Pakistani women-led organisation wins international award

Aware Girls works where human rights activists’ security remains a challenge

PESHAWAR:

Aware Girls, a gender empowerment organisation based in Peshawar, received the With and For Girls Award for excellence at a ceremony in London on Monday.

Celebrating women champions

With and For Girls Award is a global initiative to identify and support strong local organisations working with and for girls. According to a handout, it provides flexible funding to grass-roots girl-focused NGOs to empower them so they can invest in important areas. The award aims to highlight outstanding local organisations to encourage more sponsors and investors who would support girls in becoming vital agents of change in their societies.





Aware Girls Chairperson Gulalai Ismail who received the award on behalf of her organisation said, “Young women in Pakistan are key stakeholders in bringing social change for peace and equality. We cannot achieve development goals without investing in girls leadership.”

Ismail added the award was not only in recognition of the work her organisation had done in the last 13 years but in appreciation of the work girls and women did the world over.



Stars Foundation CEO Muna Wehbe said, “Although girls and women play a critical role in sustainable development, World Bank estimates less than two cents of every dollar spent on international aid is directed towards  adolescent girls.

Representatives from other 20 winning organisations along with people from a range of foundations, multilateral agencies, INGOs and prominent activists within the sector were also present.



Winning work

Aware Girls works to create awareness and promote equal rights for girls and also serves as a platform to equip them with knowledge and leadership skills. It arranges training courses and programmes on leadership, domestic violence, human rights, civic and political empowerment and HIV/AIDS education.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 17^th, 2015.