Women’s Voice and Leadership – Pakistan
The Situation
In Pakistan, women and girls are among the most vulnerable to having their human rights violated. Those who are part of other marginalized groups face further discrimination.
Although Pakistan's constitution calls for equality, rights, and protection for all, human rights violations remain a major concern.
The women's rights movement in the country has reached a critical point, with organizations and movements facing shrinking spaces to organize. Many organizations lack the resources, capacity, and autonomy to drive change agendas. Moreover, there is a pressing need for more platforms that encourage collaboration and collective action for women's rights organizations.
DETAILS
LOCATION
Pakistan
DURATION
5 years (2019-2024)
The Women's Voice and Leadership Program is a worldwide initiative by Global Affairs Canada to support local and regional women's organizations and movements seeking to empower women and girls, advance the protection of women's and girls' rights and achieve gender equality.
OUR SUPPORTERS
This project is undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada, provided through Global Affairs Canada, and the generous Canadian public.

What are we doing?
INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT
Providing core funding, capacity strengthening and further developing women’s leadership.
PROGRAMMING
Supporting women's rights organizations to develop and implement initiatives and campaigns that protect and advance women's rights.
NETWORK STRENGTHENING
Bolstering women's rights alliances and networks to advance a feminist agenda.
What have we achieved so far?
Oxfam works alongside women’s rights organizations to strengthen the leadership of women and women's rights organizations in Pakistan, to increase the relevance of women’s rights programming and advocacy work and to strengthen women’s rights networks and alliances. Together, these efforts are addressing human rights violations against women and girls and advance gender equality in Pakistan.
Using a strategic combination of funding and capacity strengthening, Oxfam supports women’s rights organizations to be better managed and more self-sustaining. This ensures they can deliver programming that better meets the needs of women and girls.
The project is also improving the ability of women’s rights organizations and activists to work together more effectively toward gender-transformative policies.
Our project partners
- Advocacy Research Training and Services Foundation
- Association of Business, Professional & Agricultural Women
- Awaz-e-Niswan
- Breaking Barriers Women
- Development Empowerment Women Association
- National Organization for Working Communities
- Pakistan Rural Workers Social Welfare Organization (PRWSWO)
- Roshni Welfare Organization (RWO)
- Saiban Development Organization (SDO)
- Society for Human Advancement and Disadvantaged Empowerment (SHADE)
- Ujala Seher Organization
- Women in Struggle for Empowerment (WISE)
Our Alliances
- Child Rights Movement
- Feminist Fridays
- Human Resource Development Network
- Legislative Watch Group
- Mumkin Alliance