EMPOWERMENT & ROLE OF SPPAPsppap.org.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/SeminarW-SPPAP.pdfrecitation of a...

IFAD ASSISTED- SOUTHERN PUNJAB POVERTY ALLEVIATION PROJECT (SPPAP), BAHAWALPUR

Seminar Report (Women Empowerment & Role of SPPAP)

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SEMINAR REPORT TITLED

“WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT & ROLE OF SPPAP”

Organized By

IFAD ASSISTED-

SOUTHERN PUNJAB POVERTY ALLEVIATION PROJECT

(SPPAP)

At

BAHAWALPUR

09 December, 2015



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CONTENTS:

ACRONYMS ........................................................................................................................................ 3

1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 4

2. CONTEXT: .................................................................................................................................. 6

3. IFAD ASSISTED-SPPAP DOCUMENTARY: .................................................................. 12

4. SPPAP-SUCCESS STORIES OF WOMEN EMPOWERMENT: ................................... 13

5. VOTE OF THANKS: ............................................................................................................... 14

6. CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS: .................................................................... 14



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ACRONYMS

BDO Business Development Officer

CO Community Organization

DMU District Management Unit

ETO Entrepreneurship Training Organization

GOPb Government of the Punjab

IFAD International Funds for Agriculture Development

IRM Institute of Rural Management

MDGs Millennium Development Goals

M&E Monitoring & Evaluation

NRSP National Rural Support Program

NPSC National Poverty Score Card

PD Project Director

PBUH Peace Be Upon Him

PMU Project Management Unit

SPPAP Southern Punjab Poverty Alleviation Project

USAID United States Agency for International Development.

VTO Vocational Training Organization



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1. INTRODUCTION

"We need women at all levels, including the

top, to change the dynamic, reshape the

conversation, to make sure women's voices

are heard and heeded, not overlooked

and ignored." —Sheryl Sandberg

Several of the United Nations

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

deal with the situation of women. The

target of Goal 3 is the elimination of

gender disparity. Goal 4 seeks to

reduce child mortality, and Goal 5 aims

to improve the health of mothers. But

the empowerment of women and the

strengthening of their position in society

is the aim of the other MDGs as well.

Women play a crucial role in the

fight against extreme poverty and

hunger (MDG 1). Girls and women lag

far behind boys and men in progress

toward achieving universal basic

education (MDG 2). No progress at all

can be made in the fight against

HIV/Aids, malaria, and other endemic

diseases (MDG 6), unless women are

included. And without the participation

of women, it will be impossible to ensure

environmental sustainability (MDG 7).

Women normally have to work

harder than men in the countries of

Asia especially in Pakistan. They

maintain traditional vegetable

gardens, raise domestic animals, and

do the farming. They are responsible for

child rearing, feeding their families,

doing the domestic chores, collecting

the fire wood, and fetching the water

etc. They supervise the education of

their children and nurse them back to

health when they get sick. They

guarantee domestic stability, taking on

any work they can get to secure the

family income, more often than not in

the informal sector and without the

benefit of social security.

But despite the important role

they play for family and society, in all

essential areas of life women are

generally at a significant disadvantage

as compared with men, whether in

terms of education, income, partner

choice, inheritance laws, property

rights, decision-making processes,

community organization, or access to

leadership positions in education,

business, or politics.

Since the creation of Pakistan in

1947 Pakistan inherited the menace of

poverty. The burden of this poverty was

put heavily on the female population

which is 50% of the total population of

Pakistan. ON the top of it, women were

neglected and under-nourished.

In the southern Punjab most of

the population lived in village areas

where women folk are facing miserable

conditions. Feudal system, weak law



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implementation and lack of awareness

in male dominated society are the

major reasons of that which creates big

differentiation between men and

women and most women spend their

lives in their homes and courtyards and

go outside only for male approved

reasons. Due to these conditions their

social life remained in a specific circle

created by men. This is why the men

decide what is good and evil for

women and if a woman is being

tortured it is not considered a big

offence. People think that it is a right of

man to handle their women and in this

way, women of southern Punjab are

least empowered.

IFAD Assisted-Southern Punjab

Poverty Alleviation Project (SPPAP) has

been designed stunningly by the

Government of Punjab in financial

assistance of International Fund for

Agriculture Development (IFAD) for the

poverty reduction, gender

discrimination and to empower the

poor women in four poorest districts of

southern Punjab (Bahawalpur,

Bahawalnagar, Muzaffargarh &

Rajanpur). Poverty decline of

margilized segment (Poor Women) of

the society is the prime objective of the

project. Tangible actions have been

taken for women empowerment by the

project.

With a view to ensure effective

convergence mechanism of key

partners (IRM & NRSP) those were

involved in transformation and

inspiration overall development and

empowerment of women, a seminar

on Women’s Empowerment and Role of

SPPAP with a theme “Translating

women participation in the socio

economic development and poverty

alleviation” was organized by the

Southern Punjab Poverty Alleviation

Project (SPPAP) in collaboration with

Implementation partners on 09.12.2015.

As women empowerment is one of the

prime aim of Government of the

Punjab and IFAD. This seminar intended

to provide a platform for the

beneficiaries of the project to share

their experiences on women

empowerment after innervations of

SPPAP. Altogether, there were 80

participants attended the seminar

which included Women Beneficiaries,

females from civil society, Project

Management Unit-SPPAP team,

females of IRM/VTO & ETO.

The speakers came from

different organizations/social/women

development/NGO/community level

backgrounds and presented the

audience with different practical

experiences, insights, and views on



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women empowerment. It gave a good

impression and understanding of the

many perspectives that could and

should be taken into account when

defining and implementing women

empowerment policies/projects. The

feedback of the participants

confirmed that the seminar was very

much appreciated as well as that there

was a pressing need for more practical

approaches and for other

opportunities to discuss the many issues

faced by women in the way of

empowerment (Economic & Social).

2. CONTEXT:

The Seminar was

hosted by the Ms.

Sammar Qureshi,

Gender Focal Person,

Institute of Rural

Management (IRM),

Bahawalpur who

conducted the seminar

in a first-rate way.

Formal segment of the

seminar began with the

recitation from the Holy

Quran followed by the

recitation of a Naat Shrif.

The seminar was opened by the Project Coordinator/VTO-SPPAP who gave a

tremendous outline to the seminar. He welcomed all the participants on behalf of

SPPAP and cherished the healthy participation of women from poor communities of

SPPAP. He said that they were here to appreciate the women who are working hard

in the rural areas for developmental activities. SPPAP had especially focused the

women by providing them valuable assets/trainings in a way so that women of the

poor communities could feel sense of ownership and fully empowered. He

emphasized that “Women are the integral part of the society and development is

impossible without women empowerment and participation in the overall process”.



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Mr. Imran Nazir, Gender and Poverty Specialist, SPPAP publicized in his speech

that Women Empowerment refers to increasing and improving the social, economic,

political and legal

strength of the women

to ensure equal-

right to women,

and to make them

confident enough

to claim their rights.

He stressed that

Women

empowerment is

the key to

strengthen their

participation in the

decision-making

which is the most

important key to

socio-economic

development.

But, unfortunately we are dying to contribute those rights to the women which

is an enormous barrier in the way of healthy, prosperous and developed society. Being

a Muslim, we have a strong belief on Islam which is a complete code of life. Islam is

such a religion in which women respect is so important that it can be proved from the

saying of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) that “PARADISE LIES UNDER MOTHER FEET”.

Women respect is necessary from every aspect and they should be given equal rights

whether it’s Pakistani society or western. For women empowerment, we should

contribute our share in raising the standard of living of rural women, built schools for

them so that they all get education, vocational training should be established which

can groom the inner abilities and provide the opportunities of earning to women of

rural areas. Education and skills are the basic keys of women empowerment. The

Speaker stressed on participants to bring change from their door steps to resolve the

issues of women empowerment. We all should inspect whether we are providing



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equal rights to both the genders in our family and if do so subsequently we could be

able to bring change in the society. For poverty alleviation and development, it is

necessary that our women are fully empowered. He highlighted the Government of

the Punjab 31 initiatives package launched for women empowerment. He also

underlined IFAD vision and efforts done for gender equality and women

empowerment.

Ms. Navida Sadiq, M&E Specialist, IRM-SPPAP tinted the role of IRM for women

empowerment. She said that IRM was striving to empower the women from poor

communities by

organizing, creating

awareness and by

providing vocational

and

entrepreneurship

trainings with the

financial assistance

of SPPAP. She called

for jam-packed

women participation

for reduction of

poverty levels in the

society.

Ms. Samreen, Business Development Officer (BDO), IRM-SPPAP regaled the

participants by sang a poem in significance with the role of women in the

development of a society and women empowerment. She decorated the working

women issues in a beautiful way with virtuous lyrics



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Ms Mah Rukh, Field Manager, Livestock & Dairy Development Project, USAID,

Bahawalpur acknowledged the efforts of IFAD, Government of the Punjab, SPPAP and

its Implementing Partners for gender equality and women empowerment in the

backward districts of Southern Punjab. In her address, she highlighted that today

women are working in

every field and

women can adopt

every profession. A

women may be a

pilot, doctor, engineer

or whichever she want

to do. But our rural

society and cultural

norms are the hurdles

in the way of women

development. There is

dire need to break the stereotypes and need to change the mind set for suitable

women empowerment. She appreciated the efforts of poor women efforts

(beneficiaries of SPPAP) done for self-economic empowerment after getting

vocational trainings from SPPAP. The speaker stressed for equal opportunities of

education both for man and women for women empowerment.



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Ms. Humara Yasmin, President Waseeb

Organization highlighted the issues

regarding women empowerment.

She said that women are the half

of our country but they have

least access to education,

health, employment,

inheritance rights etc.

Regrettably, our society has

discriminative thinking for male and

female which is the major reason for

non- development of our country. She

claimed that women cannot get their rights until they realized their rights. She told the

audience that rapid pace of economic development has increased the demand for

educated female labor force almost in all fields. Women can earn as much as the

man do, women employment nonetheless adds substantially to family and gives

family an economic advantage over the family. Our rural communities would have to

comprehend the significant character of women in the way of development.



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The Chair, Mr. Muhammad Saghir, Project Director, SPPAP, expressed that it was

a great honor for him to be the part of instant seminar as a Chief Guest and open his

speech with

the narration

of Quaid-e-

Azam

(Founder of

Pakistan),

““No nation

can rise to

the height of

glory unless

your women

are side by

side with

you; we are

victims of evil customs. It is crime against humanity that our women are shut up within

the four walls of house as prisoners.” He referred the Holy Qur'an in the first verse of the

chapter entitled "Women", Allah says:

"O mankind! Be careful of your duty to your Lord who created you from a single soul

and from it its mate and from them both have spread abroad a multitude of men and women.

Be careful of your duty toward Allah in whom you claim (your rights) of one another, and

towards the wombs (that bore you). Lo! Allah has been a Watcher over you." (An-Nisa 4:1).

The Chair expressed that a state or a country is like a bird and man and women

are two wings of the bird and no bird can fly on one wing. But tactlessly, from the

centuries, societies of the world are trying to fly on one wing which is incredible.

Women are almost 50% of the population and how is it possible to make development

by ignoring half portion of the population. Women empowerment is an important goal

of development process. He spoke about the importance of women in a society and

said that women are the significant pillar of the society and life is totally partial without

women. He elaborated that Government of the Punjab with the financial assistance

of International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) has launched the Southern

Punjab Poverty Alleviation Project (SPPAP) in the four most deprived districts of Punjab

i.e. Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Muzaffargarh and Rajanpur. As per vision of Govt.



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of the Punjab and IFAD, gender equality and women empowerment is the prime

objective of SPPAP where most of the interventions were designed only for women to

make them economically, socially empower i.e. provision of small ruminants, small

land plots, low cost housing while some interventions have 50% fix quota i.e.

vocational and entrepreneur trainings, Para vets trainings and some interventions had

open quota for women. He told the house that women are absolutely independent

in decision making process and SPPAP is emphasizing on gender mainstreaming. To

tackle the women empowerment issues, SPPAP has provided Small Ruminants (Two

Goat Package) to 25113 poor women having NPSC (0-18), 1141 Small Land Plots to

the landless poor women having NPSC (0-11) and now the project has started the Low

Cost Housing Component for 1300 poor women having NPSC (0-11) in four project

districts. These interventions of SPPAP have been evidenced as a hallmark for poor

women. Social weaknesses of poor women are the major cause of domestic

violence. The results showed that by the interventions of SPPAP, poor women have

become not only economically empower but also become socially empower.

At the end, the Chair emphasized that Women too need to empower

themselves by being strong from heart and think from mind.

3. IFAD ASSISTED-SPPAP DOCUMENTARY:

A documentary on SPPAP interventions and project approach was shown to

the participants of seminar on large screen. The SPPAP documentary translated the

Government of the Punjab and IFAD vision for Poverty Alleviation, gender equality

and women empowerment into filmic form in front of all the participants. The audience

exceedingly valued the project documentary wherein project interventions, progress,

targeting approach and future plans for poverty reductions, gender equality and

women empowerment were unequivocally emphasized.



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4. SPPAP-SUCCESS STORIES OF WOMEN

EMPOWERMENT:

MS Nazia Bibi (Beneficiary of

Vocational Trainings of SPPAP) told the

participants of seminar that she was a

handicapped living with her old parents.

They were hand to mouth and spent a

miserable life. She was engaged with her

cousin but after her disability, her finance

refused to accept her. She was very

affectionate of dress designing, but her

disability was the main hurdle. Through SPPAP-IRM she got the training of “ADDA

WORK” (Hand Embroidery). During the training period she was provided over all

material and after the training, her linkage was developed with the local market

through Business Development Officer. In this way, she started to earn adequately.

She felt economically empower if she compare her present to her past. She thanked

to IFAD, Government of Punjab and SPPAP team to provide her an opportunity of self-

sustainability.

Ms. Fouzia (Beneficiary of Vocational Trainings of SPPAP) briefed the audience

that she was living in rural backward area of Bahawalpur with limited access to

vocational training institutes. She was entirely reliant on her husband even for daily

routine overheads. Through

SPPAP vocational trainings

program, she could able to get

training of beautician and

started her own beauty parlor at

village level. By the grace of

God, Continuous efforts and

regular guidance from SPPAP

team, she could able to get rid of from vicious cycle of poverty and had the

opportunity to become empower.



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5. VOTE OF THANKS:

Mr. George Chughtai, Project Coordinator ETO-SPPAP offered the vote of

thanks on behalf of SPPAP to all the participants. He special thanked to the Project

Director-SPPAP for being present at the Seminar. He expressed his heartfelt thanks to

Ms. Mahrukh and Ms. Humaira Yasmeen for their presence and highlighting the

importance of women empowerment. He also expressed his gratitude to the other

Speakers especially women from poor communities who addressed very expressively

and meaningfully.

6. CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS:

At the end of Seminar, the participants were agreed that such type of seminars

may be conducted in the SPPAP project area on regular intervals. The participants

self-confessed that through the seminar, they could be able to know that what is real

women empowerment and IFAD as well as Government of the Punjab vision

regarding gender equality and women empowerment. All the participants affirmed

that they would play the role of catalyst for awareness raising among the poor

communities regarding women empowerment and their role in development

process. They promised to bring change from their door step for women

empowerment and gender equality.

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