Young girls from all the four provinces and from all religions pledged in Islamabad on August 16, 2005 that they would empower, enlighten and develop themselves to achieve their rights and say in social and political life.

Giving their impressions at the end of a five-day youth camp arranged by ActionAid Pakistan for sixty girls hailing from underdeveloped areas of the country, the participants of the camp said they would prove to be the catalyst in the process of change in Pakistan. They were of the view that though the growing awareness has been affecting behaviours and attitudes regarding girls and women in urban areas, yet there is a lot to be done to improve the status of girls and women in the our society.

ActionAid started the camp to celebrate the World Youth Day on Friday in which indoor and outdoor activities and discussion sessions helped the participant understand various issues concerning exploitation of young girls. Dr Rubina Saigol, country director Actionaid Pakistan and other senior programme people including Nasreen Azhar, Nazish Brohi, Anbreen Ajaib, Sabina and Nusrat Shaikh shared their views and experiences on issues confronting women and girls in Pakistan. They said patriarchal values continue hindering women's development and exploiting them by excluding women from decision-making process. They are deprived of opportunities in terms of education, healthcare and employment.

The camp provided them an opportunity to have fun and learn about various issues confronting women, particularly the young girls and how to cope with the difficult circumstances. The issues taken up during discussion sessions included human rights, education, peace and gender issues. The camp helped participants develop leadership and activism and evolve networks to get their issues resolved right from the local to national level.

Maryam Abdur Rehman, a girl from Balochistan said youth camp provided them extensive training in leadership building by understanding the problems of women in the country. She was of the view that capacity building is important to gain strength and articulation so that the youth can ensure protection to their rights.

Humera from Punjab said the youth can play an important role in local bodies. She said they have established a group of young girls who have been trying to get a Citizen Community Board registered so that they can take part in developmental activities. She said feudal system deprives the poor of any political role even at local level. She said it is a step forward now that 33 percent women are seen in local government but there is a need to make this representation beyond the control of feudal lords.

Dilraz from NWFP criticized the way the women in certain parts of NWFP are being barred from contesting local body elections. She said close relatives of the women candidates are being harassed or being seen in low esteem due to the candidature of women of their household. She said particularly the religious circles are objecting to women's participation. Girls and women are destined to live in a condemned and biased environment in general due to tribal traditions to which the tribal people sometimes give a religious colour.

Saeedia, a young girl from fisher community of Sindh, said girls lack facilities such as schooling, health and sanitation. They have employment problems as well. She said their fate is decided by 'vadera' (feudal lord). She said in Sindh, women are killed in the name of honour and they have no 'say' even in their marriage decisions.

Naheed Akhtar also from Sindh said when they were coming to attend this youth camp, they were of the opinion that the women in Sindh are the most deprived citizen in Pakistan but now after listening to girls from other provinces, we understand that women in Pakistan have common problems caused by patriarchal values and mindset. She said during the camp we developed a better understanding on how peace is vital to women. She said we were told that sex is a natural definition of men and women while gender is a socially defined roles of the two. If we look at the situation while taking these definitions in mind, we feel that women are being discouraged under a patriarchal campaign. She said we will try to get our rights.

Iram Gill from the minorities said women and girls from the minorities are the most vulnerable and the marginalized as they are discriminated right from their childhood on the basis of religion. She said there are hatred materials in curriculum that cause discrimination. She demanded that curriculum should be reviewed and all hatred material should be struck off the curriculum. The young girls from minorities should be given equal opportunities in education, employment, health and politics. She said generally on minority seat at local level, once a man stands in the contest, woman automatically loses chance to contest. Women from minorities should be encouraged right from local to national level political process.