Islamabad
The Aawaz II programme is convening a two-day event with government officials, civil society leaders, and community representatives. “Bridging the Gap: A Roadmap for Social Change” aims to share evidence and strategies for sustaining community-led initiatives addressing child marriage, gender-based violence (GBV), and social exclusion across Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The inaugural session featured remarks from British Council Pakistan Country Director James Hampson and representatives from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). The session highlighted the programme’s reach of over 36 million people across 37 districts through its network of trained volunteers, village forums, and community centres.
James Hampson reflected on the programme’s achievements: “The gap Aawaz has tried to address can be measured as the distance between a young girl in rural Punjab or Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the school she should be attending. It can be the silence a Hindu family feels when they have no legal recognition of their marriage.” He also emphasised that the Aawaz II Forums, volunteers, and centres, if taken up by the government, can improve citizen-state linkages, increase referrals and access to government services, reduce exclusion and exploitation, and raise awareness on problematic practices such as gender-based violence and child marriage.
Following this, Ali Naqvi, Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) Aawaz II, FCDO, acknowledged the sustained commitment and efforts of communities and local partners in leading on behaviour change. “The way Aawaz II has managed to collaborate with government departments across tiers showcases perfectly how these partnerships can help bring about lasting change in the form of policy, representation, and improved access.”
The first thematic session focused on Prevention of GBV and Child Marriage, where research findings were presented alongside evidence of community-led strategies that have contributed to behaviour change. Panellists included Sumaira Shams, Chairperson of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Commission on the Status of Women, and Amina Munir, Additional Secretary, Punjab Social Welfare Department (SWD).
Fauzia Viqar, Federal Ombudsperson for Protection Against Harassment (FOSPAH), stated: “Redressal of GBV is linked with our behaviours. Gender discrimination and harassment at the workplace cover everyone, not just women. The government is working hard to put mechanisms in place, and certain mechanisms already exist. However, due to a trust deficit between people and the state, these mechanisms are not being availed to their potential.”
Sumaira Shams, Chairperson of KPCSW, highlighted: “KPCSW is committed to enhancing women’s status in society. We are moving forward with legislation against child marriage and the implementation of the law against domestic violence.”
Amina Munir, Additional Secretary, Punjab SWD, said: “Punjab SWD and Aawaz II programme will continue to engage with local communities for enhancing social inclusion of persons with disabilities and vulnerable groups. Officials of SWD are members of Aawaz II District Forums, and we are jointly connecting with communities for behaviour change and strengthening people’s linkages with SWD offices.”
The second session examined the role of Youth as Agents of Social Change. Representatives of government and civil society from both provinces discussed pathways to engage young people in social transformation, alongside youth volunteers from Aawaz II communities, who shared their experiences of driving change at the grassroots level.
The forum highlighted significant policy achievements driven by community advocacy, including the notification of the Punjab Hindu Marriage Rules 2024, which safeguarded the rights of over 228,000 members of the Hindu community, and successful pre-budget citizen consultations that resulted in PKR 1,400 million in allocations for vulnerable groups in KP’s FY2025/26 budget.
On the second day, Aawaz II will convene a session on Strengthening the Social Fabric: Addressing Intolerance and Promoting Social Cohesion, featuring senior government officials, including Nadeem Ashraf, Former Member, National Commission on Human Rights (NCHR) Punjab, and Akhtar Abbas, Additional Inspector General of KP. The closing session will feature remarks from Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, the Federal Minister for Law and Justice, alongside commitments from provincial and federal stakeholders to sustain community-led social change beyond the programme’s conclusion.
Implemented by the British Council and funded by FCDO, Aawaz II has mobilised over 48,000 volunteers, established 1,455 community-based forums, and created sustainable platforms where communities, especially women, youth, religious minorities, persons with disabilities, and transgender persons, lead efforts for social and behavioural change.
