Women take the lead in development in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province

By Myra Qureshi/UNDP Pakistan

As Zar Baha watched the first of two water pumps installed in her village, she was conscious of breaking new ground in more ways than one. And as ten new latrines were built, offering protection from diseases linked to sanitation and hygiene to the people of Pir Sabaq village, she took pleasure in the support of the community she serves.

“At first, men did not like to see me working in the field with them, but now they not only praise and acknowledge my efforts, they encourage their women to take part,” says Zar.

Zar Baha is an elected General Counsellor in the Pakistani province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. In a society where women are traditionally discouraged from entering public life, the 58-year-old mother of six has vowed to play an active role in resolving the many issues her impoverished community faces. Strong-willed and determined, Zar has formed a community organization with the support of United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) community resilience programme.

This is part of the Refugee Affected and Hosting Areas project (RAHA), funded by the European Commission with a contribution of 39.8 million euros and implemented by the Planning & Development Departments of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces. Both regions are affected by longstanding insecurity.

To date, the programme has brought together 8,325 community members, including 3,000 women, to foster social unity and empower communities to identify their development needs and implement sustainable solutions.

With UNDP support, Zar Baha launched a one-woman revolution. She used technical support offered by the project to launch a series of community improvement projects, such as the water pumps and latrines. She encouraged women to raise their voices against domestic violence and educated them on their basic rights and responsibilities.

“Women were living in very poor conditions; they never resisted domestic violence and were deprived of basic rights like casting a vote and possessing national ID cards. Women such as Zar Baha have made a huge difference in the community,” says Gul Afshan, a UNDP social mobilizer.

Now, for the first time, the women of Pir Sabaq feel equal partners in the improvement of their community, taking active part in development initiatives and gaining confidence.

“We are not just restricted to household chores — we meet regularly and discuss how to resolve community problems. These women definitely do not lack courage and they have made me proud. They have made themselves proud,” Zar says with a smile.

“It is high time we realize the role of women in community development. Women are the backbone of a society,” she adds. “If my village wants to prosper, then everybody has to work together — both men and women.”