International French organization, the Jacques Chirac foundation awarded a prestigious award to Pakistan based NGO, Aware girls. The NGO has vigorously fought for female rights, they were rewarded for conflict resolution.
Aware girls have carried out advocacy drives on international and national level in order to raise awareness. They have successfully conducted programs related to rights of women. The have raised pertinent issues such as right to education, heath and equal status.
The NGO has played a crucial role for women empowerment and have been involved in the process since 2002. Four female founders are behind this dynamic project. They aim to bring a positive change in society.
The founders include Gulalai Ismail, Saba Ismail, Javeria Sana and Sidra Jahangir. All these girls were hardly in their teens when they decided to take a stand and actually do something for the women of their area.
Hailing from Peshawar, these girls defied all odds to attain their goal.
You try to change the system and those who are beneficiaries of the old system try to resist you and want to hurt you” said Gulalai Ismail .
Sidra Jahangir, another co founder also runs the child rights advocate forum. She met with other co-founders in a Seminar on Violence against Women and committed to become part of the Girls’ empowerment movement later named as Aware Girls.
The journey has been tough indeed but their resolve enabled them to stand against the tests of the society. They continue to run programs for development and are running many initiatives simultaneously. Projects related to leadership, micro entrepreneurship and research are also being planned for future.
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