to raise awareness on the importance of male involvement in the lives of children for their healthy transition from childhood to adulthood. Seminars were organized in Matiari, Multan and Karachi districts where fathers along with students were briefed on the significance of fathers role in the development of their children. School administration, students, child psychologists, as well as representative from Education Department were invited as speakers. They emphasized the right to education and information for girls and boys in Pakistan with special reference to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights education and the role that fathers can play in providing their children information regarding their Sexual and Reproductive Health.

World Population Foundation, Pakistan fast tracked the pace of activities for rallying of support for its web-based petition, that supports the implementation of UN Human Rights Council’s Resolution on ‘Preventable Maternal Mortality and Morbidity and Human Rights’ in Pakistan.

In this connection, information regarding the progress made hence far as well as the role of civil society in trying to bring the attention of policy makers to this important issue was shared with various media organizations. It was stressed that while the civil society is actively playing its role to bring about a positive change in the Safe Motherhood landscape of Pakistan, it is the responsibility of all stakeholders to ensure that Pakistan is able to meet its global commitments with regard to MDG 5 by 2015 – the deadline for achieving the designated targets for Millennium Development Goals.

Meeting Held with David and Lucile Packard Foundation

Country Representative held a meeting with David and Lucile Packard Foundation at Karachi on 17th June, 2010, to discuss details of OE programme and possible areas of intervention, ‘Empowering Girls-transforming Communities’ initiative and the outcomes of Women Deliver Conference 2010 vis-a-vis Maternal Mortality situation in Pakistan. An update on the Safe Motherhood session was also discussed.

It was decided that World Population Foundation, Pakistan in collaboration with David and Lucile Packard Foundation will organize a debrief session with delegates from Pakistan who took part in Women Deliver Conference 2010. The debrief session will be held on 14th July, 2010 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. WPF’s We Act programme will also share the activities for Safe Motherhood campaign with Packard Foundation to seek its support in Sindh.

Second Meeting of the Dutch NGO Forum Held

A forum of Dutch NGOs working in Pakistan -comprising Oxfam Novib, World Population Foundation and Cordaid -was founded in May 2010 to enhance synergy among the Dutch NGOs and make collaborative efforts to develop understanding about the programme of these organisations in Pakistan. The forum will meet initially on monthly basis with the venue on rotation among these three organizations, to share programmes and new work initiated by each organisation; make systematic efforts to capture Dutch Resources (KNE) in Pakistan; provide capacity building to other organisations on requested themes and enhance interaction among staff for coordination and timely flow of information.

The second meeting of the Dutch NGO Forum was held at WPF office on 16th June, 2010. Following discussion in the meeting it was decided that Oxfam Novib will share a policy document on girls’ education with WPF, whereas it will also link its recent project, ‘Safe places for women’ to Reproductive Health. An opportunity to help Oxfam Novib for developing a web-based M&E system was also explored by WPF. The two organizations also explored the opportunities for partnership in districts where both NGOs already have their programmes such as Sialkot, Jafferabad and other areas in Punjab and Sindh.

The next Dutch NGO forum meeting is scheduled to be held towards the end of July 2010.

SMART Chart Training

Programme Officer, LSBE Formal School Systems and Assistant Programme Officer, We Act took part in a 2-day training on SMART Chart from 3rd to 4th June, 2010. SMART Chart is a communications tool introduced by Spitfire strategies USA that provides step by step directions to design communications strategy especially for nonprofit organizations. Rozan has acquired the copy rights of Smart Chart in Pakistan and it is transmitting the benefits of this communications tool to different stakeholders by educating them on the tool’s effectiveness and utility through training sessions.

Rozan will now be holding a training session with the entire staff at WPF, Pakistan in August in order to institutionalize the use of SMART Chart in all the programmes of the organization.

Leadership Development Training Programme for Managers

Programme Manager, Knowledge Management took part in a training on Leadership Development for managers serving in the Reproductive Health sector of Pakistan at Lahore. The Social Entrepreneur Development Center at Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), in collaboration with The David & Lucile Packard Foundation, organized the training.

The 5 day training/programme was aimed at preparing mid-level managers for senior leadership positions in the future by increasing their managerial competencies and developing leadership aptitude.

Women Deliver Conference 2010

Programme Officer, Communications and Research participated in the Women Deliver Conference 2010 held from 7th to 9th June, 2010, in Washington D.C, USA.

The objectives of the Conference were to take stock of the maternal and newborn mortality rates and the level of work that needs to be put in to achieve desirable results. Moreover, it also provided an opportunity to evaluate the situation with regard to investment in initiatives around women and girls, especially with regard to their economic empowerment, and chalk out solutions to achieve MDG5; specifically in terms of generating political will and allocation of resources. About 3,400 advocates, policymakers, development leaders, health care professionals, youth, advocates, and media from 146 countries attended the Conference.

In order to share its learning from the Conference and brainstorm the best possible ways to take the agenda with regard to MDG 5 -further in Pakistan, WPF, Pakistan will be holding a debrief session with participants from Pakistan who took part in the Women Delver Conference, 2010. The debrief session will be held on 14th July, 2010 at WPF office.

The 2nd Regional Training on Sexuality, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

Programme Officer, Knowledge Management and Project Coordinator, LSBE Non-Formal Education Structures, participated in the 2nd Regional Training on Sexuality, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 14th to 18th June, 2010.

The focus of the training was to provide basic information about concepts such as Human Rights, Gender, Sexuality, Sexual and Reproductive Rights, etc. Moreover, the training also aimed at developing a deeper and more coherent theoretical understanding of sexuality and its connections with other issues, including gender and rights; demystifying values and concept of sexuality and rights; discussing HIV & AIDS, sexual and reproductive anatomy and physiology etc. and providing tools for incorporating these concepts in day-to-day work.

A little over six decades after Independence, a momentous struggle which ended in the long sought after freedom from our colonial masters, another battle is underway. However, rather than being fought in the theatre of political emancipation, this struggle is taking place in the hearts and minds of people. And just as any struggle can be characterized by the relationship between oppressor and the oppressed, this endeavor is a slave to the same dynamics. And in this way oppressor and oppressed are locked in a brutal slow-dance, leaving broken souls in its wake, until something gives.

Gender Meet Ends on High Note with New "U.N. Women"

Nearly 50 government delegations spent the last week of June at U.N. headquarters in New York hashing over the progress that has been made and challenges that remain in pursuing gender parity worldwide, one of the crucial elements of the Millennium Development Goals.

Officially called the 'High-Level Segment of the Economic and Social Council's (ECOSOC) 2010 Annual Ministerial Review', the meet ended Friday with the adoption of a declaration re-asserting ECOSOC's commitment to achieving gender equality around the globe.

Each year, the Review focuses on one topic, assessing the progress made towards achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, as well as other goals and targets agreed upon at major U.N. conferences and summits. This year's theme was "implementing the internationally agreed goals and commitments in regard to gender quality and empowerment of women."

A record number of voluntary presentations were made at this year's review - 13 - with a near-even split between developing and developed nations.

Sha Zukang, under-secretary-general of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, told meeting attendees that the record participation "demonstrates a high level of international commitment to achieving gender equality".

The ministerial declaration adopts a variety of measures aimed at promoting gender equality worldwide. The most heralded element of the declaration is the establishment of an official United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, or U.N. Women, which was approved by the U.N. General Assembly on 2nd July, 2010.

In a statement praising the creation of the entity, Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said, "I am grateful to member states for having taken this major step forward for the world's women and girls. U.N. Women will significantly boost U.N. efforts to promote gender equality, expand opportunity, and tackle discrimination around the globe."

In addition to establishing U.N. Women, the ministerial declaration stresses the importance of employing a number of strategies to combat gender inequality. The seven-page document emphasizes the necessity of mainstreaming a gender perspective in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of programmes and policies in all political, economic, and social spheres.

Hamidon Ali, president of ECOSOC, explained simply, "Gender equality is crucial to all aspects of economic growth."

Key highlights of the declaration include integration of women into the formal economy, elimination of violence against women and girls, increased education and the eradication of illiteracy, improved access to public health systems, comprehensive legal frameworks that prohibit gender discrimination, increased access to microfinance and microcredit, and promotion of universal access to reproductive health.

"Achieving Goal 3 is essential to the achievement of all the Millennium Development Goals," the document states. Ali echoed this in his assertion that "Gender equality lies at the very heart of the Millennium Development Goals."

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