FEMPOWER

The project aims to increase the political empowerment and enjoyment of rights by women particularly young women marginalized groups and those at risk. The project also seeks to empower the poor and marginalized especially women to articulate their concerns exercise political choice and hold decision makers and policy makers to account. The project defines political empowerment as the capacity to participate more effectively in all public spheres including but not limited to the electoral process. Project activities include: (1) providing technical assistance to women legislators for (a) improved legislative drafting oversight and post legislative scrutiny; and (b) on gender responsive budgets and obligations; (2) providing technical training to journalists from 4 provincial capitals and 11 districts on gender sensitive reporting; (3) providing leadership training to community women women councillors and men allies in 11 districts; (4) providing training to grassroots women and men allies on Personal Status Laws gender-based violence education and health services; and (5) providing technical training to women youth minority and peasant/labor councillors on provincial local government systems planning and budgets.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) reinforce the demands of women and civil society organizations for gender equality and inclusive democracy at various levels through awareness raising capacity building networking and conducting evidence based advocacy campaigns; (2) extend technical support to elected and executive branches of government to promote and institutionalize gender equitable laws policies & budgets; (3) women and youth are provided with opportunities for self-expression and engagement in public debates around gender; (4) strengthened women and women councillors to adopt rights-seeking behavior and assume leadership roles; and (5) ensure greater access of women to gender-sensitized state actors non-state actors and media personnel. The combined impact of these interventions increases the political empowerment of women and help to reduce poverty in Pakistan.