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:: Activities
/ Projects :: | 2005
| 2006 | 2007 |
AGHE
formally started its activities after registration in the last
of September 2005. Following activities were undertaken in the
short period of three months.
Earth
Quake Relief Activities in October –November 2005
Peace Rally on International Volunteer
Day 2005
Role of Print Media and Basic
Human Rights (a debate) on Human Rights Day 2005
Sustainable Tourism for Poverty
Alleviation in Mountain Areas (The Mountain Week)
Seminar on Role of Women in Peace Building
(peace building efforts in region)
Women’s Training & Empowerment
for Peace Building (a three months’ project)
Picture Gallery 2005
NGO’s
Café Gilgit (an AGHE initiative)
Child Labour Situation in the Capital City
of North Pakistan (a survey report)
Exhibition of Women made Local
Handicrafts on International Women Day 2006
Gilgit Citizen Opinion Forum (an AGHE’s initiative)
How to Eliminate Racial Discrimination
from Our Society ? (a round table discussion)
An Evening with Pakistani scholar and
Scientist Professor Dr. Pervez Hood Bhoy
Quaid-e-Azam Awards for peace building
efforts in the Region
AGHE as part of United Northern Areas NGOs
(UNAN) (An umbrella NGO of eleven hundred local NGOs
First Women Aman Jirga (peace committee)
in Pakistan
A Seminar on Drug Prevention at Chilas
District Diamer
Establishment of Child Friendly
Centre for the Child Workers in Gilgit City
AGHE Youth Friendly Services
Mothers’ Meeting on International
Literacy Day 2006
Online magazine Sada-e-Insaniat (the
voice of humanity)
Celebration of Children’s Month
Establishment of Child Friendly Centre for Out of School Girls
How to Eliminate Violence against
Women from our Society (a seminar report)
Celebration of International
Volunteer Day 2006
Volunteer of Year 2006 Award Ceremony
Karakuram Volunteer Movement (AGHE initiative)
Poverty is Cause and Product of Human
Rights Violence (Report on: Human Rights Day)
Poster Exhibition and other Activities
on International Mountain Day 2006
Picture Gallery 2006
International
Women Day 2007 (How to be Voice of the Voiceless)
Women & Family Assistance (WAFA) Project to
Eliminate Violence against Women
Women Development Centre (WDC) Project for Poverty
Alleviation
Prisoners' Welfare and Education Project
Annual
General Body Meeting of AGHE (June 17)
=================================================
Earth Quake
Relief Activities in October –November 2005
8th October earth quick was the worst calamity that has shaken
and devastated North West Fortier Province (NWFP) and Azad Jammu
& Kashmir (AJK) of Pakistan. The death toll from the quake
was close to 80,000 while estimates of the injured are put at
150,000. The quake smashed nearly 4 million houses along with
government and commercial buildings. All the international, national
and local NGOs contributed their shares in the relief activities.
Association of Global Humanists and Ethics also started relief
activities for the earth quake effectees and delivered the relief
goods of half million (Pak Rupees) in District Muzaffarabad of
AJK. TOP
Peace Rally
on International Volunteer Day 2005
For the first time in the history Northern Areas of Pakistan,
AGHE celebrated International Volunteers Day on December 5, 2005
in Gilgit. On this especial occasion a peace rally was organized
with the motto “Sustainable Peace for Sustainable Socio Economic
Development” This rally was organized with specific perspective
as the region is suffering the worst armed sectarian (Shias &
Sunni) conflict. Hundred of innocent men, women and children have
had become the victims of such conflicts. It is great achievement
of AGHE to break the ice and raise voice for peace and to stop
killing in name of religion. This rally was led by Speaker Northern
Areas Legislative Council (NALC) Malik Maskin who is also heading
AMAN JIRGA (The Grand Peace Committee) for the conflict resolution
in the region . TOP
Role
of Print Media and Basic Human Rights (a debate) on Human Rights
Day 2005
International Human Rights Day 2005 was celebrated in Skardu under
the theme “Role of Print Media and Fundamental Human Rights”
as joint venture of Association of Global Humanists and Ethics
(AGHE) Northern Areas and Press Club Skardu Pakistan. A debate
was held on the occasion and many distinguished figures including
writers, educationists, human right activists, social workers
and bureau chiefs of the local news papers of Northern Areas were
among the participants.
Following issues were emerged from the discussion between the
participants:
Þ The Government of Pakistan must resolve constitutional
issue the of Northern Areas.
Þ People of the Northern Areas must be given representation
in Kashmir committee and any decision imposed by the Govt. of
Pakistan or others would be unacceptable and it would be strongly
resisted. Only the people of the region could decide better
about their future.
Þ The Participants condemned the innocent killings
of the people in Gilgit by the religion extremists and during
skirmish between outlaws and security forces.
Þ The participants also identified the need of giving
more freedom to the press in the area so that they could be able
to highlight the Human Rights issues in the area.
Þ The participants appreciated the efforts of Grand
AMAN JIRGA (Grand Committee for Peace) for its positive role regarding
peace in the area.
Þ At the end of the session a copy of universal human
right declaration and some information brochures regarding women
and human rights issues were distributed among the participants.
TOP
Sustainable Tourism for Poverty
Alleviation in Mountain Areas (The Mountain Day)
The Northern Areas of Pakistan are considered mountaineering and
trekkers’ paradise due to its unique geography. Three of
the world’s greatest mountain regions- The Karakoram, Himalaiyas,
and Hidu Kush meet in this region. Five of the world’s fourteen
peaks higher than 8000 meters including the world’s second
highest peak –K-2, 29 peaks over 7,500 meters and 101 peaks
over 7,000 meters are located here Please also visit tourist corner
for More Information. Keeping in view the importance of the area,
Executive Body of AGHE decided to celebrate the day under theme
“Sustainable Tourism for Poverty Alleviation in Mountain
Areas” in collaboration with IUCN. Objectives
to celebrate the day were to heighten awareness among the people
about perils and potentials of tourism in the area and to appeal
for sustainable tourism amongst a wide audience (the government,
NGOs, private sector, the public and the media. Two Districts
of the Northern Areas Skaradu and Ghanche were focused to undertake
the activities. More than one thousand people got direct exposure
to celebrate the day and thousands others were able to got messages
of the day indirectly through newspapers, the radio, and the TV.
Following were the main activities of celebration of the day:
Please click
here to read more about IMD Report 2005. TOP
Seminar
on Role of Women in Peace Building (peace building efforts in
region)
AGHE organized a women’s seminar on peace under the theme
“Role of Women in Peace Building” in the weak of December
2005. It was urgent need of time to involve women in peace
building process in the area as the region have been suffering
a worst sectarian violence for the last one year and the armed
conflict have had a hidden, dramatic and disproportionate impact
on women and children of the region. Through out the conflict
women’s perspectives, experiences, and capacities as a peace
builder remained ignored. The seminar was an important part of
continuous efforts of AGHE to mobilize women and men for the transformation
of conflicted sects away from armed conflicts and violence towards
a culture of peace and non violence. In the seminar women developed
an action plan for peace building in Gilgit. The action plan reflected
the strategic thinking of the participants as well as concrete
actions to be implemented. Some volunteer women were also identified
for the Core Group, which was assigned the task to facilitate,
coordinate and monitor the activities mentioned in the action
plan. Fifty Seven females from different spheres of life (teaching,
politics, NGOs, social workers, government servants) participated
in the seminar. Additional Deputy Commissioner Gilgit Qamar Shehzad
was the chief guest of the closing ceremony of Seminar.
Please
click here to read more Seminar’s Report. TOP
Women’s
Training & Empowerment for Peace Building (a three months’
project)
AGHE undertook a project called “Women Training and Empowerment
for Peace Building (WTEPB)” in Gilgit region which was of
three months duration. The project was focused on providing training
and education of conflict prevention, conflict resolution and
peace-building to the local working and non working women in Gilgit
region. It was expected that by providing peace education knowledge
to the women, it will be possible to have a direct and positive
effect on peace building efforts of the Government and the Aman
Jirga (Peace Committee) in the Northern Areas which was suffering
the worst armed sectarian (Shias & Sunni) conflict. Hundred
of innocent men, women and children became the victims of
that conflicts. Please
click here to read more about Project’s outcomes. TOP
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NGO’s
Café Gilgit (an AGHE initiative)
Establishment of NGOs Café Gilgit is a unique initiative
of AGHE especially in the Northern Areas’ cenario where hundreds
of local, national, and international NGOs are working in different
spheres of life without any meeting place or club. The main purpose
to open the café is to provide a meeting place for NGO’s
to discuss debate and disseminate information on their work, strategies
and result. On initial stage, only local NGOs are being inspired
to be the member of NGO’s Café Gilgit. There are about
one hundred and seventy four registered NGOs working in Gilgit
District. So the ultimate goal of the NGOs café is to enable
NGOs to network at local, regional, and national levels horizontally
and vertically. Presently, the association is offering free membership
for a limited period. Many applications from local NGOs, for the
membership are under process. Please click
here to read more about Member organizations of NGOs’
Café Gilgit. TOP
Child Labour
Situation in the Capital City of North Pakistan (a survey report)
A survey was conducted by AGHE to identify the labour children
in Gilgit City. Results of the survey showed that there are fifty
eight children, working in different motor workshops, small hotel,
shops and open market places. There ages fall between 7 to 15
years. All of them were male children. The children were at high
risk due extremely cool weather, poor hygienic condition
of work places and the children’s cloth. The worst things
which were identified by the surveyors are the working duration
of the children and their pay or income. The working durations
of the children are average from 10 to 12 hours per day with a
short lunch break of fifteen minutes. While they are earning,
only 15 to 20 US $ per month without any other provisions or facilities
like life or medical insurance etc. While interview, some the
children stated that they being forced by their parents or elders
to do labour.
Keeping in view the horrible results of the survey, the executive
body of Association of Global Humanists and Ethics decided to
establish a child friendly space (centre) on emergency basis.
In the beginning the centre will provide recreational facilities
to the children and will develop their skills. In the long term
the centre will adopt the children and will be responsible for
their education and other basic needs. The families of the children
will be provided alternates of income which was generated by the
children. TOP
Exhibition
of Women made Local Handicrafts on International Women Day 2006
International Women Day was celebrated around the globe on March
8, 2006. Like always, this day was also celebrated in Northern
Areas of Pakistan. Association of Global Humanists and Ethics
decided to organize an exhibition in collaboration with Sahara
Women Development and Welfare Centre Gilgit. This activity was
undertaken in a rural area of Gilgit District (Jagir Basin). The
aim of this activity was to highlight the handicraft work and
master pieces of local women which is really unique in the world.
So this exhibition remained focus on displaying skills like embroidered
stuff, paintings, glass paintings flower making and arrangements.
A large number of local women and other women rights activists
and high government officials and politicians visited and enjoyed
the exhibition. Deputy Commissioner Gilgit Mr. Bilal Ahmed Butt
was the chief guest of the exhibition while other guests of the
exhibitions were Mr. Zafar Wqar Taj Assistant Commissioner (implementation
Gilgit), Eman Shah Vice Chairman District Council Gilgit, Mr,
Ijaz Shah President AGHE, Mrs. Yasmin Karim Human Rights activists
and many others. At the end of the exhibition, Deputy Commissioner
Gilgit distributed awards and certificates among the students
and teachers of the centre. Mrs. Shama Chiragh the Chairperson
of Sahara Women Development and Welfare Centre presented vote
of thanks at the end of programme. TOP
Gilgit Citizen Opinion
Forum (an AGHE’s initiative)
The fundamental reason to found the Gilgit Citizen Forum is to
promote dialogues, pluralism and common understanding on various
issues. The other purposes of establishing Gilgit Citizen Forum
is to provide opportunities to the common citizens of Gilgit City
to share their views and thoughts openly and freely about different
societal and human rights issues, and also to reflect upon the
different government’s policies. Gilgit Citizen Forum is
a unique initiative of AGHE in the sense that it is useful to
develop consensus among the masses on diversified issues. TOP
How
to Eliminate Racial Discrimination from Our Society ? (a round
table discussion)
International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
2006 was observed by AGHE Northern Areas Pakistan under the theme
Fighting against Everyday Racism in Gilgit City (head quarter
of the Northern Areas). A debate was organized on this occasion.
The debate was conducted under the forum named Gilgit Citizen
Opinion Forum which is a venture of AGHE Pakistan aimed at bringing
together intellectuals, politicians, opinion leaders, policy makers,
social activists, and citizens of different communities, and to
provide an opportunity for the citizens to think about and share
their social problems and issues that might lead toward progress
and development. Please
click here to read points and recommendations emerged after
the round table discussion PDF. TOP
An Evening with
Pakistani scholar and Scientist Professor Dr. Pervez Hood Bhoy
It was a great honor for AGHE Northern Areas that distinguished
Pakistani scholar and Scientist Professor Dr. Pervez Hood Bhoy
spent an evening with the members of AGHE and addressed Gilgit
Citizen Opinion Forum (a venture of AGHE). On the same day, April
08, 2006, Dr. Hood Bhoy delivered a very successful lecture on
Reason, Unreason, and Modern Age at Karakuram International University
Gilgit. Thousands of students, teachers and other audiences enjoy
the enlightened lecture of Dr. Hood Bhoy who presented a summery
of growth of scientific reasoning, the birth of modernity, and
the challenges it faced in an increasingly uncertain world.
While addressing the members of Gilgit Citizen Opinion Forum,
Dr. Hood Bhoy emphasized the value of reason and science in the
21st century. He also shared his personal experiences and challenges
which he has encountered in such an orthodox society. At the end,
Dr. Hood Bhoy appreciated AGHE efforts for promotion of reason
and humanism. He also appreciated the AGHE struggle for providing
a forum to the people to discuss, and share their views freely
and independently. TOP
Quaid-e-Azam
Awards for peace building efforts in the Region
During its pretty short history, Association of Global Humanists
and Ethics has achieved unprecedented successes in the Northern
Areas of Pakistan and gradually taking leadership role in the
civil society especially addressing the human right issues of
the region.
The association contribution towards peace building in the Northern
Areas of Pakistan has been acknowledged and appreciated time and
again. President of AGHE Mr. Ijaz Hussain and a female Member
of the association Mrs. Shaheen Ayub have received the Quaid-e-Azam
Awards) by Pakistan Social Association for their matchless contribution
in peace building efforts in the area which has been suffered
armed sectarian violence for last one year. This award was presented
in the capital city Islamabad on especial occasion of a seminar
under the theme Combating Human Trafficking in Pakistan, Challenges
and Solution. Pakistan Social Association was established in 1930.
Founder leaders of Pakistan like MA Jinnah (first Governor General
of Pakistan), Nawab Bhadur Yar Jung, and Yasir Hussain Jeffery
have been members and chief patterns of this association. To know
more about Pakistan Social Association, please visit: http://www.psa.org.pk/index.htm
TOP
AGHE as part of
United Northern Areas NGOs (UNAN)
UNAN-United Northern Areas NGOs, is a coalition of six District
NGO Networks (DNNs) of small and medium sized Non-Governmental
Organizations (NGOs) rooted in all six districts of the Northern
Areas who actively engaged in different types of developmental
activities in the fragile mountain areas of Karakoram, Hindukush
and Himalayas.
Its member DNNs work as effective umbrella for the active NGOs
working in their respective districts and have access to more
than 500 local NGOs, associations and community groups, It is
really matter of proud for our Association to be member of such
an extensive and visionary regional NGOs’ Network. AGHE is
not simply its member DNN but president of the AGHE was also elected
as member Board of Directors (BoD) of District NGOs Network
(DNN) Gilgit which is part of UNAN, Secondly, President of AGHE
was also being selected as a member of Central Advisory Committee
of the Union. Please
click here to read more about UNAN. TOP
First Women Aman
Jirga (peace committee) in Pakistan
The first Women Aman Jirga (peace committee) has been established
in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. This historical decision was
taken after a long and terrible struggle of women rights' activists
and on going efforts of NGOs working for women rights. It is really
a positive indicator of progressive thinking and change that Women’s
role has been recognized and Pakistani women will be able to play
their significant role more independently and effectively for
the development and especially for the peace building and peace
keeping efforts in the Northern Areas of Pakistan which has been
suffered due worst sectarian armed conflict. (Report By: Women
and Children Section; Association of Global Humanists and Ethics
Northern Areas Pakistan). Please
click here to read the complete report PDF. TOP
A Seminar
on Drug Prevention at Chilas District Diamer
A local non-governmental organization named as “Strive Towards
Education and Progress (STEP)” took initiative to highlight
the issue with technical assistance of Association of Global Humanists
and Ethics (AGHE). This joint venture remained successful as first
time in the history of region, a voice raised against Drug Abuse
and Illicit Trafficking and a practical step was taken. The Northern
Areas of Pakistan which is a semi tribal area and facing the challenges
of drug abuse with so many other challenges. According to some
unofficial statistics, in the Northern Areas of Pakistan every
fifth individual uses drug. Please
click here to read the complete report PDF. TOP
Establishment
of Child Friendly Centre for the Labour Children in Gilgit City
A baseline was conducted by AGHE volunteers to identify the labour
children, their condition and the nature of work they do in Gilgit
City. Results of the survey showed that there were fifty eight
children, working in different motor workshops, small hotels,
shops and open market places. Their ages fall between 7 to 15
years. All of them were male children. The children were at high
risk due to extremely cold weather, poor hygienic condition
of work places and unsuitable clothing. The working duration of
the children and their earning/income was appalling. They worked
between 10 to 12 hours per day with a short lunch break of fifteen
minutes. They were paid, only 15 to 20 US $ per month (50 –
66 US cents per day), without any provision or facility like life
or medical insurance etc. During interview, some of the children
stated that they were being forced by their parents or elders
to do labour.
Keeping in view the horrible results of the survey, the executive
body of Association of Global Humanists and Ethics decided to
establish a child friendly centre on emergency basis. So, after
survey, proposed Child Friendly Centre CFC was established in
Gilgit city in a rented building. The Centre is providing
a wide range of educational, leisure and health opportunities
for the labour children. Please
click here to read more about the Child Friendly Centre PDF.
TOP
Youth
Friendly Services of AGHE
Association of Global Humanists and Ethics (AGHE) focused each
and every human fellow whatever his/her age, gender, class, or
ethnic, racial, religious, or linguistic background might be.
A wide range of activities were planned and undertook for various
categories of human fellows like children, young people, old persons,
women and men. After successfully launching the project namely
Child Friendly Centre, AGHE established a youth friendly centre
named as “AGHE Career and Counselling Centre”.
The idea of establishing the Centre came into realization after
the recommendations of seminar’s participants which was held
on International Day against Drug Abuses and its Illicit Trafficking
in June 2006 at Chilas District Diamer. It was strongly recommended
by the notable participants that the government of Northern Areas
and NGOs must seriously notice the increasing numbers of drug
users in the area and should take practical measures to control
the situation. It was also suggested that the government, the
communities and the NGOs must launch an awareness campaign through
out the Northern Areas against drug abuses and its effects and
must deliver youth friendly service at districts level. So, in
spite of limited human and material resources, AGHE once again
took lead to offer youth friendly services for the young people
of the Northern Areas of Pakistan.
Ten areas out of fifteen (which were identified by UN) were considered
to be focused at the beginning. AGHE has planned to undertake
a variety of activities like training and counselling programmes
for the youth. TOP
Mothers’
Meeting on International Literacy Day 2006
September 8 is an occasion to give hope to the millions of women,
men and children who cannot read or write even their own names.
International Literacy Day is a timely reminder to the world about
the importance of literacy for individuals, families, communities
and whole societies. Association of Global humanists & Ethics
called the mothers’ meeting on this special occasion
to convey them the message of the day that “Literacy sustains
development”. More than fifty mothers from different backgrounds
and communities get together on the day in a local primary school.
The mothers showed their high level of commitment to facilitate
their children to seek quality education particularly to the girls
who are mostly ignored in the Northern Areas’ context. The
mothers also emphasized that the NGOs, the government and other
education provider agencies must took initiatives to literate
the parents specially to the mothers in rural as well as in the
urban communities. TOP
Online magazine
Sada-e-Insaniat (the voice of humanity)
With the widespread explosion of the Internet Technology, it was
an great opportunity for AGHE to disseminate the human rights’
issues of the region at wider level and also to promote non-violent
culture, pluralism, religious harmony and peace in the region
by scholarly work of the enlightened scholars.
Sada-e-Insaniat which means “the Voice of Humanity’’
is the first online magazine which is being published from the
Northern Areas of Pakistan which is an area where many governmental
and non-governmental organizations are still using traditional
ways of communication, education and dissemination. It is also
honor for the Research and Information R&I team of AGHE that
they are encouraging the local writers to write for the magazine.
Some other relevant material is being translated into Urdu language
keeping in view the copy rights’ issues. The editorial board
of the magazine, under the kind supervision of chief editor Mr.
Syed Ijaz Hussain, president of AGHE, edited all the material
very carefully and then it is sent to R&I Section of AGHE
for publishing. All those writers who are engaged in research
work are encouraged to write for the magazine or please contact
to the R&I Section on the given email address. info@aghepakistan.org
please
download the current and previous copies of the magazines
from our. TOP
Celebration
of Children’s Month
The Children’s Month was celebrated with the aim to highlight
current child-related issues that are widespread in the Northern
Areas of Pakistan and to create awareness among parents as well
as other community members, including teachers, policy makers
and policy implementers. Celebration of Children’s was part
of Child Friendly Centre Project of AGHE. Some main activities
untaken during the during were as following:
1ST WEEK’S ACTIVITIES
Þ Letter Writing Campaign For General Mobilization
Þ Displaying Banners and Making Appeals for Construction
of Women & Children Parks
Þ Door To Door Campaign of Pamphlet Distribution Against
Violence on Children
2nd WEEK’S ACTIVITIES
Þ Essay Writing, Poster, and Speech Competitions among
Children
Þ Recording Teachers’ Messages for the Children
3rd WEEK’S ACTIVITIES
Þ Poster Exhibition
Þ Awards Ceremony on Universal Children Day 2006
4th WEEK’S ACTIVITIES
-
Telephonic Survey
“To Explore Views on Parents on Domestic Violence Against
Children”
-
Media Campaign
Including Print And Electronic Media
-
Advocacy Visits
-
Dissemination
of Information
For a detail report of the months’ activities please
click here (PDF) TOP
How to
Eliminate Violence against Women from our Society (a seminar report)
Gender-based violence is generally deeply rooted in regions like
South Asia. stereotype discrimination against women becomes even
more dangerous and terrifying in a society which is tribal by
nature or semi-tribal and male dominated like the Northern Areas
of Pakistan. The Northern Areas (NAs) of Pakistan could be a paradise
on earth for its pure scenic beauty, cultural diversity and natural
resources, but it is a miserable place for women. A majority of
women are trapped in their traditional roles, comprising domestic
work, agricultural activities and caring for infants. Their daily
workload is heavier than that carried out by men but at the same
time their work it is invisible, poorly recorded and unacknowledged.
Women are expected to rigorously follow the social, religious
and cultural traditions. If a woman tries to break the cycle of
discrimination, she might face physical and psychological violence
by her first-degree relatives like father, brother and husband.
In addition, second-degree relatives, for instance uncles and
male cousins, frequently have the right to deprive her of her
liberty or threaten her. It often happens that women are beaten
if they try to express themselves freely, or murdered in the name
of honor, or burned to death under the pretence of an accident.
………………. Please
click here to read more about Situation of Violence Against
Women in the mountainous region of Pakistan PDF. TOP
Celebration
of International Volunteer Day 2006
The role and function of volunteers and non-profit organizations
in the modern era have experienced a major revolution. As a newly
established NGO with very limited resources AGHE carried out most
of its activities with the help of local, national, and international
volunteers. In the year 2006, AGHE celebrate the International
Volunteer Movement by organized an award ceremony to recognize
the contribution of its volunteers. On this special occasion AGHE
also took initiative to start a volunteer movement which was named
as “Karakuram Volunteer Movement (KVM)” to promote volunteerism
and train volunteers in different walks of life. Malik Maskeen
Speaker, Northern Areas Legislative Council was the chief guest
of the ceremony. More than twenty volunteers took oath as a founder
members of KVM. For More details please
study the report on Volunteer of Year Award and Karakuram
Volunteer Movement. TOP
Volunteer
of Year 2006 Award
Eight volunteers exhibited a high level of volunteer spirit and
commitment toward the assigned tasks during the last year were
selected by the award ceremony managing committee. Of the eight
selected to be honored, four volunteers were local, one was national
and the remaining three were international volunteers. The international
volunteers supported AGHE’s activities and projects through
the Online Volunteering Services of the United Nations Volunteer
Program. Volunteers selected for the 2006 Volunteer Award hail
from different background, regions, and professional fields.
Each of them has contributed to AGHE endeavors such as earthquake
relief activities that AGHE undertook in 2005. Further projects
of the AGHE such as the establishment of Child Friendly Centers
and the campaign against the use of child labor. We are pleased
to announce that Natalie Hruska from the United States (an online
volunteer) was honored as the “Volunteer of the Year”.
Her work with AGHE took place during 2006 in which she regularly
updated, edited, and maintained the AGHE website. Please click
here to read more about the Volunteers pdf who were awarded.
TOP
Karakuram
Volunteer Movement (AGHE initiative)
The earthquake of October 8, 2005 taught many lessons to the Pakistani
nation. Thousands of causalities and other destruction occurred
because the nation was not prepared for such a natural disaster.
There were no proper arrangements to manage the disaster nor was
any volunteer force ready to help the army and other developmental
agencies to provide relief to earthquake victims. Keeping in view
the importance of trained volunteers, the Government of Pakistan
established the National Volunteer Movement (NVM) on November
1, 2005. Its purpose is to provide a platform for public
participation in community building and create a ready pool of
individuals that can be mass mobilized to act swiftly and effectively
in times of natural and man-made disasters.
AGHE which has been witnessed the destruction caused by the earthquake,
decided to build a volunteer force to deal with disaster management.
It was also decided by the executive body of AGHE to initiate
a volunteer movement similar to that of the NVM in the Northern
Areas of Pakistan. The ideas and activities of the NVM were used
as a foundation of the AGHE program. This was done in consideration
that the northern area of Pakistan is located in remote areas
and the AGHE sought to provide those services which were more
readily available in the region as the government has a national
focus. On International Volunteer Day 2006 AGHE initiated
a volunteer movement as “Karakuram Volunteer Movement”.
Please click
here to know more about the objectives, activities and membership
policy of KVM pdf. TOP
Poverty is
Cause and Product of Human Rights Violence (Report on: Human Rights
Day)
International Human Rights Day celebrated in the Northern Areas
of Pakistan as joint venture of NGOs; AGHE, GRAF and other human
rights organizations like Human Rights Lawyers Forum Gilgit and
Core Group of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. A round table
discussion was organized on this occasion. A large number of social
and human rights activists and representatives from media also
attended this discussion forum. All the participant highlights
the causes of poverty and put their suggestions to eradicate poverty
from the region. Please click here to read the detailed report
pdf on situation of poverty in the Northern Areas of Pakistan.
TOP
Poster
Exhibition and other Activities on International Mountain Day
2006
A poster Exhibition under the theme“Hum Oor Humara Mahool”
(We and Our Environment) was organized on the occasion of International
Mountain Day 2006 for the young girls students studying at secondary
level. It was a joint venture of IUCN and AGHE. One hundred posters
were displayed in the exhibition to highlight the environmental
issues which prevail at domestic, street, city and regional levels.
The exhibition continued for one whole day, more than five hundred
young students along with their mothers and teachers visited the
exhibition gallery. Poster making and Speech competitions were
also organized for the secondary school students which were followed
by prize distribution ceremony. Director Northern Areas (NAs)
Education Department (Female) Mrs. Yasmin Qayoom was the chief
guest of prize distribution ceremony. Please click
here to read more about the celebration of IMD 2006.PDF. TOP
==================================================================
International
Women Day 2007 (How to be Voice of the Voiceless)
AGHE in collaboration with another local NGOs names as Ghizer
Rural Areas Foundation commemorated the International
Women Day 2007 under the theme “how to be voice of the voiceless”
in District Ghizer of the Northern Areas of Pakistan where almost
150 women has committed suicides due to family conflicts and other
domestic problems. The government noticed of only few suicide
cases which registered in the polices stations. Some of them turned
out not to be suicide incidents but were in fact murders. It was
thus obligatory for every one to speak up and take action against
such terrifying events of violence against women. AGHE and GRAF
took the lead in this regard and decided to publicly commemorate
the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against
Women 2006 which was followed by another workshop which was organized
by AGHE on the International Women Day 2007. As the theme of workshop
showed that in the workshop facilitators tried to explore the
ways which might be helpful to undertake a project which
laterally named as “Women And Family Assistance” Project.
The central theme of the project was to discourage growing attempt
of suicides among the women of age between 16-35 years in mountainous
rural District Ghizer of Pakistan. For more detail and to know
the recommendations of the workshop participants, please click
here to read the Report on IWD 2007. TOP
Women & Family
Assistance (WAFA) Project to eliminate Violence against Women
It is view of the appalling level of living of women in
the Northern Areas of Pakistan, that two regionally-based NGO’s
called the ‘Association of Global Humanists and Ethics’
(AGHE) and the ‘Ghizer Rural Advancement Foundation’
(GRAF). District Ghizer initiated a project named as: Women and
Family Assistance (WAFA) Project. The project aims at to provide
social, moral, technical and legal assistance to the women to
eliminate violence against them by imparting knowledge and to
aware communities about changing role of women in family and contemporary
context and to create space for the women to demonstrate their
abilities for the benefit of their family as well as for the whole
society. Main activity of the project are training of the trainers
(ToT) by adopting peer education approach. The central theme of
the project is to discourage growing attempt of suicides among
the women of age between 16-35 years in mountainous rural District
Ghizer of Pakistan. It is expected, the project will be helpful
to visualize problems and consequences of violence against women,
discrimination of girls and women in family, school and social
life of the region through building capacity of the social activists
(females & males) on preventing violence and discrimination
against women and girls as well as by publishing and disseminating
educational pamphlets. To read the concept paper please click
here The Concept paper WAFA Project. TOP
Women Development Centre
WDC (A Project of AGHE for Poverty Alleviation)
AGHE established a Women Development Centre at nearby village
named as Basin Pain in Gilgit District. The objectives of this
one year pilot project are to increase the incomes of the local
women and their families and to build the capacity of rural women
in the project area. Building on the experience of previous community
mobilization, this project will mobilize the poor in small groups
to promote sustainable development and will improve the financial
viability and sustainability of the families. Following facilities
will be provided to the women under the single roof in the
women development centre:
Þ Handicraft Training
Þ Computer Literary
Þ Adult Literacy
Þ Catch Classes (for the school dropped girls)
Approximately
200 poor women are expected to benefit from this project, and
more than 100 families will benefit from the handicraft training
provided under the project. Adult literacy and Catch up classes
will help the young females to read and write and to complete
their middle school education. Please click
here to read more about the project WDC Project
Prisoners’
Welfare and Education Project
Over the last two years, as the Gilgit city has experienced sadistic
sectarian incidents, the number of inmates has been increased
dramatically. The fastest growing segment is the age factor of
prisoners as majority of the prisoners are young people who might
be affected negatively by the imprisonment and may the prison
become cradle for transforming petty law-breakers into hardened
criminals as it has already been assumed by Mr. Hans H Wahl (a
French social worker) that “Pakistani prisoners are producing
hardened criminals”.
Overcoming the prisons’ issues require an in-depth understanding
of the factors that are creating hurdles to improve the prisons’
and the prisoners’ condition in Pakistan. Holistic approaches
required to be adapted to address and protect the prisoners’
rights and to achieve meaningful and long-term results. The prisoners’
welfare and education project is offering a range of welfare
and educational services aimed at helping the prisoners who are
at high risk due to inadequate prison’s environment in terms
of lack of facilities (such as awareness session, counselling,
education etc), poor health & hygiene condition, and deprivation
of legal assistance etc. The long term objectives of the project
are to assist the prisoners to become full participants in their
community life and useful citizens of the society after their
imprisonment period over. Please Click
Here to read more about the Prisoners’ Welfare &
Education Project
TOP
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