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AAWAZ Voice and Accountability Programme

Annual Progress Report21 May 2012 – 20 February 2013

CONTENTS

S. No Contents Page No

1 Acronyms 3

2 Executive Summary 6

3 Introduction 7

4 Key Accomplishments 10

a. Overall Progress 12 b. Output 1: Women Better Able to Participate Safely in Politics and in Public Spaces 12 c. Output 2: Citizens and communities better able to resolve disputes peacefully and work together for common solutions 16 d. Output 3: Women and other excluded groups better able to demand improved delivery of services 19 e. Output 4: Improved evidence generated, synthesized and communicated/ championed to political leaders/ elites 21 f. Additional Deliverables 23

5 SignificantChangesandRiskAssessment 24

6 Value for Money 24

7 Lessons Learnt 25

8 Future Outlook 26

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ACRONYMSADF AAWAZ District ForumAF Aurat FoundationASC AAWAZ Steering CommitteeAUCF AAWAZ Union Council

ForumAVF AAWAZ Village ForumCNG Compressed Natural GasCNIC Computerized National

Identity CardCSOs Civil Society OrganizationsD. I. Khan Dera Ismail KhanDAI Development Alternative Inc.DFID Department For International

DevelopmentECP Election Commission of

PakistanEVAW Ending Violence Against

WomenFGDs Focus Group DiscussionsFM Frequency ModulationGBV Gender Based ViolenceHR HumanResourceIDPs Internally Displaced PersonsIEC Information, Education And

CommunicationIT Information TechnologyKII Key Informant InterviewKP Khyber PukhtunkhwaLFA Log Frame AnalysisLG & CD Local Government And

Community DevelopmentM & E Monitoring And EvaluationMIS Management Information

SystemMMS Multimedia Messaging SystemMO Management Organization

MPA Member Provincial AssemblyNADRA National Database and

RegistrationAuthorityNGOs Non-Government

OrganizationsODI Overseas Development

InstitutePARR Policy,Analysis,Resultsand

ResearchPDU Programme Development

UnitPML (N) Pakistan Muslim League

(Nawaz)PRA ParticipatoryRapidAppraisalPRM ProgrammeReviewMeetingPTI Pakistan Tehrik-e-InsaafRF ResponseFundRFQ RequestForQuotationSAP-PK South Asia Partnership,

PakistanSDPI Sustainable Development

Policy InstituteSPO Strengthening Participatory

OrganizationSTTA Short Term Technical

AssistanceTAMIS Technical Administrative

Management Information System

TOR TermsofReferenceTTP Tehrik-e-Taliban PakistanTV TelevisionUC Union CouncilUS United StatesWBS Work Breakdown Structure

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BASIC INFORMATION1 Programme Title AAWAZ Voice and Accountability Programme

2 Donor Department for International Development (DFID)

3 Implementing Partners

• Aurat Foundation (AF)• South Asia Partnership Pakistan (SAP-

PK) • Strengthening Participatory

Organization (SPO) • SUNGI Development Foundation

(SDF)• Sustainable Development Policy

Institute (SDPI)

• Resource Partners • Response Fund Grantees • Community Organizations

4 Managed by Development Alternatives Inc. (DAI) (Management Organization)

5 Country Pakistan

6 Location within Country

45 districts in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa and Punjab

7 Project Start and End Dates

Start: May 2012 End: May 2017

8 Reporting Period May 2012- Feb 20139 Programme Year First Year10 Total Programme

Budget£34.03 million

11 Total Funding from Donor

£34.03 million

12 Financial Contributions from Other Sources

None

13 Date report produced

30th August 2013

14 Programme Strategies

• Social Mobilization • Awareness raising• Capacity Building• Advocacy and Action• Monitoring and Oversight

• Networking and Linkages• Lobbying• Public Outreach• Technical Assistance• Response Funds

15 Level of Interventions

• Village/Settlement• Union Council• Tehsil

• District• Provincial/National

16 Beneficiaries • Women• Excluded Groups• Religious and Sectarian Minorities• Politicians and activists

• Civil Society institutions• Political Parties• Government Departments • Academic Institutions

17 Stakeholders • Political Parties• Faith groups • Interest Groups

• Press and Bar Associations• (It is roughly estimated that

there would be around nine million people who are stakeholders)

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The AAWAZ programme aims to equip the average Pakistani with the power to demand from the state, to enable citizens to work together in groups within and among communities towards raising their voice cohesively and effectively; and force governments and public sector entities to improve their standards

EXECUTIVESUMMARY

in return. AAWAZ will focus on increased political representation of women at every level of government. Currently, only four out of the 148 women in the National Assembly from Punjab and KP are directly elected. The programme seeks to support women who live in villages and towns to live a life free from the

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fear of violence, in communities that are able to resolve disputes internally and amicably and participate in local and national politics, without discrimination on the basis of gender, race or religion.

The AAWAZ programme, a venture of DFID, is managed by DAI. It brings together the expertise of five established and crediblerights based organizations, namely, the Aurat Foundation, Strengthening Participatory Organization, the South Asia Partnership Pakistan, the Sungi Development Foundation and the Sustainable Development Policy Institute, to work in close partnership in a joint consortium. The programme has just concluded itsfirst year, and is scheduled torun for a further four. Through its tenure, it will target 45 districts in the country in the provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In the inception phase, SAP-PK, AF, SPO and Sungi launched pilot activities in September in Bahawalpur, Charsadda, Sargodha, Mardan, Muzaffargarh, D.I. Khan and Abbottabad. Some of the highlights are as follow:

• In order to nurture and strengthen the democratic process in Pakistan, it is necessary to support structures that help citizens and communities to organize at the village, Union Council (UC), tehsil and district levels. For this purpose a total of 710 ‘AAWAZ Village Forums (AVFs)’ at village level and 74 AAWAZ UC Forums

(AUCFs) at UC level were formed during thefirstyearoftheprogramme.

• In the reporting period these forums facilitated several AWAAZ programme activities, such as the management of 56 women’s assemblies (7 at district level and 49 at UC level); 7 rallies at the district level and 61 other events, including 'meena bazaar' and 'peace mela' events. The events provided an opportunity for rural women and activists to meet with legislators and public representatives to discuss grass root issues related to their political participation and to demand an end to all kinds of discrimination against women. In order to reach out to women, young voters, people with disabilities and religions minorities and increase their participation in the 2013 elections, 220 mock sessions, 24 seminars, 18 district forums, 45 Voter Facilitation Desks and 35 festivals, as well as 5 awareness sessions at tehsil level, were organized..

• 927 FGDs/meetings were held at the village level to involve grass root communities in the peace building process and to enhance their awareness level regarding the nature and type of conflicts, as well as conflictresolution processes. Subsequently, action plans were developed for each type of conflict. These action plans will beregularly reviewed in appraisal meetings.

• The AUCFs organized 43 Khuli Kucheries

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(open discussion forums) at UC level with the objective of raising awareness on fundamental issues of health and education in the target communities. Concerned representatives from government agencies were invited to these forums so that they could interact directly with communities and obtain feedback about the quality of service delivery in the area and respond to community concerns.

• Members of the District Forum and UC forums were trained to understand the budget cycle and revenue and expenditure, so that they could monitor how funds were allocated and spent. A total of 8 trainings with 277 participants were held. Eight trainings on Freedom of Information (FOI)) were also organized in which 225 people participated. These training played an important role in the capacity building of Forum members, enabling them to better understand the government budgeting cycle, and tools and techniques required foreffectiveaccountabilityofpublicofficeholders.

• 36 radio campaigns were organized on FM radio channels and on the national RadioPakistan.AAWAZstaffandofficialsfrom Radio Pakistan also participated inpanel discussions, talk shows, question answer sessions and key public service messages in local and national languages to communicate messages relating to the three programme outputs. Keeping in view

the impact of theatre performances and their ability to spark a public participation and interest, 77 theatre performances were organized in all the districts by engaging local theatre groups.

• PARRconductedbaseline surveys for theAAWAZ project in six districts, that is: Sialkot, Lodhran, Pakpattan, and Jhang in Punjab and Dera Ismail Khan and Dir inKP.After collectionof thedata, PARRorganized Baseline Launch Events in order topresent thefindings toaudiences fromGovernment Departments, CSOs, NGO partners, academics as well as the wider public, and invited feedback. PARR alsoinitiatedthefirstroundofaresponsefundto commission eight in- depth studies in subject areas that can complement the baseline results, both quantitative and qualitative.

This annual report documents the progress thatAAWAZhasmadeoveritsfirstyear,andthe milestones it has achieved. Furthermore, the details of hundreds of meetings and events that have been held, and the communities that have benefited are also listed in thisreport. It details the objectives the programme has set for its future and the outputs it aims to generate. Different logs of data have been compiled, and varying accounts of people participating on the ground in the different councils and forums of the programme are also included.

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Impact The achievement of a stable, inclusive and tolerant democracy in Pakistan Outcome Democratic processes in Pakistan to become more open, inclusive and

accountable to citizens across demographic groups

Output 1 Women better able to participate safely in politics and in public spaces at the federal, provincial and local levels in both Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab

Output 2 Citizens and communities better able to resolve disputes peacefully and work together for solution of common problems in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab

Output 3 Women and other excluded groups better able to demand improved delivery of services in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab

Output 4 Improved evidence of the need for delivery generated, synthesized and communicated/championed to political leadership and decision makers at all levels of governance

INTRODUCTION

On the 22nd of August 2013, Pakistan witnessed the most extensive by-elections in its brief democratic history. Amongst the seats being contested was the National Assembly seat where Mrs Shazia Mubasher nominated by the ruling party, was standing as one of the candidates.

There was no photograph attached to the form that had been submitted to the Election Commission on her behalf. Her husband, Rana Mubasher, a ruling party member ofthe provincial assembly, who is currently facing an investigation over the validity of hiseducationalcertificates,wascontactedbyjournalists. They wanted to inquire about the family's latest entrant in politics, her policies and plans, and whether a current photo of the candidate could be procured so that the televised coverage of the elections could accuratelyreflectwhowascontesting.

Rana stated that the photograph wasunnecessary and so had not been provided. Shazia was going to stay at home and he would handle the day-to-day affairs of her constituency and the necessary coordination with the National Assembly Secretariat. He requested that for all policy matters, the party leadership was to be consulted, as that would be the line the family towed. Shazia went on to win the election.

Shazia has become one of only four directly elected women in the house from the two provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab combined, although such a combination is quite irrelevant as the entirety of genuine direct representation of women from KPK in the national assembly is zero. And we do not know what she stands for, what legislation she promises to bring, or even what she looks like, because her husband, after having decided her entry into politics has also decided to handle her share of authority himself.

The role of Pakistani women seems to be missing in the current political scenario as compared to the previous government, and needs to be looked into. Pakistan’s political parties have done little in this election cycle to facilitate women’s participation in the political process, and have neglected to cultivate female candidates at the grass-roots level. Being aware of these realities, the AAWAZ Voice and Accountability Programme aims to work towards strengthening democratic processes in Pakistan with a more open, inclusive and accountable system of government with special focus on women and other excluded groups. Such a democratic system would not merely start and stop with the electoral process, but extend across the entire tenure of government with an increased participation of the public at all levels. The overall objectives and results of the AAWAZ Project are described below.

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The four outputs aimed at by AAWAZ, in concert, will help strengthen the demand side of governance and help create a more stable, tolerant, prosperous and democratic Pakistan that meets the basic needs of all of its people and facilitates the country in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The programme is conducted by a Management Organization (MO) established by DAI. The MO consists of the Programme Development Unit, the M&E Unit, the Grants and Agreements Unit and the Finance and Operations Unit. These units ensure coordination among the implementing partners; provide a consistent and high-standard of technical backstopping that allow for the programme objectives to be met and delivered; and facilitate the overall financialmanagement of the project and itscompliance with DFID procedures.

Working closely with the MO, the implementing partners are supervised by team leaders who are in turn assisted by teams containing program leads including thematic leads, M&E, Advocacy, MIS, Finance, capacity building staff as well as members functioning in various advisory roles. At the regional level, a dedicated programme and finance teamhas been assigned to support the planning and implementation of AAWAZ goals at the district level. These teams work with local NGOs and public networks to implement district level plans. The District Team is directly supervised by regional and national teams. In order to monitor the direction and impactoftheprojectatthelowerlevel,fieldcoordinators feed continuous updates and reports of progress to the District Coordinators and the M&E Coordinators.

The inception phase, during which the programme was launched, started from 22 May 2012 and ran till 22nd February 2013. The launch evoked much interest in the community and generated a sense of ownership of the project. It also proved to be a valuable testing opportunity for various methods of participation and dialogue that will continue to be improved and fine-tuned through the course of the programme. The launch also helped exhibit the varying resultsandbenefitsofdifferentapproachestoawareness and demand creation employed by

the implementing partners.

The MO team identified a location for theIslamabad office in May 2012, and thecontract for the property was signed on 1 June 2012.Theofficewasfullyestablishedby22June 2012. The MO then initiated the process of hiring, and it was ensured that each unit had at least one female member. Although a majority of the positions available in the projectwerefilledinthefirstfewmonths,thelastofthehiringwasfinalizedinMay2013.

Inthefirstquarter,theteamfocusedonsettingup themanagement structures andfinancialsystems that would help steer the AAWAZ project throughout its duration. The second quarter saw the initiation of pilot phase activities in seven districts. In the third quarter, forums were created for all the levels of social engagement that the programme aimed to target, and several events were organized under the supervision of these forums.

In the fourth quarter, the partners agreed to relate their selected project activities to the General Elections of May 2013. For this purpose, a proposal was compiled and consolidated by the MO to identify clearly the role AAWAZ would play, both in highlighting the strength of the vote as well as projecting how democratic participation begins at the ballot box but does not end there. Based on data gathered by the different outreach activities undertaken when the programme was being set up, the major challenges to a successfulreflectionofdemocraticwillwereidentified. A lack of awareness of politicalrights and democratic norms was identifiedas the most pervasive problem. The need for mobilization of local communities on an extensive level and, in particular, facilitation of female members of the community to participate in the political process was the second challenge.

Since all the member organizations of AAWAZ have been engaged in political education initiatives in the past, it was well understood that any awakening of political interest would have to start at a very basic level. Voting processes, such as getting to a polling station, ensuring thumb prints on the ballot paper and the privacy of the voting booth were all part

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Implementing Partners Punjab Khyber Pukhtunkhwa

North Punjab South Punjab North KP South KP

Aurat Foundation (AF) Mandi BahauddinOkara

RawalpindiSargodha

D.G. KhanJhang

Rahim Yar KhanRajanpur

MalakandMardanShangla

Swat

Kohat

South Asia Partnership (SAP-PK)

FaisalabadLahore

NankanaToba Tek Singh

BahawalnagarBahawalpur

BhakkarLayyah

Pakpattan

CharsaddaChitral

Lower Dir

Bannu

Strengthening Participatory

Organization (SPO)

GujranwalaKhushabMianwalli

KhanewalLodhranMultan

MuzaffargarhVehari

BunerPeshawar

D. I. KhanKarak

Lakki Marwat

SUNGI Development Foundation

Attock AbbottabadHaripur

MansehraSwabi

Upper Dir

of the mock sessions that were designed and conducted especially for women in the short time that was available.

In addition to the election related activity in the fourth quarter, the AAWAZ implementing partners set up offices and increasedrecruitment to allow for the expansion of the programme in all 45 districts. This exercise was in line with the targets set for the implementation phase of the programme.

Activities have been initiated through a series of introductory meetings with different stakeholders. Prior to the meetings, the programme teams carried out groundwork exercises to identify the key stakeholders who would aid in carrying out programme objectives. These included NGOs, volunteer bodies, members of the district administration, representatives of the Citizen Police Liaison Committee, as well as civil service members from the provincial Youth, Social Welfare,Health, Education and Special Education departments. Political workers, elected members of the provincial assemblies and

representatives of the local and national media were also taken on board.

The objective of this extensive outreach exercise, that continues, as the project moves forward, is to apprise the stakeholders of the scope of the programme, as well as their importance in the grid that AAWAZ seeks to build. The short and long term goals of the project, the role of different stakeholders and their linkages to each other at both the district and the provincial level is highlighted, and the necessity of such linkages in the successful generation of public debate and demand for democracy and good governance is thoroughly debated.

Overthecourseofthefiveyearsofthedurationof the programme, AAWAZ will target 45 districts in KPK and Punjab, which are listed below.Initsfirstyear,theprogrammefocusedon 7 districts, with 70 union councils and 700 village councils. The districts that have already been targeted are underlined in the complete list given below:

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In its first year, AAWAZ established itselfamongst the prominent stakeholders and made solid progress towards the achievement of the broader programme goals. AAWAZ has begun addressing implementation issues and has built linkages at the local, district and provincial levels, secured the right personnel and established the analytical groundwork for further progress. In order to test proposed implementation strategies, implementing partners in Consortium A initiated pilot activities in their respective districts on varying dates with uniform planned targets and activities. SAP-PK, AF, SPO and Sungi have launched pilot activities in their respective districts in September in Bahawalpur, Charsadda, Sargodha, Mardan, Muzaffargarh, D.I. Khan and Abbottabad.

The following is a list of the milestones reached by the programme in its inception year:

• The capacity of partners was developed through workshops and training courses. Two rounds of capacity building sessions

KEYACCOMPLISHMENTSwere conducted for all newly hired staff. These aimed at a uniform understanding of the goals, target outputs, and the desired impact of the programme, as well as the time line in which these were to be achieved. The inductees were familiarized with the managementstructure,financialoversightsystems and discipline of the programme. Participants of the trainings included national, regional and district staff as well as representatives and technical heads of the district partners. In total, 162 staff members benefittedduringtheinceptionphaseanda further 146 staff members participated in the sessions during the implementation phase.

• The MO Grants and Contracts Team conducted due diligence exercises with all partners in Consortium A and B in the inception phase. During the exercise, they alsoidentifiedcapacitygapsinconsortiumpartners’ systems, which the MO will address through training. To ensure smooth operational delivery, the MO Operations

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and Finance Department developed operational manuals, including the FinancialManual,HRPersonnelManual,Procurement and Inventory Manual, Security Manual and Finance Guidelines for Consortium Partners. The procurement processwasfinalizedfortheMOaswellasthe implementing partners.

• The ‘AAWAZ Steering Committee’ (ASC) and AAWAZ Advisory Council (AAC) were formed after consultation with DFID and the programme partners. The committee provides oversight on all matters and ensures that the direction of the programme is on course, whilst the council aids in this oversight through guidance and expert opinion. Since its inception, the ASC has held 12 meetings in the reporting period. The meetings revolved around the status of progress in the field, the challengesfaced in proceeding with the outputs of the programme, developing partnership strategies, branding and communication issues,aswellasPARRrestructuring.TheAAC met once in November 2012. Two sub committees, the Advocacy Working Group and the M&E Working Group, were formed. The firstmeeting of both groupswas held in May 2013. The Advocacy

WorkingGroupidentifiedthreemainareasfor advocacy initiatives: Exclusion and Violence, the Local Government System and the Domestic Violence Bill. The Monitoring and Evaluation Working Group will supportPARR in thedevelopmentofM&E processes.

• In compliance with a contractual deliverable for the Inception and implementation phase, the AAWAZ team developed an implementation and partnership strategy and designed output manuals and a risk register. These detailed the design of management systems that achieve the best integration of human resource and an efficient structure of partnership withother stakeholders in achieving AAWAZ Programme objectives. The risk register lists the most important threats, the results of their analysis, and a summary of risk-response strategies. These documents are revised on a quarterly basis to incorporate impressionsreceivedfromthefield.

• An M & E strategy for the programme was agreed upon in the inception phase. The MO M&E team in close consultation with PARR drafted M&E guidelines, a WorkBreakdown Structure (WBS) as well as a

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list of possible reporting formats. The M&E Guidelines spell out the role of Consortium Partners, PARR and MO, time framerequirements, sources of indicators and different reporting requirements. Individual programme work plans were produced for each implementing partner for the inception phase, reviewed on a monthly basis in steering committee meetings and updated on quarterly basis. The MO also initiated the development of M&E MIS to track, capture and analyse the progress of activities at district level.

• Baseline information was collected in November-December 2012 to support the selected indicators in the log frame and to enable data analysis over the programme's duration and beyond. The AAWAZ log frame was revised in the light of inception phase findings and a baseline study thatwas conducted for the programme. The log frame was also improved upon after the annual review. This log frame will serve as the basic tool for monitoring purposes as the programme moves forward.

• The MO held three programme review and planning exercises for feedback from the field. The meetings also provided

opportunities for the AAWAZ staff to develop and enhance the strategies for taking the programme to the public.

• A comprehensive Annual Review of theAAWAZ programme was undertaken in March 2013 covering the period of the inception phase, and the findingswere incorporated in various AAWAZ strategies.

• AAWAZ Inception meetings were held in Lahore and Islamabad with representation from civil society, members of the media and government departments. The Inception Meeting in Peshawar was postponed owing to the security situation in the city. The purpose of these inception meetings was to provide practical orientation to relevant government authorities, public representatives and key civil society actors regarding the AAWAZ Voice and Accountability Programme and to solicit their support and guidance in creating an enabling environment for the delivery of the programme's objectives.

• Two successful provincial launches were jointly organized by consortium partners in November and December 2012 in Lahore

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and Peshawar. A detailed presentation about the scope, objectives and role of the programme was given at each occasion. More than 800 people participated in the launches. During these events, the guest speakers emphasized the need to improve the law and order situation, and for civil society organizations to play their part to promote social harmony and cohesion in the public. Parliamentarians who spoke at the events appreciated the demand based nature of the programme and ensured their support.

• Seven districts were identifiedby the partners and subsequently approved by the steering committee as suitable areas where pilot initiatives would be launched, and the processes by which people can demand more participation in governance demonstrated. These initiatives were undertaken to explain the value and impact of the AAWAZ approach, identify the needs and priorities of those living in rural areas, and test the interventions on

Because of the cultural barriers prevalent in certain areas, separate groups of men and women were formed in some districts to create an atmosphere where community members would be willing to participate without first having to overcome their social conservatism.

a small scale before their application on a wider or national level.

• In order to nurture and strengthen the democratic process in Pakistan, various structures that help citizens and communities to organize at the village, UC, tehsil and district levels need to be supported. In total, 710 AAWAZ Village Forums (AVFs) at village level and 74 AAWAZ UC Forums (AUCFs) at UC level were formed. At district level, 7 AAWAZ District Forums (ADFs) were formed which comprised of three subgroups, i.e. AAWAZ Women’s Committee (AWC), AAWAZ Peace Committee (APC) and AAWAZ Social Services Committee. ADFs were formed to carry out advocacy and action oriented planning at the district level. The three sub-groups will propagate social development issues;managedisputesandconflict;andwork towards the empowerment of women while also aiming to bring down barriers to their political participation. The formation of AAWAZ Tehsil Forums at tehsil level will be initiated in the implementation phase. It was found that these forums provided support in empowering communities to actively participate in the management of AAWAZ initiatives at village, UC and district levels.

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• During the reporting period, these forums held several meetings (ADF: 20, AUCF: 192, AVF: 695) with the aim to strengthen and complete the formation of forums at these levels. At the same time these meetings helped build linkages with the community andintheidentificationoflocalissuesineach area, including non-availability of potable water, excessive billing of electricity by the power distribution authority, problems that were caused by the frequent disruption in gas supply, missing facilities in schools, continuous absence of teachers from schools, unavailability of doctors at BHUs, poor sanitation systems, as also the poor security environment.

Output 1: Women Better Able to Participate Safely in Politics and in Public Spaces

The members of different forums at the district, UC and Village level included women activists from civil society organizations, retired judges, retired police officials, media persons andwomen representatives from the health and education departments, political leadership at the district level, minorities, and female members from School Committees. They were familiarized with AAWAZ objectives, role of women in leadership, women friendly laws, the importance of CNIC registration and voter registration. Women belonging to varying backgrounds participated in these activities and expressed their resolve and commitment to work towards the political and social emancipation of rural women in the area. As a result, several events focusing on output 1 were held successfully in all districts. Some of the highlights are given below:

• In each district, the AAWAZ Women's Caucus held 16 meetings at the district level whilst around 90 meetings and focus group discussions were held at the UC level. The women were of the opinion that social and economic barriers to women’s participation included unequal distribution of resources, lack of awareness about their rights, and also cultural hindrances that prevent their access to active politics.

• In the reporting period, the establishment of 70 AAWAZ Aagahi Centres was accomplished with the coordination of the relevant AUCF at the UC level. AAWAZ Aagahi Centres (AAC) served as the hub for information collection and dissemination of the Programme at the UC level.

Overall Progress Under the AAWAZ Outputs

During the last year, there has been considerable progress in a number of areas under each output. The section that follows gives a detailed description of the progress under each output. After the formation of different structures at all levels, several activities were carried out to test the methodologies and approaches in the fieldduringtheinceptionphase.

• In the reporting period, the programme activities included the management of 56 women’s assemblies (district level: 7, UC: 49), 7 rallies at the district level and 61 other events including 'meena bazaar' and 'peace mela' events. The events provided an opportunity to rural women

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and activists to meet with legislators and representatives of political parties and discuss grass root issues pertinent to their political participation, and demand an end to all kinds of discrimination against women. A large number of rural people participated in these events. Women were given details about the services provided by local NGOs/CBOs in their areas. They were able to identify issues and barriers in local administration and suggest methods for improvement. The event provided

Nature of Events Total events

Total Participants

Men Women

Women’s Assemblies at district Level 7 4022 1609 2413RuralWomen’sAssembliesatUClevel 49 5920 1739 4181Rallies 7 1256 548 708Others events, including peace mela, meena bazaars for women

61 40,532 28,919 11,613

an opportunity for the communities to network with political parties, the local administration and local NGOs. For many rural women who were present, this was the first opportunity to interactwith political parties directly through their public representatives. It enabled them to get a sense of what each party stood for and gave them the opportunity to develop basicpoliticalaffiliations.Themediawasalso part of the event and ensured its promotion and coverage.

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• In connection with the election campaign, 220 mock sessions, 24 seminars, 18 district forums, 35 festivals and 5 awareness sessions at tehsil level were organized to reach out to women, young voters, people with disabilities, and members of minority religions in order to increase their participation in the 2013 general elections. Participants took great interest in the activities, and people who had previously voted were of the opinion that they had been misguided in earlier polls by either the polling agents of political parties, or by people whose help they had sought when casting their votes. During these festivals, the participants highlighted their concerns regarding access to polling stations in remote areas as well as those areas where the population was scattered. Cultural constraints, importance of minorities as voters, the role of the Election Commission in facilitating increased public turnout, the law and order situation, the difficulties faced inCNIC registration and their personal distrust of political representatives were discussed. To address these issues, the forum suggested strong facilitation and input from all AAWAZ forum members

and concerned social activists as well as local teachers in non AAWAZ Union Councils.

During the reporting period, AAWAZ staff in Abbottabad and Mardan held detailed meetings with the District Election Commissioner (Abbottabad and Mardan), the District Police Officer (Mardan), and the ProvincialElection Commissioner (KP) regarding the political participation of women and the security threats that developed after the inception phase activities and election campaign initiatives. The PEC also shared the progress of the Election Commission in KP in general and in district Abbottabad in particular, and assured that travel time of the voters would be kept in mind when polling stations were allocated. They also offered their support on Election Day, and encouraged forum members to register their complaints promising that strict action would be taken against violators.

During the reporting period, 45 Voter Facilitation Desks were established in Agahi Centres, on main chowks (squares) and in other prominent

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Election Campaign

Nature of Events Total events Total Participants Men Women

Mock Sessions and Seminars 244 10,229 3590 6639Festivals 35 4653 1640 3013Awareness raising events at Tehsil level 5 352 131 221

places to accommodate and sensitize the general public. Election related information material, with a special focus on women's political participation, was disseminated in five districts. The material includeda voters list, information on the SMS service, booklets, brochures, and pamphlets which provided information on polling stations, voters registration, Code of Conduct for voters and political parties, as well as contact details for AAWAZ Forums, including Aman Working Groups. It is estimated that 12,187 men and 12,924 women used the Voter Facilitation Desks in the districts targeted in inception phase. The information material included: posters (15,000), brochures (10,700), stickers (43,000), badges (2000), pamphlets (30,000), booklets (2000) and frames (20), which were

developed and distributed among communities.

• 36 radio campaigns were organized on FMradiochannelsandRadioPakistan.The AAWAZ staff and officials fromRadio Pakistan participated in paneldiscussions, talk shows, question answer sessions, and in disseminating key public service messages in local and national languages related to the three programme outputs. Similarly, as a part of the Election Campaign, a Media Campaign was also launched in all districts to deepen voter knowledge about the democratic process and participation in the elections. The Media Campaign through FM Channels (99, 105,93,104,101,94 98,95, 105.4) included key focused messages, promos, talk shows, voice messages and interviews of two female and one male activist

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Case Study

Abida Imtiaz, is a member of the AAWAZ Village Forum in Muazamabad , Sargodha. She belongs to the Hinjra biradari, an influential clan in Sargodha. In the Hinjra biradari, women are not allowed to get an education, or to raise their voice for their rights. They are not allowed to participate in any decision making in the family or the community. They are not even asked for their consent when they get married. The family elders decide when and to whom a woman will be married. Abida was married to a man who was twice her age. She was accustomed to a life in which a woman has no autonomy regarding her personal life and is brought up to accept discrimination, so Abida too suffered patiently and in silence. Unexpectedly, an opportunity came her way when the AAWAZ programme was introduced in the village. After participating in various awareness raising sessions and events in the AAWAZ programme, women were encouraged to raise their voice for their rights. Abida too was motivated to do something in order to bring about change in the lives of the women of the village.

She became a member of the AAWAZ Village Forum and participated in training programs, which helped her to develop confidence and gain awareness of different issues. She began mobilizing other women to become members of the Forum and participate in activities organized by the AAWAZ Programme. During this period, a few people started to campaign against Village Forum initiatives and openly threatened the women, saying that they would not allow them to implement a ‘western agenda’ in the village. As a result, her family became worried, but she convinced them that every human being in the country had been given equal rights according to the Constitution of Pakistan, and rather than be influenced by the negative campaign against the village forum, she, along with other forum members continued to help and encourage the village women with even greater confidence than before. The women were helped in obtaining their CNICs, and the local school administration was persuaded to provide support in dispute resolution.

Birth registration of 13 girls and the CNICs of 50 women were processed and registered. In total, 128 women were registered with the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) to get financial benefits from the state, and 62 women have received BISP cards to date. As a result of consultations with the Girls School administration, the fees for 11 poor girls were exempted. Disputes involving five families in the village were also resolved.

Mobilizing women to register as voters was even more difficult, as women who had never voted before had to be convinced of the importance of their vote in the electoral process. Even though Abida received multiple threats from influential people in the village, she continued her efforts to mobilize women in the hope that one day they would understand, recognize the worth of their vote and break the shackles of gender discrimination. With the help of the village forum, she organized a Candidates Forum in her constituency to learn about their party manifestos and what they planned to do for women’s empowerment if they got elected. Election day on 11th May 2013 was the most memorable day of her life. She saw women coming out of their houses, standing in line and casting their votes for the candidate of their choice.

In total, 625 women of the Muazamabad village polled their votes for the first time in history. Abida believes that the coming generation will always remember their efforts and struggle. And her parents feel proud that they gave birth to a girl who raised her voice against a discriminatory system.

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OUTPUT 2: Citizens and communities better able to resolve disputes peacefully and work together for common solutions

The AAWAZ Aman Commission was formed at the district level in all 7 districts that the programme has reached so far. The AAC is responsible for promoting peace, tolerance and social cohesion to support the peaceful resolution of disputes and collaboration within and among communities for common solutions. In total 7 groups comprising 67 members were formed. Prominent religious figuresbelonging todifferent religious sects,retiredpoliceofficials,representativesfromthereligious minority communities and the local political leadership were briefed about the key roles and responsibilities of the AAWAZ Aman Commission. This was followed by a brief orientation session on the importance ofcreatingmechanismstopre-emptconflictsthrough dialogue and discussion. Leaders of different ethnic and religious backgrounds were invited to share their views on peace building and conflict resolution. Participants stressedthe importance of working to build sectarian harmony, and felt that such commissions wereeffectiveforconflictresolutionbetweendifferent sects. Several events were held, including seminars, dialogues, discussions and peace rallies.

“The AAWAZ Programme has provided us a platform to say something about ourselves. This has provided minorities an opportunity to participate in public events and feel like equal citizens of Pakistan. Earlier, we were treated as second grade citizens in society” (Murari Lal, a Pandit from the Hindu community, Bahawalpur).

“Being members of civil society and a part of the AAWAZ Forum, we don’t have to say we are Christians, Hindu or Muslims. The AAWAZ Programme has provided us a platform where we feel that we all are human beings, so after being part of AAWAZ I don’t consider myself part of a minority group, I always say, I am a human being - we are all human beings” (George A. Khan, a Christian from Bahawalpur)

• During the reporting period, the AAC held 14 meetings and 500 people participated at the district level. 927 FGDs and meetings were held at the village level in order to involve people in the peace building process, and to enhance their awareness level regarding thenatureandtypeofconflictsandconflictresolution processes. It was suggested that religious leaders should be required to create awareness of the importance of peace building in the area. 12,061 people participated in these discussions, including 5107 women. Consequently, action plans weredeveloped foreach typeofconflict.These plans will be regularly reviewed and

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appraised in the periodic meetings that will follow. The AAWAZ Village Forum and a local Jirga will support each other to resolve any issues that come up within a given time frame.

• In order to promote peace and to strengthen social harmony, a Musical Peace Festival was arranged in Lahore in March 2013. More than 4,000 people from all over the country participated in this festival, including ethnic and religious minorities, media representatives, poets and human rights activists.

• Beside these awareness enhancing events, the AAWAZ team held various capacity building sessions, such as a radio campaign and interactive theatre sessions. The details are as follows:

In their efforts to work towards increased social harmony and conflictresolution, the partners held 12 training workshops on Peace and Non-Violent Communication, as well as 9 sessions on video making using mobile cameras. Several training sessions were organised to improve the standard of reporting on social issues and on service delivery. Participants included media professionals, religious minorities and students. These workshops helped in creating collaboration between media persons and local communities, which led to a clearer identificationof issues

related to servicedeliveryandconflictresolution within the communities.

Training No of Trainings

Total Participants

Men Women

‘Peace and Non-Violent Communication’

12 561 408 153

Video making using mobile cameras

9 277 187 90

• To sensitize the youth, 6 radio campaigns were organized on FM radio channels and onRadioPakistan.Keyprogramsincludedlive youth forums, debates held on issues related to the youth, direct messages to the public from the youth, interviews with religious scholars, and informative pieces on AAWAZ objectives and activities. Programs focusing on involvement of the youth in mainstream politics were presented, and reports on festivals and other events organized by the AAWAZ team were broadcast.

• Theatre proved to be a useful tool for sensitizing and mobilizing people for a specific objective. Keeping in view theimpact of theatre performances and their ability to spark public and participative conversation, 77 theatre performances were held in all districts by engaging local theatre groups. 29,421 men and 19,144 women participated in these events. The scripts covered all three themes of the AAWAZ programme.

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Case Study

The military action by army troops against Taliban militants, and strikes by US drones have driven thousands of families from Waziristan Agency. These Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) have sought refuge in the nearby areas of Peshawar, Buner, Charsadda, D.I. Khan and Lakki Marwat. A significant percentage of displaced families have settled in D. I. Khan. Some of these families were looked upon with suspicion by the local inhabitants, as there were cultural and linguistic differences between them. One such family from South Waziristan now settled in D.I Khan was facing hostility from the host community. Mr. Sami, the head of the family, in an effort to fraternize with the host community met with local community members only to be met with aloofness.

One day, Sami’s son went up to the rooftop to fix the TV antenna, which took a while to be sorted out. His neighbour, Sanaullah, saw this and barged into Sami’s house to talk about the issue with him. Infuriated by the gesture, Sami demanded an explanation from his neighbour and inquired about the reason behind his displeasure. Sanaullah revealed that the boy had violated the local tradition of ‘Pardah’ (veiling) according to which no one beyond the age of puberty was allowed inside the house of his neighbour, or even to walk around it unannounced, lest the female members of the house were seen by him. By being on the roof, overlooking Sanaullah’s house, the boy had allegedly dishonoured his family. Violation of Pardah of one’s house and family is considered a serious offence, and has often resulted in bloody disputes.

As the news of the incident spread, and more people found out, their otherwise subtle dislike for the settlers became more pronounced. The dispute lingered on, and the relationship between the two families was strained to a critical point. Hafiz Muhammad Tayyab, focal person of the AAWAZ Forum in UC Mahra, got wind of the incident and intervened together with other members of the Forum, in an effort to diffuse the situation. Both parties were brought together to discuss the issue face to face. Upon inquiry, it was revealed that the boy had loudly announced his intent to go on the roof prior to ascending the ladder. However, the neighbours were unable to hear his voice over the noise their children were making while playing, the sound of the TV and the humming of the ceiling fans. It was thus established that the boy did not intend to violate anyone’s privacy on purpose and the incident was based on a misunderstanding. As the situation cleared, both parties were pacified and put the incident behind them. However, in order to avoid similar situations, the AC members mutually agreed that in future members of both families should inform each other in person regarding any activity that might compromise the privacy of the other neighbour. The AAWAZ Forum proved instrumental in diffusing the dispute and averted a potential conflict.

Output 3: Women and other excluded groups better able to demand improved delivery of services

At the district level, the AAWAZ Samaji Khidmat Commission was planned to take care of social services and to aid in capacity building, awareness raising and advocacy related activities. In total, 7 groups comprising 90 members were formed at the district level. The role of ASKC is to address issues related to service delivery in government departments and to generate dialogue and discussion between the community and these departments. The Commission also aims to create awareness in the community, to inform and mobilize their support when demanding better performance from education, health and other service sectors at all levels of the

programme.

Meetings were held in 16 districts, 21 UCs and 497 villages. The participants, including political activists, ex-local councillors, local CSO activists and community members discussed the missing facilities in schools and state of education for girls, registration of child births, the state of Basic Health Units (BHU) and the political participation of women in detail. The forums and AAWAZ teams participated in capacity building sessions, Khuli Kachehri (open forums) and radio campaigns. The details are given below:

• Members of the District Forum and UC forums were trained in Budget Cycle/Revenue and Expenditure Allocation,and 8 trainings for 277 participants were

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organized. Another 8 trainings for 225 participants were organized on the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act. These training played an important role in the capacity building of Forum members, allowing them to better understand the government budgeting cycle, tools and techniques required for effective accountability, and preparing them for effectively carrying out the accountability of public officeholders at the UC level. Article 19-A of the Constitution of Pakistan was discussed in detail, which gives every Pakistani citizen the right to access public information. The participants were informed about the structure of government departments, and how information could be accessed for the purposes of accountability and advocacy.

• The AUCF organized 43 Khuli Kachehries, or open forums, at UC level with the objective of raising awareness in the target communities on the fundamental issues of health and education. AUCF invited concerned representatives from government agencies to these forums so that they could directly interact with the communitiesandgetfirsthandfeedbackregarding the quality of service delivery in the area and respond to public concerns. Political representatives were also invited to share their agenda and commitment. Excessive power load shedding, anomaliesinbillingbyWAPDAofficials,absence of electricity and shortage of gas,

problems regarding crops and agriculture, information that could assist farmers, and unavailability of school teachers came under discussion. Some concerned officials took prompt action to addressproblems highlighted by members of the community. Around 3197 people, including 1011 women, participated in these sessions.

• In D.I. Khan, It was unanimously decided by all members of the Forum there that an open conference should be arranged to highlight and discuss problems of Water and Sanitation and cleanliness with the Municipal Administration. Following the meeting, the AAWAZ District Forum (ADF) organized a Public Hearing with the Municipal Committee D.I. Khan on 14th February 2013. The Chief of the Municipal Corporation assured ADF members that he would do his utmost to resolve the issues highlighted. He also announced the holding of a Cleanliness Week in the area. Consistent follow up by the ADF, AUCF and AVF bore fruit when a Water Filtration Plant was repaired and made functional in UC 1.

• In Charsadda, a conference was arranged at the district level to address issues related to health and education. The Education Officer took note of the problemshighlighted and issued instructions accordingly. Health officials informed

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participants about the services available in their area and requested them to inform others so that others could also benefitfrom them.

• The AAWAZ team identified andmobilized prominent journalists in the inception phase districts. The journalists were informed about AAWAZ programme initiatives and were invited to contribute their efforts for bringing about social

change in their area. Several meetings with media persons were organized in order to strengthen relations between citizens and those working in the media. Team members and people from the community shared their concerns and issues, and requested the media for support in highlighting problems for advocacy. The meetings helped the communities to gain awareness of the importance and power of the media in highlighting public issues.

Case Study

In UC Bagh-e-Iram in Tehsil Mardan, Usman Ghani is a village committee member and also AAWAZ Taraqiati Tanzeem member. Usman’s family, like all the other families in the neighbourhood, have faced many problems with the basic health facilities in the area provided by the state.

“Health is a fundamental human right, and is necessary for individual well being and economic growth and development in a country. Like water and sanitation and other social services, health too is not a priority for the government,” says Usman.He says that many infants and women die in the area due to lack of basic facilities. The infant vaccination facility was very far from the UC, and residents had to face many difficulties in getting their children vaccinated.

The issue was raised in the ATT meetings, and it was concluded that since there was no land available, it was difficult to construct a basic health unit (BHU) in the area. This provoked an ATT member to donate 15 marlas (4080 square feet) of his own land for this noble cause. According to the market value each marla of the land is worth Rs.1 lakh (662 GBP).

AAWAZ members wrote an application to the District Health Officer, who also happens to be a member of the AAWAZ District Group, requesting that free basic health services should be provided to the union council. So a BHU was constructed that has all the basic health services, plus facilities for vaccination. Consequently, the children’s health has improved drastically.

“The AAWAZ programme is of great relevance for a country like Pakistan, where the core issue of access to basic health is neglected. This is particularly true for rural areas where accessibility and affordability are major issues,” says Usman.

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Output 4: Improved Evidence Generated, Synthesized and Communicated/Championed to Political Leaders/ Elites in KP and Punjab

SDPI has completed the task of setting up the PARR office in Islamabad, and it isnow functional. The PARR structure andmethodology were finalized, setting out indetailthemethodologythatPARRwoulduseto implement its tasks. The Grant Manual was also developed,; it clearly spells out in detail the establishment of a separate grant unit for dealing with the response fund. On the basis of a major finding in the Annual ReviewReport,thePARRrestructuringandintegrationplan, with clear targets and milestones, was developed and shared with DFID. It details the coordination and quality assurance mechanisms for each task to be carried out under PARR. The following activities werecompleted in the reporting period:

Baseline Study

The baseline survey for the AAWAZ project was conducted from September through November 2012. The baseline survey included a collection of quantitative data using a survey

of households, as well as qualitative data collected through Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs). The study was conducted in six districts, namely: Sialkot, Lodhran, Pakpattan, and Jhang from Punjab and Dera Ismail Khan and Dir from KP.

Afterthecollectionofdata,PARRorganizedBaseline Launch Events in order to present thefindings toaudiences fromGovernment,CSOs, NGO partners, academics, as well as the wider public, and invited feedback. Launch events were organized in Islamabad, Peshawar and Lahore in January 2013. Policy Briefs,extractingkeydataandfindings fromthe baseline reports were produced by SDPI researchers for distribution at each of these events. Around 600 people from different walks of life participated, including Government Officials, CSOs and activists, journalists,Academia and Development Partners. The results achieved through these consultative baseline launches were in line with the intended objectives of raising the profile ofthe AAWAZ programme, contributing to the local, provincial and national discourse on the three broad areas of focus and providing evidence based research for stakeholders.

BASELINE KEY FINDINGSWomen’s Political Participation (WPP)

Determinants include: male support, basic levels of formal or skill-based education, knowledge of political activities, availability of resources, and a safe, secure and supportive community environment. • Forwomentopursuepoliticalactivitiesatanylevel,itisimportantforthemtoseeclear

evidenceofthepracticalbenefitsoftheirinvolvement.• Mostwomenholdthebeliefthatfemalerepresentatives,whohaveabetter

understanding of political issues can address their issues in a better way.• SuspensionoftheLocalGovernance(LG)systemhasbeenamajorimpedimenttothe

political participation of women at the grassroots level, since the LG system was an accessible method for women to enter the political arena at the very basic level.

Violence Against Women (VAW)• Thedegreeofopennessvariedbetweenthequantitativepartofthesurvey(household

surveys) and the qualitative parts (FGD’s and KII’s). • TherewasanoverarchingconsensusthatVAWisgenerallyconsideredsociallyacceptable,

and women are expected to put up with all kinds of physical and psychological violence without complaining. The belief that “Family honour comes before justice” was prevalent.

• Thereisacommonbeliefheldbymeninbothprovincesthattherearesituationsinwhichthe “behaviour” of women necessitates the use of violence, and that punitive action

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against the perpetrators of violence is a ‘western concept’ that is being introduced here.• ViolenceagainstWomenwasattributedbyallto:maleandfemaleignoranceandalack

of awareness and education; wide economic and class disparities; socio-cultural norms.• Thatinformalarbitrationsystemse.g.,Jirgas and Panchayatsstillholdsway,wasconfirmed

across the board, as was the reluctance to approach the formal justice system (police and courts) mainly because of costs, hassles, delays and public embarrassment involved.

• Whilemostmenfelt thatinformalarbitrationsystemswerethemosttimeefficientandeffective, and their decisions satisfied both parties, doubts emerged regarding theirimpartiality, especially among women who are not allowed to participate in these Jirgas/Panchayats as members, or as complainants.

Dispute Resolution• ADRmechanismscommonlyusedwere:Jirga,Panchayat,MusalihatiAnjuman• Issuesofconcernhighlightedwere:promptness,affordability,legitimacy• Dependingonthenatureofthedisputeanditslocation,thepreferenceforADRmechanisms

varied• Types of dispute referred: VAW, marital, intra-family, violence, theft, inheritance,

property• AreaswhereADRmechanismswerefound:Rural/Urban;KhyberPakhtunkhwa/Punjab• OnissuesofVAW/maritaldisputeseventhepolicerecommendusingADR• Womennot given space inADRmechanisms (or very limitedpresence).Womennot

motivated to participate.• Minoritieshavetheirownmechanisms.TheyareonlyincludedinJirgas and Panchayats

when cross community disputes ariseService Delivery

Education• Dissatisfactionwiththequalityofeducation:Punjab:25%;KhyberPakhtunkhwa:33%• MajorProblems:Teacherabsenteeism,poorconditionsofschools,prohibitivecostof

private schooling, absence of a forum for parents’ engagement, lack of awareness and lackofaccessibilityofofficials

• Preferenceforprivateschoolshigh-over50%insomeareasHealth• Approximately60%deliveriesdonottakeplaceinahealthinstitute• 50%ruralwomenhavenoaccesstohealthfacilities• Loweraccessinruralareascomparedtourbanareas.• Unconcernedattitudeandinsufficientattentionbydoctors,nursesandsupportstaffa

major issue.• Preferenceforprivatedoctorscommonlyobserved• Privatepracticebydoctorsnegativelyaffectspublicserviceduties;issuesofmalpractice

were also highlighted.Water and Sanitation• Availabilityofcleandrinkingwater,accesstotoilets(withflushes)andaccessto

sanitationfacilitieswereidentifiedasthemostimportantissues.• Thepotablewaterprovidedbypublicsectorauthoritieswasseverelycompromised• Mostpeopledonotboildrinkingwater• Waterbornediseasesarecommon• Waterfiltrationplantsarecommonlyusedasasolution

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Political Economy Analysis

In line with the inception phase work plan, PARR developed and prepared a politicaleconomy report based on the current state of governance, positions of political parties on various aspects of governance and economy, and service delivery issues at the basic level. Major attention was focused on gender related interventions and the prospects of various candidates and parties in the forthcoming elections.

Response Fund

TheResponseFundStrategyandConceptwasdeveloped with the input of an independent consultant. The strategy highlighted key objectives, rationale and the proposed scope of the response fund grant, and emphasized that it should be a flexible, innovative andinclusive fund.

In November 2012, PARR initiated the firstrequest for proposals (RFP) for the responsefund. The rationale for this first call forproposals was to commission an in depth study in subject areas that can complement the baseline results, both quantitative and qualitative. After undergoing a rigorous, internal and external pre-screening and

technical review process, the sub-committee selected eight proposals for final award ofgrants from a total of 82 proposals submitted.

Pilot Phase Monitoring and Evaluation

PARRundertookfieldmonitoringvisitsinfourdistricts during December 2012 – January 2013. Activities at the time included the AAWAZ Forum meetings, focus group discussions with local citizens on programme relevant issues, and training exercises. The activities were found to be, broadly, well conducted and in accordance with the programme objectives. PARRalsoconductedfiveprocessmonitoringvisits to assess the pre-election activities of Consortium-A partners. This was followed by election monitoring in eleven districts of the AAWAZ programme.

Capacity Building Sessions

PARR conducted training exercises for itsresearch and M & E staff as well as for the staff of the programme's partner organizations. Two training sessions were conducted for the SDPIM&Eteam.Thefirstonewasatwo-daytraining workshop on the principles and tools of Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning in April 2013. This was followed by an interactive seminar for the M&E team with

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nnual Progress Report

SEA Change M&E specialist Dennis Bours in May 2013.

ADDITIONAL DELIVERABLES

To promote greater visibility and presence of theAAWAZProgrammeinthefieldofnationaldevelopment and civil society circles, a special panel discussion was organized during SDPI’s annual Sustainable Development Conference in December 2012. The themes covered includedconflict resolution,servicedeliveryand women’s participation in politics. Overall these sessions helped promote the three main themes of the AAWAZ project, while also generating interest in and awareness of the project.

• In order to enhance the capacity of AAWAZ staff, a training needs assessment study was conducted in October-November 2012. Technical specialists for each output took the lead in conducting this exercise. For this purpose, they developed a training need

assessment questionnaire and circulated it to all the partners. On the basis of this study, a detailed and comprehensive AAWAZ training plan was developed.

• A national event was organized in Islamabad to mark sixteen days of activism to end violence against women. The chief guest was the British Deputy High Commissioner. More than 500 human rights activists, civil society representatives, political workers and students attended the event. Film and TV celebrities highlighted the need to shape legislation, improve policy-making and reject backward social behaviour as critical components if the issue of violence against women was to be addressed adequately. Parliamentarians from all major political parties were present and spoke about the response to initiatives taken in parliament, including what was being done to better incorporate women's rights into law.

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There was no major setback or change in the programme design or its context. However, due to the deteriorating security situation in KP, therewasanalteration in thefieldplanin order to minimize security risks. In some areas, women were not invited in the 'Khuli

SIGNIFICANT CHANGES ANDRISKASSESSMENT

Kachehri' and other public gatherings. Also. a few activities planned in the current reporting period had to be delayed due to security threats.

TheDistrict office inCharsaddawas shiftedfrom a congested part of the city to a more

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secluded residential area for security reasons. Similarly,regionalofficesinDeraIsmailKhanwere forced to restrict or postpone some of their more public activities. Staff mobility was also affected, as regional teams in sensitive districts came under increased scrutiny from law enforcement agencies where they were asked to detail the objectives of their visit and to seek prior authorization from the concerned military headquarters at various military check points.

Also, because of the insecurity and unfavourable circumstances, sports festivals were organized in Charsadda for the youth in general, instead of festivals and melas, which would have targeted women in particular, as mentioned in the work plan. This was essentially a preventive measure taken to cope with the security concerns whilst, at the same time, attempting to meet programme objectives. The sports festivals attracted a

large number of participants and proved to be an effective means to convey AAWAZ objectives.

In some areas activities were delayed, or the participation of community members was less than expected. This occurred due to the seasonal engagements of the community in harvesting and weeding, and led to the team suffering delays or having to contend with a decreased participation of people at the village, UC and district level events in those areas.

Political rallies and sit-ins that were organized in Islamabad by various political actors slowed down the pace of work on certain aspects of the inception phase during this time. Some of the work required extensive meeting time between organisations and individuals, and this was hindered by the increased public political activity in the Capital.

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Embracing DFID’s approach to VfM, AAWAZ seeks the optimum balance between the “three Es”: economy (low cost), efficiency (highproductivity), and effectiveness (successful outcomes). The overall spirit of implementing the project is to achieve optimized benefitsand results in a cost effective manner. AAWAZ ensures that the desired quality of inputs at the most economically possible price is attained, both at the MO level and at the level of the Consortium Partners. As part of its commitment to VFM, DAI has housed both AAWAZ and ILM-ideas under a single roof to eliminate cost duplication. There are numerous examples shared by consortium partners which indicate that a sense of responsibility and a sense of responsible ownership when utilizing resources exists across the board.

The MO Finance and Grants team for AAWAZ is conscious of the need to maintain a consistent set of principles with regard to costs and value, and ensures transparency and accountability across the board. This is evidenced by DAI’s rigorous review and due diligence of partners'

VALUEFORMONEY

budgets during the inception process, as well as its ensuring the avoidance of high rate multipliers and inappropriate expenditures. Extensive budget consultations were held to identify activity costs with a focus on ensuring that the resultant average district costed work plans contributed effectively to programme outcomes.

The implementation management strategy from the district level was decided as the most usefulinachievingvalueaddedbenefitsthathad not earlier been planned. For example, because of cultural barriers it was not possible to hold combined meetings of male and female members in Charssada, therefore, the district team decided to set up separate committees in each union council without incurring any extra costs, and without compromising on programme objectives.

The implementing partners' pool of local resource, and their time-tested and trusted local partner organizations working at the basic level, have made the timely and cost effective implementation of the programme at minimal

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cost possible. The depth of resource has also helped establish a deep-rooted monitoring mechanism that ensures the sustainability of the initiatives.

Activities under each output are planned with cost effectiveness in mind, whilst at the same timeefficacyisalsokeptatamaximum.Thisethos is communicated at every level.

• For instance, when Sungi initiated the establishment of the AAWAZ Aagahi Centre at the UC level, the community members suggested that instead of utilizing the allocated amount on refreshments during the meetings, this amount should be utilized for the establishment of an Aagahi Centre. This helped to add value to the establishment whilst staying within the same budget.

• SAP-PK organized two seminars in district Faisalabad with the help of its existing network. These seminars were conducted without any cost. The community organized these seminars with their own resources and the AAWAZ agenda was addressed in these seminars.

• As part of its monitoring activities as well as election monitoring activities, SDPI teams were sent to programme districts to conduct the two activities together. This allowed for the quicker completion of their targeted plans, a greater absorption of the team in their districts and improved learning, while reducing travel costs.

• Despite resource availability, the partners are avoiding unnecessary expenditure by clubbing activities together where it is possible without compromising the quality of anticipated outputs. For example, mock sessions in adjacent union councils are planned in a way that avoids unnecessary and repetitive travel costs.

• Through effective planning, AAWAZ ensures that resource utilization is kept at a minimum while the target remains to achieve maximum results. The selection of printing material is another example of optimal resource utilization. As in case of Sungi, all related procurement was done after a thorough comparative analysis, as is their regular practice. This gave Sungi the ability to print extra IEC material.

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In the inception phase, it was decided that AAWAZ institutional structures at different levels needed to be strengthened so that they coulddelivermoreefficientlyandeffectively.It was understood that the strength of these structures would be critical to the success of the programme. With the plan to scale up to the district level in mind, the institutional structurewas revisedandmodifiedafter theinception phase after feedback was received fromthefield.

For the implementation of programme activities, in addition to its field staff, theservices of various POs with an established presence were also utilized. The strategy adopted proved extremely effective, and as a result, the formation of structures at the village, UC and district level went ahead at an impressive pace. Within a few weeks, more than90%oftheforumsandcommitteeshadbeen formed.

During field activities, itwas noted that the

LESSONSLEARNT

women’s rights agenda would need to be brought forward not only by the programme but with consultation and collaboration with community groups and other civil society networks present in the area, so that extremist elements could be targeted jointly.

It was observed in the baseline launches that there is a great deal of eagerness and interest in AAWAZ related themes within the society as a whole, and in the academia, the media and government sector in particular. There is a demand for research documents to be produced on the programme's outputs in Urdu as well as in regional languages.

It also became apparent during the ‘application scrutiny exercise’ for the response fund that many NGOs/CSOs and even research organizations operating in the targeted districts had a very low capacity for research. As the programme goes forward this will be a major challenge for the response fund.

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The next year will witness the expansion of activities beyond the districts targeted in the inception phase. The team will commence preparatory activities including the hiring and orientationofnewstaffandtheidentificationand selection of target Union Councils, whilst ensuring a balanced geographical coverage in the districts. The team will aim to strengthen existing linkages with civil society organizations, the media, lawyers and political leaders, and strive to build them where they do not exist.

AAWAZ will also aim to build pressure on the Provincial Governments in KP and Punjab demanding legislation to ensure a 33 percent representation of women in legislative assemblies and enhance participation of women in local governments.

The major initiatives planned include awareness raising initiatives and advocacy groups within all forums at all levels on WPP and GBV, conflict resolution trainingand improved service delivery. The team will continue to coordinate and meet with government representatives and the Election Commission of Pakistan to minimise challenges to the delivery of the three outputs.

The AAWAZ team will also provide legal and technical assistance for dispute mediation and will also help engage assistance for formal dispute resolution; including inviting members of the legal fraternity to help. The team will hold various dialogues and events across the target areas to promote social cohesion and harmony. The communities will be trained to monitor and oversee the social services sector and coordinate with outlets providing them services while demanding improvement in the standard of service delivery through advocacy initiatives. The public outreach component of the programme will include radio campaigns, publications, theatre presentations and a connection with the media through press conferences under all three outputs.

PARRisworkingondevelopingcollatedandwell developed policy briefs to be shared with politicians, policymakers and other relevant stakeholders through seminars, roundtable

FUTUREOUTLOOKdiscussions and consultative meetings. These documents will be based on the evidence generated from baseline reports and response fund studies.

PARR,incloseconsultationwiththeMO,willinitiate a result based monitoring process for the programme, whilst also implementing a similar process for the activities of partners to the programme. These functions will be supplemented by appropriate research work and secondary source data, which will be analyzed to produce evidence based policy recommendations relevant to the implementation of AAWAZ programmes.

AAWAZ will continue to develop the M & E management information system. This task is expected to be completed by September 2013. In this regard, through the functions of the M&E and Advocacy working groups, the programme intends to achieve greater streamlining in these functions and fewer redundancies.PARRwillalsocontinuetohelpcapacitate local organizations through the next response fund cycle as well as designing tailored trainings for local organizations where these are applicable.

The MO will initiate the development of a communication strategy and documentaries. The teamwillalsofinalize thedevelopmentand testing of AAWAZ Website and MIS.

AAWAZ Voice and Accountability Programme Annual …aawaz.org.pk/cms/lib/downloadfiles/1387530357DAI...

Documents

Transcript of AAWAZ Voice and Accountability Programme Annual …aawaz.org.pk/cms/lib/downloadfiles/1387530357DAI...