Skip to content Skip to sidebar Skip to footer
AWARE
AWARE

Advocacy

Close
Experiences
September 4, 2025
AWARE Advocacy

About AWARE

Association for Water, Applied Education & Renewable Energy (AWARE) is a local CSO working in southern districts of Sindh province since 2005 with vision,

“To be an endeavoring and an effective contributor to the establishment of a society, where people determine their choices in life and influence the direction of change”.

The mission is,

“To organize, aware, strengthen and empower the marginalized sectors of population to enabling them to influence social, political and economic policies and decision making to make possible to establish a society based on social justice, equity, equality and human dignity”.

AWARE has experience of implementing several projects funded by UN, INGOs, NGOs, Govt of Pakistan, Corporate sector and philanthropists. For further details go through the AWARE brief profile, YouTube channel , vimeo channel and its FB page pages.

AWARE Experience in Advocacy

  1. AWARE Advocacy work on Child Marriages and Gender Issues page # 01-5
  2. AWARE Advocacy Work on Water Woes of Thar page # 06-7
  3. AWARE contribution in drought related advocacy/Sindh drought policy making page # 8
  4. AWARE contribution for amendment bill to SWMO 2002 page # 9-10
  5. AWARE Advocacy work for Education page # 11

1. AWARE Advocacy work on Child Marriages and Gender Issues

The Issues

  • Child/early marriages are socially accepted and practiced in southern districts of Sindh
  • Child marriages including watta satta – exchange marriages, sale of girl child marriage in the name of money to meet the dowry etc
  • The intensity of issue can be gauged by reading this news of Daily Dawn http://www.dawn.com/news/789010/eight-booked-for-selling-marrying-off-minor-girl
  • The intensity of issue again becomes more worst in case of religious minorities and people of lower class/having low income or poor
  • Low literacy among women and limited mobility is another issue
  • Rape cases as well as murder cases are reported but due to “political” and influential dominancy in power structure, in most of the cases no action taken or culprits were not punished/brought to court even.

AWARE Strategy

  • Setting Example: AWARE being a civil society organization had been using different ways and means to aware the stakeholders on issues, so on child marriages issues communities are sensitized through its reflect circles.

AWARE has implemented/ongoing projects around GBV in Tharparkar, Umerkot and Sanghar areas. Gender and institutional development is focused, so far.

Some links of media coverage are given here, to see the nature of activities of AWARE:

Research

A research on gender-based discrimination and its effects on women in Tharparkar is conducted by AWARE and that reveals that child marriages issue is persistent and affecting a large population.

Capacity Building of Stakeholders

To build the capacity of AWARE staff, a manual in local language has been developed on consequences of child marriages. This manual is used by field Team also to educate the community on topic and generate discussion.

Theatre on Issue of Child Marriages

Theatre is an effective tool to mobilize the community, so AWARE has organized theatres in Tharparkar on early marriages and its consequences. This was found very much effective in raising awareness level among communities of Tharparkar.

Referral Mechanism

AWARE has developed village level committees and then linked with a Tehsil level group consisting over; media, police, Bar association and other CSOs to report the case if going to happen in any village of target area. So, AWARE trained the members of committees formed at village level and then also organized capacity building sessions for Tehsil level advocacy group to deal with the child marriage cases and raise their voice.

Provincial Level Dialogue

Provincial level dialogue on child marriage restraint act 2013 and further mechanism building held:

There was representation from different stakeholders and almost all were thinking about the mechanism and to get the awareness level increased up to grass root level.

Activism Campaign Against Gender-Based Violence

IEC Material

AWARE has developed and uses different modes and ways to educate the communities, with whom we work. Attached is a brief about IEC material developed under this theme to educate the stakeholders on subject issue.

Some Key Features of Gender Empowerment & Institutional Development Program

  • More than 700 sessions / trainings / workshops / radio programs & messages / meetings / theaters / were organised during the project.
  • The demand of awareness created by all the stake holders that includes community, civil society & government departments that include (Health, Social Welfare, Population Welfare, Ombudsmen, Media & Police).
  • Sessions were conducted by Potential Youth, Caretakers, and Teachers & Adolescent girls.
  • 70% population is now aware of the intervened area.
  • Youth-led campaign for the prevention of HIV/AIDS launched.
  • Better coordination was developed amongst all the stakeholders.
  • Government departments supported this project and ensured such cooperation in the future as well.
  • Duty bearers were trained, according to some they had not attended any session or training on HIV/AIDS and ECM.
  • More than 104 villages were covered during the project.
  • 13 case studies were documented, most of them were on ECM.
  • Other Union Councils representatives (Local Bodies) demanded this awareness in their area as well in the meetings with Local Bodies Members.
  • A provincial level seminar was organised for the prevention of HIV/AIDS where a large number of people from different sects attended and this program was organised with the collaboration of Sindh AIDS Control Program and Provincial Program Manager was the chief Guest.
  • District Level Seminars on the prevention of HIV/AIDS on 1st of December (HIV/AIDS DAY) was organised.
  • An exposure visit for 31 teachers was organised at Aahung Schools Karachi for the understanding of LSBE.
  • Documentary on a Case Study named (Raveena) was developed.
  • Sessions with pundits was organised where every of the notable pundit condemned ECM.
  • 90 % of the session had attendance of the minorities.
  • Seminar on ECM along with Govt departments was organised with the collaboration of Social Welfare & Health Departments.
  • 16 Days Activism Campaign was observed with a great zeal containing sessions, Theaters, Radio Programs and Seminar that were supported by Govt Departments.
  • Major activities of district levels were conducted with the collaboration of Govt departments.
  • A project Documentary was developed.
  • Lesson Learned Workshops were organised where every of the stakeholder appreciated the project and demanded to work in other union councils and Govt departments ensured their support.
  • Task force committees were formatted for the prevention of ECM.
  • 3 Radio Programs (LSBE, ECM & on HIV/AIDS) along with messages were on aired.

2. AWARE Advocacy Work on Water Woes of Thar

In Thar, water issue has three disciplinary angles; availability, access and quality and in this aspect inhabitants of Thar face all issues at less or more extent.

AWARE had realized the issue and water taken as a core area of interest and first time it history it was proved scientifically that due to fluoride contamination in underground water of Thari people are suffering.

Here, we are only sharing one case study of a worst affected village Samoo Rind is located in UC Saranghiar Taluka Chachro District Tharparkar and after a long struggle of almost 06 years the issue is resolved and Govt project has started and that will provide the safe drinking water to more than 3000 inhabitants.

The Strategy AWARE Team Adopted

The issue was complicated, so it took time in resolving it, the story is as mentioned below:

Research

  • AWARE conducted research with support of University of Sindh Jamshoro, PCSIR and Dow Medical University on issue of fluoride presence and contamination level as well as its affects
  • Summary of above said research was published with support of Action Aid link

Tools Used for Primary Level Stakeholders Mobilization

  • IEC material was developed link and community was educated
  • Theater shows link
  • Seminars link
  • Protests link
  • Hunger strike link
  • E-advocacy (Awam jo Awaz) link 1 link 2

Media Mobilized for Engaging Secondary & Tertiary Level Stakeholders

Response of Govt

  • District Nazim Tharparkar promised committee of doctors and experts: Dawn report but nothing was done.
  • Govt made 05 promises:
    1. Nisar Khauhro announcement on March 30, 2010 link
    2. Ms Sharmila Farooqui announced June 15, 2009 link
    3. CM Sindh took notice after news link
    4. DCO Tharparkar sent report May 19, 2011 (scan copies attached in AWARE file)
    5. Villagers & AWARE members hunger strike at Mithi press club link.
      • Dr Mahesh Kumar Malani (then MNA, now MPA) assured resolution within a week link
  • During last drought period, AWARE raised voice in Awam jo Awaz.

Achievement

  • Govt approved solar powered Reverse Osmosis (RO) plant of 15000 gallons/day capacity; construction ongoing Facebook link.

Lessons Learnt

  • Scientific data/research should be in hand to argue with stakeholders
  • Issues not always easy to resolve despite political will (Samoo Rind: demand for solar vs diesel engines)
  • First time demand for solar pumps instead of diesel engines Dawn link
  • Community suffered during hunger strike, NGOs must stand with them

3. AWARE Contribution in Drought Related Advocacy / Sindh Drought Policy Making

  • AWARE Executive Director was member of Sindh Drought Management & Mitigation Policy making process Draft Policy 2014 link
  • Dr. Arif Alvi visited AWARE and appreciated work link
  • Media links of AWARE stance motivated Govt of Sindh to give representation to AWARE:
  • Along civil society of Thar, AWARE raised voice on drought affects and continues to use resources properly.

The Intensity of Issue

4. AWARE Contribution for Policy Advocacy Initiatives for Amendment Bill to SWMO 2002

AWARE was part of a consortium and that initiated a campaign for inclusion of landless farmer women in water governance and for that making amendment in Sindh Water Management Ordinance 2002 was aimed. After struggle of three years SWMO was amended by Sindh Assembly and that was a big achievement.

Highlights of Strategies Adopted and Effort Made

  • Letter-writing to Parliamentarians from two districts to ask for their support for proposed amendment bill (Badin and TMK).
  • Creation of Social Media groups to raise awareness and advocate issues such as Project website, YouTube channel, Whatsapp group.
  • News coverage at mainstream print and electronic media to highlight the issue and generate evidence reporting of the plight of affected people due to discriminatory laws in Sindh.
    • Print media in English, Urdu and Sindhi, more than 100 times reporting made.
    • Electronic media including mainstream English, Urdu and Sindhi TV channel numerous talk shows and news packages on-aired.
  • Consultation and ensuring presence of key political parties’ local leadership to sensitize and aware about the issues to seek their unequivocal support for the cause.
  • Consultation and taking into confidence concerned line departments such as SIDA, Area Water Board, Irrigation and Social Welfare Departments.
  • Civil Society activism and unconditional support and advocate on behalf of communities to raise the issue at various forums.
  • Community voice raising to give them opportunity to present their view point at different events such as seminars and meetings.
  • Enhanced coordination and developed consensus among the key stakeholders for inclusion of women and marginalized groups such as policy makers and water experts at all levels.
  • Capacity building of key stakeholders and community groups to enhance their understanding to claim their role in water governance system at all levels.
  • Development of Manuals and IEC material for dissemination to wider audiences.
  • Active participation during lobbying meetings.
  • Advocacy of the issue and raising the voices of women and marginalized groups through FM radio programs.
  • Development and printing of case studies for women leaders from target communities.
  • Generating project video documentary.

These are the key efforts which have been taken by AWARE to influence the policy makers and public representatives in assembly to understand the importance of the issues related to water governance and inevitable role of women and marginalized groups in decision making.

Media Highlights

5. AWARE Advocacy Work for Education

Research

  • Elementary Education in Tharparkar Sindh: Background, Functions and Concerns research study conducted in 2013 with support of Action Aid.

Campaigns

  • Evidence based research, 62 Primary School in a single village merged into 5
  • SMC fund utilization supported schoolroom construction at village Mureed Khaskhely

Media Coverage

  • AWARE approached BBC Urdu for visiting Tharparkar and report issues related to education.
  • BBC Team also visited village Manjhi Rind and met with children of AWARE supported community school.
  • Daily Times letter appreciating AWARE initiative “Children Learning Resource Centers”: link
  • Pak Tribune also published the same letter link
  • Full page special supplement in Daily Times.
  • Seminar on Status of Education and Future of Thar (Regional Times, Sept 30, 2013): Facebook link

Dismal Education Status in Tharparkar

Case Studies

  • Evidence based research, 62 Primary School in a single village merged into 5
  • SMC fund utilization supported schoolroom construction at village Mureed Khaskhely

You May Also Like

Experiences
Climate Change Adaptation, Livelihood & Renewable Energy Initiatives
AWARE in WASH
Experiences
WASH