Empowering Women and Girls - Dastekaram

The Empowering Women and Girls project, supported by the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) and implemented by Dastekaram, aims to enhance the human rights, health, education and economic advancement of 9,000 women and girls (including 3% with disabilities) from disadvantaged rural communities in Pakistan over three years. In its first year, the project focuses on a significant number of women and girls, reaching community members across various districts and villages using a blend of face-to-face and technology-mediated learning, including APTUS, MOODLE and mooKIT platforms.

Key activities include:

Human Rights and Health:

• Conducting training sessions on human rights, gender equality and availability of health services (BHU).
• Facilitating access to public health care services and digital platforms for information and services.
• Establishing men and boys clubs, community gender equality committees and civil society platforms.

Education:

• Raising awareness about the importance of girls’ education.
• Setting up open schooling centers and training women and girls in relevant skills.
• Mobilizing back-to-school services and enrolling girls and boys in formal and open schooling.

Economic Advancement:

• Training women and girls in financial literacy, business planning and e-commerce.
• Linking participants to microfinancing, employment opportunities and sustainable agricultural practices.

This ongoing project strives to empower women and girls to assert their rights, improve community awareness on gender equality, and provide sustainable livelihood opportunities, contributing to the socio-economic development of the target communities.