Aawaz II is a flagship programme of British Council, for promoting interfaith harmony, inclusion of ministries, PWDs & transgender persons in mainstream Development and checking discrimination of GBV, works with local communities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Punjab provinces to promote the rights of children, women, youth, and other marginalized groups.

The programme is working through community based downstream partners, developing sustainable community fora that augment and strengthen the voice of the marginalized and facilitate behavior change. The communities are provided safe spaces and access to referrals and information through Aawaz Aagahi Centers (AACs). The transformative effect of increased awareness and information, and the provision of training, support and linkages will result in a sustainable change within communities. Strong engagement with youth driving this change through their collective action and direct support of community fora will ensure long-term ownership and sustainability of the behavior change initiatives of Aawaz II.

Aawaz II’s implementation is taking place through a phased approach. The programme works in 37 districts in KP and Punjab through its downstream partners. Phase I (March 2020 – June 2022) was implemented through a network of 17 district partners in 22 districts (9 in KP and 13 in Punjab). The second phase of Aawaz II commenced in February 2023 and is scheduled to run until March 2024. The subject round has been completed till June 30, 2024. The extension phase resumed from August 15, 2024 till Sept 2026. Building on the project approach initiated in Aawaz I, NRSP assumes the same role of the lead implementing partner across the districts of Nowshera, Malakand, and Sargodha.

The Aawaz II program champions the rights of marginalized groups, including women, transgender individuals, youth, religious minorities, and people with disabilities (PWDs). The program tackles critical issues in targeted districts by working to eliminate harmful practices like child marriages and gender-based violence. Additionally, it fosters social cohesion and tolerance within local communities. National Rural Support Programme as a DSP in Nowshera, Malakand and Sargodha districts of Aawaz II project have successfully completed district profiling, village mapping, formation of village forums, District Forums, Special Interest Groups (Transgender, Minority and Person with Disabilities) and established Aawaz Agahi Centers. NRSP as a DSP successfully formed 96 Village Forums, 01 District Forums, 3 Special Interest Groups in targeted districts of KP and Punjab. Furthermore, 48 Aawaz Agahi Center successfully established (18 Nowshera, 18 Sargodha and 12 in district Malakand). 225 Volunteers as Aawaz Change Agents -ACAs identified and capacitated with a support of Project Management Unit of British Council. The ACAs are now playing their key role to aware the local community about Aawaz II thematic areas.
Aawaz II community structures are engaged in enhancing awareness and sensitizing communities with a focus on:

• Raising awareness and changing attitudes and behaviors towards intolerance and other harmful practices
• Increasing referrals and citizen engagement on issues relating to exclusion and exploitation

Aawaz II empowered stakeholders and community volunteers through in-person trainings. These sessions covered the program’s core themes (like child marriage and gender-based violence) along with promoting social harmony and tolerance within the community. At the community level, Aawaz II undertook several dedicated initiatives for behavior change and citizen-state engagement, mainly:

• Established community-led forums
• Organized Dialogues and Consultations
• Held meetings with duty bearers to raise demands.
• Developed referral and service access mechanism
• Developed Early Warning/Response Mechanisms
• Built capacities of forum members and volunteers
• Organized discussion-based distribution of communication products

Key Results
Over 53,792 beneficiaries were reached through various direct interventions,
4,615 individuals received referrals
3,365 individuals accessed services
12,526 Individuals received referral directories
391 early warnings raised
339 early responses provided
225 ACA’s registered
16,747 individuals received thematic messages
442 individuals raised demands with duty bearers
2,664 volunteers engaged in VFs, SIGs and DF
142 different religious leaders participated in Interfaith harmony exchange visit.
477 children registered through Birth Registration Camps
10 volunteers participated in provincial learning forums
10,371 benefited through CCAPS
1,443 benefited through SAPs

Key Achievements

Social Cohesion and tolerance

The Aawaz II team performed active role in promoting social cohesion and interfaith harmony in target areas. As Sargodha is a sensitive area in this regard and various incidents happened during the year, the team Aawaz II along with its district forum member and EWS’s FPs collaborated with the district government in carefully handling the situation.

Gender-based Violence (GBV)

• To educate community against gender-based violence, in our targeted 211 villages we have conducted district level dialogues, VF dialogues, numerous community awareness session & walks, screening sessions to sensitize community against gender-based violence. Now women in our targeted areas are vocal about their rights and taking steps to improve their living standards.
• Variance domestic violence and public harassment related cases were referred to relevant departments for accessing services.
• Moreover, we connect women with skill development centers so they should get empower.

Child Marriages:

• To address the consequences of child marriage, in our targeted 211 villages of Sargodha, Nowshera and Malakand districts, AAC, VF level conducted community dialogues, corner meeting, community awareness session, walks and screening sessions to sensitized communities.
• Awareness meetings with nikah khawah were also arranged to acknowledge them about the laws and penalties available against early marriages.
• With the help of EWS/ERM FP’s we have stopped many child marriages and also canceled 5 Nikah of underage girls.

Religious Minorities

• The district alliance and Special Interest Group (SIG) of religious minorities, District Sargodha, Nowshera and Malakand engaged with the Muslim community in different events to promote social cohesion and tolerance.
• Facilitate religious minorities in their everyday problem and refer cases to relevant departments to access the services.
• The interfaith harmony dialogue has been organized in Sargodha to recognize and celebrate the cultural, linguistic, religious, and ethnic diversity.
• The exchange visit to promote interfaith harmony among religious communities has been organized in our targeted districts. In Sargodha we have organized interfaith harmony visit in church at Chak 36SB because previously we have also seen a blasphemy incident there.
• The national minority day was celebrated in three districts, in which government officials from various departments, minority community participated.
• The issue of religious minorities’ admission and job quota was raised during DF meeting for onward advocacy with government authorities at district level to increase admission and job quota.

Persons with Disabilities (PWDs)

• The district alliance & special interest group of Person with Disabilities established to provide a platform to discuss common issues of PWDs and raise them with relevant departments.
• Meeting of PWD’s was organized with DPO Sargodha, Deputy Commissioner Nowshera and Additional Deputy Commissioner Malakand to raised different demands like the availability of ramps for PWDs in public buildings, wheel chairs in Police Stations, driving licenses issuance, disability certificates and increasing their job quota.
• In District Nowshera Medical Assessment Board (one window operations) became functional due to unavoidable struggle of DF Forums. Now, PWDs are easily getting their disability certificates within 30 minutes of procedure.
• Team Aawaz II Sargodha raised demand with district administration about skill development opportunities for PWDs and re-activation of Medical Assessment Board for medical check-up of PWDs certification.
• The international disability day was celebrated in each district level and AAC level to raise awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in all aspects of political, social, economic, and cultural life.

Transgender Persons

• 38 transgenders submitted their admission forms in the established school for transgender in district Sargodha.
• The district alliance & special interest group of transgenders established in three districts to provide a platform to discuss common issues of transgender and raise them with relevant departments.
• Recognizing the urgency of the challenges faced by the transgender community in obtaining CNICs, the Aawaz II team met with the Sargodha region director of NADRA to seek a swift resolution.
• DF members raised the issue that transgender is being harassed in the hospitals while they are coming for treatment. Therefore, they advocated for the establishment of a dedicated ward specifically for transgender patients to ensure their safety and comfort.

Citizens Engagement/District Dialogue

• Several meetings with duty bearers have been conducted in our targeted districts to raise the demands of marginalized groups. The issues were discussed related to MRV, birth registration, admission of minority students in skills development centers, registration of minorities with BISP, registration of widows and PWD’s for financial aid in Baitul Maal. Skill enhancement Programme for PWD’s and transgenders, relaxation in birth registration up to 7 years instead of 1 year etc. ADCs, in targeted districts directed all concerned departments to take necessary actions to resolve all these issues ensuring inclusion of PWDs, transgender and minorities.

Radio Program

Multiple radio programs were arranged by team Aawaz II in district Sargodha to raise awareness regarding the pressing issues of gender-based violence, early marriages, and the importance of social inclusion. The Team discussed various issues of local community including nature and types of violence women have to experience particularly domestic and economic violence. The role of social and cultural barriers which prevent women’s financial mobility was also discussed. A very welcoming response received from the listener which helps to bring positive change in the behavior of community.