Youth and Gender Development Program (YGDP)
Location
Youth and Gender Development Program (YGDP) is a step towards mobilizing young people both men and women, to empower them towards making positive change in the community and to put an end to the act of Honor Killing.
About You
Location
Project Street Address
Project City
Project Province/State
Project Postal/Zip Code
Project Country
Your idea
Field of Work
social justice/human rights
If Field of Work is “other” please define in 1-2 words below
Gender Justice
Year project started (or projected start date) (yyyy)
2004
YouTube Upload
Project URL (or link to any media coverage)
What is the primary problem your venture is trying to address and how are you addressing it (or planning to address it)?
I m from Khuzdar district in Balochistan, Pakistan. My community is deeply immersed in tribal traditions and customs. In this deeply conservative community, the lives of women and young people are severely constrained. Child marriage, wata sata prevention from getting higher education and having no access to essential services are the key issues affecting my community. Honour killings, though illegal, are a cultural reality.
There is severe discrimination on the basis of gender which starts even from the birth of the child. The birth of a boy is celebrate with gunfire and distributing sweets and food while the birth of girl is usually considered as shame and there is also tradition of hitting a father with shoes seven times if his wife gives birth to a girl. This discrimination becomes rampant throughout the life of the women. The girls who are forced to stay in houses and weir veils are rarely sent for education. Girls are marriage off without their will through exchange marriages and selling the girls into marriage.
However, the worst kind of the discrimination and human rights violation in the community is the tradition of "Siahkari" (honor killing) under which the women are killed on the petty doubt of her love affair with any man. Each year hundreds of women are killed in those cases and the tribal Jirga also justifies those killings in the name of honor.
My Initiative is working on empowerment of indigenous women, mobilizing them towards a better and equal life.
Name Your Project
Youth and Gender Development Program (YGDP)
Describe Your Idea
Youth and Gender Development Program (YGDP) is a step towards mobilizing young people both men and women, to empower them towards making positive change in the community and to put an end to the act of Honor Killing.
Innovation
Project Description
Youth and Gender Development Program (YGDP) is a step towards mobilizing young people both men and women, to empower them towards making positive change in the community and to put an end to the act of Honor Killing.
Unique and different
Through the Youth and Gender Development Program, I have been using four strategies to involve and empower young people in my community.
# Capacity building
YGDP is working with youth to enhance their skills and build their capacities. For this YGDP offers two vibrant courses for both girls and boys, English language courses and computer courses.
# Awareness raising
Two wonderful teams, that is Cricket team and the theatre group has been established for the awareness raising of the community.
# Skill Development
YGDP works with young women of Khuzdar towards empowering them, for this an embroidery centre for girls have been established where about 80 girls come and learn new and modern ways of embroidery for the course period.
# Peer to Peer Learning
YGDP uses an open plate form for peer to peer learning process, by establishing the youth forums of both girls and boys. The membership is with out any cost and open, which has been attracting a lot of young people.
I believe that using cricket, theater and open spaces of discussion is a great way to involving young people who cave in and are eager to meet and share. Involving youth can never be possible with out using an informal environment, which has been a lot of help for my initiative.
YGDP uses different means of inspiring young people and involving them in making change. Cricket tournaments of the whole district in the logo of “Aurat Baraber Hay” (women are equal) took place in which more then 93 teams from all around Khuzdar took part and which continued for about two months.
Street theaters on various issues are organized which gather attention of tribal people and are believed for changing perspectives.
The literacy centers as sewing centre, computer centre, language centre are open for all of the young man and women to come and learn, which is a first ever time in Khuzdar, and for the girls.
Project plan
For the upcoming six to seven months, YGDP is planning to run the WAKE UP! campaign against honor killing, Officially launched on 1st January 2008 as an online campaign.
The online campaign has consisted of recruiting members from around the world, sending reports, press releases, open discussions, and sending petitions. The membership of online WAKE UP campaign is now more then 2000 people from around the globe.
However we at YGDP have been seeking funds to practically launch the campaign as there is a greater need to do advocacy programs in the tribal areas of Pakistan to involve indigenous youth in change process.
The project includes awareness raising and mass mobilization of young people and local communities of tribal area of Khuzdar against honor killing, capacitating youth to take positive action against the crime.
Involving the national and local media to take the issue seriously.
networking of young people in different national and provincial networks to ensure a sustainable partnership towards change.
Partnerships
I as the Founder of YGDP m an action Partner in Oxfam Internationals three year Program, Oxfam International Youth Partnership (OIYP) 2007-1010.
YGDP have became a partner with the Global Youth Action Network, who provides resources and opportunities for us in our work.
Recently with the partnership with Disney Minnie Grants and Youth Service America YGDP has been supported to celebrate youth service day in Khuzdar which was a great success in which the president of Press Club of Khuzdar and the Director of FM Radio Khuzdar came to participate and promised their support in our further initiatives.
Impact
Impact
40 % of male and female in the very conservative tribal community of Khuzdar are mobilized, sensitized and aware about their rights and are able to say no to the customs that enforce child marriages, wata sata, honor killing, dowry, selling of women, keeping women from education and basic facilities.
Effectiveness
Project is tend to reach out to the population of 1 lack in Khuzdar, giving much emphasis on females directly and indirectly.
The total of the directly benefited men and women are about 800 who have taken courses, participated in trainings, seminars, and capacity building activities.
How do you engage and impact the community?
YGDP consists of different activities that allow participatory and peer to peer learning processes. the community is engaged via the cricket tournaments, street theaters, seminars, rallies, school programs and capacity building centers like, computer centers, English language learning center and sewing center.
These activities are aimed to bringing a safe social environment towards learning and sharing, and to awareness raising against negative tribal customs of honor killing.
How do you measure this impact?
The changes In my community are very apparent. There has been major changes in regard with education of girls and their decision making process for their life, however there is a lot to make change but the change that we have seen has made us more inspired to move forward and continue our campaign.
30% more girls were enrolled to achieve primary education this academic year. after YGDPs small scale campaign for promotion of girl primary education.
In 2004 the intiative was launched with collaboration of 3 people only, still upto 2005 and on there were female members by 13 to 20 but now female membership have reached upto 89! that is a great success for the initiative.
However the other impact was the girls that took courses from YGDP and came back telling us that they are doing small jobs now, some girls are able to help out in family income.
the methods mainly used in data collection is the visual apraoch, however their are many obstacles keeping us from using case studies, name collection or picture collection as YGDP ensures girl members, not to use their pictures and names with out authorization.
Obstacles
For me the most difficult was to oppose my own tribe’s policies and laws. To say no to the life which was I part of and to try to change what my elders thought. I have been accused of challenging tribal customs.
The tribal traditions which have made the female part of my community modest are the other big problem for me, as many times I have been left out of having female support as they think of it a sin to claim their rights or act against crimes like honor killing.
This Entry is about (Issues)
Sustainability
Financing source
(or how do you expect your initiative will be financed)
Up till now we have been using different methods to fund our projects and activities. In the very beginning we have been using the membership fee to provide for banners, markers, pens and other needed items.
Participatory Development Initiatives (PDI) funded YGDP for some small scale activities and stuff, it helped us with providing YGDP cricket team dresses and cricket items. PDI also supports us using the office which has been a big problem for us in the beggining, when we were using a small shop for our office!
Apart from that, YGDP writes funding request proposals to finance activities, a few projects have been funded by the radio station, Press Club or any respected personality that agrees to fund us in Khuzdar, and one of our project was funded by Disney and Youth Service America.
In the future YGDP plan to have proposal writing skills to be able to request grants from other funding orgs in Pakistan and at international level.
Aside from financial sustainability, how do you plan to grow and sustain your project?
The sustainability aspect has not been a difficulty for YGDP from its very beginning. the creation of Groups, such as youth group, cricket team and the theater group has enabled me to ensure an active role of YGDP even with or with out funds.
The groups have been part of series of capacity building sessions, skill development courses and other programs which have developed in them the leadership quality to sustain the project further.
Finance details
Financial Support:
Self Funding: 400 USD
Participatory Development Initiatives: 900 USD
philanthropist support: 730 USD
Disney Minnie Grants: 500 USD
in Kind donations:
office space (PDI)
tutors (YGDP)
facilitators (YGDP+PDI)
Cameras (PDI)
Creative funding
-we ran a "book-request" campaign to make our library!
-we wrote to organizations to invite one or two members in each training they conduct, it helped a lot!
-we fund raised for resources like renting speakers and printers.
Other non finance needs
we need skill development courses like:
-Report Writing
-Proposal Writing
YGDP has been able to get less publicity yet, we need more ways to reach out to the outer world to speak about the issues in our community.
The Story
Motivation
Coming From a community where conservative laws and principals exist and are in power was one of my motivations for change. The environment where women and girls have no equal rights and are discarded of any decision making about their life was unbearable for me, it is inhuman to kill women over personal dispute, exchange women, sale them and restrict them of any Sexual and Reproductive health rights.
I escaped the horrifying laws and did my studies in Karachi, I got every single opportunity to step further making my approach towards a brilliant success. But indeed the truth was the “freedom” which had every way of influencing me to work for those people who are less fortunate, who though having every right are left behind when it comes to decision making for their life and who look forward to traditions and customs to decide their fates. There are lots of young people, especially women who truly need to be advocated for there rights, and I felt it was my human responsibility to do what ever I can to bring positive change.
My own success and education were the true inspiration in my life, I wanted all the girls to be as fortunate as me and to have the same equal rights as men. And that is what drived me to Found the Initiative I call YGDP.
Awards
I m a change maker in the Regional campaign against honor killing called WE CAN end Honor Killing
I m one of the Action Partners of Oxfam Australia's three year program, Oxfam International Youth Partnership (OIYP)
My Initiative got the Disney Award to celebrate Youth Service Day in Khuzdar, Balochistan.
I m one of the 20 members of UN Youth Advisory Panel that gives suggestions and monitors UN programs for youth in Pakistan.
I m one of the 20, 2008 Youth Action Net Fellows to receive Social entrepreneur Award in Washington DC this November!
Broader context
The overall objective of YGDP is to contribute towards ending Honor Killing. Honor Killing is not only an issue of Khuzdar or Pakistan, but its a crime happening all around the world and veiled under the name of honor.
Young people are the powerful resource of a nation they are the key persons who are able to bring the change that has been far out of question for any nation. We believe that involving young people as the change agents on changing mindsets of tribal customs is a positive way to change.
Ongoing
I see YGDP as a strong group of young people who are determined to bring about positive change in the ancient old tribal customs that restricted women of their rights and kept them from having an identity.
I hope to build strong networks of YGDP with other youth networks at provincial and national level in Pakistan which will be a great opportunity to learn and share with other young people of my community.
I see YGDP making its way to the change that has been once impossible, in fact just in 2004 it was impossible to think up of a plate form like this, but with initiative and active support the dream has been possible to be a reality and now in the first time girls in Khuzdar, Balochistan are able to talk about their rigths and are find opportunities to modify skills in them.
What is your age?
19
How did you hear about this competition?
through Youth Action Net Fellow 2006
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| After the live interview with Kerrie Anne national TV Australia.jpg | 175.53 KB |
| Interview with Jane Rowe, Sydney Australia.jpg | 66.06 KB |
| KHUZDAR AT A GLANCE.jpg | 46.94 KB |
| BTC-WAKEUP-pakistan 4.JPG | 288.65 KB |
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 | Julu said: hey khalida, this is julu n im a member of Make A Difference.I just want u to kn otht ur work is well appreciated.Whoever won or lost ... about this Competition Entry. - 1184 days ago read more > |
| Julu said: hey khalida, this is julu n im a member of Make A Difference.I just want u to kn otht ur work is well appreciated.Whoever won or lost ... about this Competition Entry. - 1184 days ago read more > |
| Julu said: hey khalida, this is julu n im a member of Make A Difference.I just want u to kn otht ur work is well appreciated.Whoever won or lost ... about this Competition Entry. - 1184 days ago read more > |
| Julu said: hey khalida, this is julu n im a member of Make A Difference.I just want u to kn otht ur work is well appreciated.Whoever won or lost ... about this Competition Entry. - 1184 days ago read more > |
| Khalida Brohi said: Thank you so much Ganga! about this Competition Entry. - 1185 days ago read more > |
| I M said: Hi I want to awake the nations again and i want oppertunity of a partry about this Competition Entry. - 1187 days ago read more > |
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| Ganga said: You're really a changemaker and good luck ! about this Competition Entry. - 1190 days ago read more > |
| Khalida Brohi said: Dear Friends, I just cant thank you much for the kind words and support of your, m really touched.I believe with such support like ... about this Competition Entry. - 1191 days ago read more > |
| deepakpm82 said: Thanks khalida.. about this Competition Entry. - 1192 days ago read more > |
