Bargad E-Newslleter

From April to June Bargad organized a number of activities ranging from seminars, dialogues, visits, meetings and trainings and also attended activities arranged by other organizations.

The issues under focus were: Structural Violence against Woman, Empowering girls- Transforming Communities, Security Council Resolution 1325, Alternate Dispute Resolution Committees, Youth Leadership Skills, and networking with other organizations.

In addition to it a number of activities on issues related to youth development were arranged with universities that have been reported in the e-news,

http://www.bargad.org.pk/e-Newsletter/e-Newsletter.htm

Bargad is working exclusively on youth development since 1997. The organization is a response to troubling youth apathy towards social development in Pakistan. It focuses literate youth, as a primary target group of its work. It includes college/university going students, community youth and those affiliated with religious seminaries. This unique working has made the organization one of the prime youth organizations of Pakistan.

This e-news brings you the programs that organization held from April to June.

Have a nice reading!

To promote peace, justice and cooperation among youth in Pakistan

House # F-36, Street # 1-A
Allama Iqbal Town
Rahwali, Gujranwala
Punjab
Pakistan
Tel: +92-55-3864920 +92-55-3864920
Fax: +92-55-3868052
Email: bargadpk@hotmail.com / info@bargad.org.pk

UN Special Envoy- Ambassador Jean Maurice Rupert highly appreciated Bargad and wrote,

“When people speak about their hopes, their difficulties, their dreams, we have to listen to them carefully, because they always speak the truth. And then we have to act with them.”

Open Day 1325.Women, Peace and Security in Pakistan.

June 15, 2010

A one day seminar, “structural violence against women” was organized by Bargad at Government Degree College Rahwali on 14 April, 2010.

The seminar conversed about the prevailing types of violence that a women encounters in her daily life and community’s part in exacerbating the situation. More than one hundred girls along with teachers participated. The seminar was moderated by Ms. Saiqa Rani and Ms. Salma Butt was the key speaker.

In the seminar the participants got the opportunity to share their thoughts about the topic. Ms. Shella (Student) said, “ It is first time that I got to know about the types of violence we face every day. It will help us to think and to protect our rights. Bargad must arrange such programs on regular basis.”

Bargad team, Ms. Bushra Sadiq and Ms Shakilla Kaulab, visited thirty-five schools for the orientation of the project, “Empowering Girls Transforming Communities” The project’s objective is to develop adolescent girls’ life skills to deal with sexual reproductive health (SRH) issues in their peers, families, and communities; Empower adolescent girls and develop their confidence and leadership skills for social and economic independence; and establish networks of support in schools and communities to advocate improvements in sexual reproductive health indicators and relevant policies - youth, health and education policies.

Bargad team participated in Launching of the Research Report on “Gender, Religion, and the Quest for Justice in Pakistan” by Farida Shaheed (Shirkat Gah-Women’s Resource Centre, Lahore, Pakistan) held on April 27, 2010 in Islambad organized by Heinrich Boll Stiftung.

Bargad is undertaking the project, “Sports Gala” with aim to mainstream Madressah girls into mainstream social and public life through sports competitions. The objective is to create progressive and healthy opportunities for Madressah girls; break stereotypes about Madressah girls in the general populace and; consolidate networking for youth development in Gujranwala.

Under the project four trainings on rules and regulations of the games (tug of war, short jumping and 100 meter race) included in Sports Gala were arranged in four different religious seminaries: i) Al Zahra Madressah Lilbinat Jamia, ii) Jamia Fatima Tul Zahara Salfiam Lilbanat, iii)Jamia Taleem ul Qurran Wal Hadees Lilbenat and iv) Jamia RehmanTaleem ul Quran Lilbinat.

Nearly 150 Madressah girls were trained by Ms. Bilquees Zahid (Lecturer, Model College for Girls) about the rules and regulations of the games included in Sports Gala. It is hoped that the sports gala will inculcate sense of achievement and entertainment in the public sphere which is not possible otherwise for these young students of seminaries. They will be involved into progressive activism afterwards by channelizing them through small activities. In that sense the sports gala provides a window for the organization to consolidate its networking with Madressahs and initiate its youth activism.

Nine members of Roots for Equity; non-government organization which is formed with agenda of being part of the anti-globalization movement in general, and supporting and strengthening Pakistani peasant movements to create a force against market economy forces in the agriculture sector; led by Dr. Azhra Talat visited Bargad office on May 16 2010. Bargad assisted Roots in conducting a survey on problems faced by women in small scale business in the district Gujranwala.

Orientation meeting on project, “Empowering Girls Transforming Communities” was held with Nabeel Ahmed Awan DCO Gujranwala and Bargad representatives Ms. Bushra Sadiq and Ms. Shakila Kaukab.

Bargad participated in Conference on “Women, Religion and Politics in Pakistan” organized by HBS on May 21-22, 2010 in Lahore.

Sabiha Shaheen Executive Director of Bargad represented Bargad in YOUTH LEADERSHIP LEARNING SUMMIT held on June 11-12, 2010. The summit was held at Sofitel Manila Plaza, Philippine.

This selection was done on the basis of a scan conducted with over 40 youth leadership programmes from all over Pakistan.

Leadership Development for Mobilizing Reproductive Health (LDM) is a leadership programme of Institute of International Education (IIE) and funded by the Lucile and David Packard Foundation. It aims to promote leadership for reproductive health and currently over 170 fellows have been benefitted from this program. Its Pakistan office is based in Karachi.

The Youth Summit aimed to bring youth leadership programs from a variety of countries including Pakistan, India, Philippines, Egypt, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Guatemala. It will be an excellent experience to showcase the various successes of each of the programs, share experiences, promote better practices and learn from each other.

Former Lexington, Kentucky, Mayor Teresa Isaac spoke with students on “Youth Leadership Skills” on 16 June at the Maisonnette hall in Lahore. Mr. Jamie and Ms Tahira Habib from the local US consulate were also present at the occasion. The meeting was moderated by Ms Salma Butt and chaired by Ms Sabiha Shaheen the Executive Director of BARGAD.

Many of the students in question-answer session preferred to address the US foreign policy issues and international affairs ie. the blasphemy at Facebook, Palestine, anti-Muslim discrimination, etc. Nevertheless there were also questions on those youth who wanted to be leaders but were afraid to make public speech.

Mayor Isaac said that the key characteristics of leadership are honesty, integrity, perseverance and hard work.

Responding to the request Bargad organized exhibition of the artwork of Buner IDPs at the event of Open Day UNO 1325 on June 15 2010 and also to give input and recommendations of the organizations on the resolution of UN, 1325. At the occasion Bargad was represented by Dr. Shahbaz Israr Khan where he briefed the participants of the event about the art. Among those participants were included UN representatives, members of ILO and civil society, and women activists.

Deputy Head of office UNAMA, Raana Rahim expressed her gratitude for the marvelous efforts made by Bargad in the university sector for Peace. She commented, "Difficult to believe, this is the work of armatures- it is so expressive; each painting tells us the story of war, devastation and of hope. I congratulate your organization for bringing this powerful message from those directly affected by the conflict to those who may- in a very small way- may be able to get their message across to someone of those who can make a difference in their lives.”

During the Open Day UN 1325, Bargad was invited by the representative of ILO to display the artwork in the event Youth Entrepreneurship held by ILO on June 23, 2010. Bargad was represented by Muqadas Iqbal, Sitara Ch. Sarmad Raza and Bushra Sadiq.

The case studies of Sarmad Raza and Sittara Ch. were selected, among eight case studies selected from the country, to share with the participants of the program. Both received encouragement and appreciation from all the participants.

Ms. Bushra Sadiq attended training on Human Trafficking organized by OPD on June 24-25 at Shelton Hotel Gujranwala. The training was about to aware people about human trafficking and making them aware about the difference between human trafficking and Smuggling.

Bargad in collaboration with Regional Police administration Gujranwala organized training (Dispute Resolution) on June 24-25, 2010.

Training was organized for alternate dispute resolution committees on dispute resolution through mediation. The initiative is taken to resolve disputes through mediation by committees composed of members of the local community. Alternate Dispute Resolution Committees received 4048 filed cases and 18418 applications by the police department out of which 15661 disputes were resolved through mediation (Source: DIG Police; Gujranwala Range)

The booklet has been published in urdu which covers the famous case studies of Student Leaders relating them with the history of student activism and their part in peace-building and gender. Student politics and student unions have been controversial issues and when ban was put on it, some people opposed this action and some favored it. In conjunction with this ban, the student activism was also restricted by government and administrations of universities, which led the country with the deficiency of good leadership. In year 2008, Bargd interviewed past student leaders brought their stances to youth as a book “Revisiting Student Politics in Pakistan.” In those interviews accepted the violence caused by student unions and condemned it. And now under this booklet “Aaj Key Talib Elam Rehnumaon Ka Tulba Siyasat Par Moqaf (The Stance of Today’s Student Leaders about Student Politics), Bargad interviewed today’s student leaders from around the country. This booklet brings the thoughts, political understanding, and today’s student leaders views about past student politics in view.