Case
EMPOWERMENT THROUGH REPRESENTATION: AURAT FOUNDATION’S INITIATIVE IN LOCAL GOVERNANCE
INDUSTRY :-
AREA :GENDER
ORGANIZATION :Aurat Foundation
LENGTH :21
LUMS No :17-007-2006-1
PUBLICATION YEAR : 2006
ABSTRACT:
This case focuses on women's active participation in local governance, an issue that Aurat Foundation, led by Nigar Ahmed, had been dealing with over a substantial period of time. Whereas previously, reserved seats were filled by an indirect and unrepresentative process, General Pervez Musharraf’s new system of local government and devolution of power emphasized women’s representation. Aurat Foundation took on the challenge to raise political and social awareness among women by introducing a number of initiatives and addressing some of the problems that arose prior to and during the electoral process. The primary contention of this initiative was to introduce and inculcate ideas of empowering women through direct political and representational participation in this drive. The initiative was generally rejected as an exercise in futility by all the political parties. The enormity of the task at hand and the range of problems allowed Aurat Foundation to bring together a number of concerned civil organizations in order to train both the women candidates and the general electorate.