AWIU Grant Progress Report
Project: Economic Empowerment through Skill Development
Conducted by: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Working Women Union-Da Hawwa Lur
Sponsored by: American Women for International Understanding
Launch Date: 1st July, 2016
Background: Da Hawwa Lur is a non-profit organization which is working to improve the socio-economic and cultural conditions for women in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Pakistan. We work to encourage women to take part in trade unions and raise awareness regarding their rights. Da Hawwa Lur advocates against all forms of gender discrimination and segregation – and any other barriers to women’s development. Da Hawwa Lur started working in 2000, with AASHA (Alliance against sexual Harassment) for drafting, lobbying, awareness and implementation of anti-sexual harassment legislation. Da Hawwa Lur established the first ever Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Working Women Union, which serves as the platform for all the working women especially home based, domestic and factory/industry workers of the province by enhancing their leadership skills and organizing them into trade unions. Da Hawwa Lur aims at empowering women from rural areas economically, socially and politically.
American Women for International Understanding collaborated with Da Hawwa Lur to promote women’s economic empowerment through skill development by providing vocational training to the women/girls of village Phandu under the platform of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Working Women Union. Under this project 8 women/girls will be provided professional tailoring course for three months starting from July and ending in September. The professional course Diplomas will be given to the students at the end of the course.
Vocational Training Centre for Women
The education rate of women in Khyber Pakhunkhwa is relatively lower than the other provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to high impact of patriarchy and religion which allows women to remain at home and seek religious education only. Women and girls tend to remain at home and work mostly as home based/domestic workers. It is very important for women to be economically empowered while following their cultural norms. For this purpose, Da Hawwa Lur in collaboration with AWIU has launched a vocational training center for women in village Phandu to empower them economically. The total of 8 girls will be trained who will in turn train two other girls of their village. The stitched materials of these girls at the end will be displayed in various meetings with Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority-SMEDA and Women Chambers of Commerce to let their business grow.
Objectives:
- To improve rural women’s livelihood and living conditions through economic empowerment.
- To eradicate poverty among most neglected segment of society by providing facilitation for home based income generating activities.
- To build the capacity of potential trainees and develop market linkages for the sustainability of community.
Launching: The vocational center was launched on 1st of July,2016 in which union leaders, women home based, domestic workers, skill development trainer and community women participated. The launching was addressed by the Ms.Khurshid Bano- CEO Da Hawwa Lur, Ms.Sultan Zari- Vice President KP Working Women Union, Safia Bibi- Vocational trainer. The speakers emphasized on women formal and informal education, women political and economic empowerment. An importance of skill development and economically stable society with the role of women was explained. An oath was taken verbally and in written by the 8 selected students of the vocational Centre to train the two girls of their village, he tailoring course to keep the process going. This will lead to an expanded benefit to the whole village. The Centre has started working and the course will include a proper evaluation by Da Hawwa Lur, an evaluation of the students by trainer, the tests and the practical will be conducted regularly. Course diploma certificates are awarded to the 8 students through which they will be able to continue as professional tailors and will be able to earn money from their homes.
AWIU congratulates Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Working Women Union-Da Hawwa Lur for successfully completing this training and empowering the trainees to become financially independent.