Aawaz II Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 13th Provincial Forum (PF) Meeting

The mechanism for distributing the Disable Persons Rehab (DPR) Funds, presently over Rs.500 million, has been approved by the Provincial Council for Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons (PCRDP). This was shared by Additional Secretary-Social Welfare Department and Mr. Zawar Noor, member, PCRDP. The PF members applauded this achievement, that it was advocating since 2020. Soft loans, training of PWDs, provision of assistive devices, etc., will be provided through the DPR Funds. It was agreed that primacy will be advocated for access of the DPR Funds for women, religious minorities and transgender PWDs, that suffer multiple vulnerability. The PF reviewed other advocacy priorities categorised under GBV, child marriage, non-Muslim religious minorities, PWDs, transgender persons. It was agreed that evidence will be prepared to advocate the passage of the KP Child Marriage Restraint Bill with MPs elected in 2023. Demands will be raised for effective institutional structure for supporting the implementation of the KP DV Act 2021. Only two transgender persons have as yet benefitted from the CNICs provided to transgender persons. It was agreed that mobilisation will be accelerated to help other transgender persons obtain their CNICs. The meeting was attended by over 30 members including government representatives from the Social Welfare & Women’s Empowerment, the Auqaf & Religious Minorities, Law, Population Welfare Departments and also the office of the Ombudsperson for Sexual Harassment at the Workplace. From civil society, representatives of Khwendo Kor, Aurat Foundation, Shirkat Gah, Special Life Foundation and groups of religious minorities and transgender persons attended the meeting.