Story of Volunteer Peer Educator “Once a reticent girl with less life skills and unknown to even many of my village fellows, I am now confident, catalyst and known to youth activists of whole of the Province of Punjab as being Opposition Leader of Punjab Youth Assembly. This great transition in my life occurred just in three years while working with SACHET as a volunteer peer educator.” Aliya, a 19 years old girl was narrating this while her eyes were glittering with mirth and confidence.

“In a society where literacy rates are low and people have little entertainment options, theatre performances are a way of providing both knowledge and entertainment.” (Zahoor, District Program Coordinator, Sachet Chakwal)” Theatre in Pakistan is generally perceived as an entertainment mostly limited to male audiences and associated with non-family kind of recreation with humor at times bordering next to vulgarity and adult back-slapping: “I remember, we were organizing a theatre performance in one of the villages and a woman was very vocal in her disapproval due to social unacceptability of theatres as a family event. But after the performance, she agreed that the performance was enjoyable and informative.”

Sleeved up to challenge gender stereotypes A young girl in her late teens, full of confidence which was evident from her balanced tone and glittering eyes, announced the commencement of the RHIYA youth parliament 2006 in a manner similar to that of a speaker of a real parliament. Ms. Fatima, the speaker of RHIYA youth parliament conducted the proceedings of the session by inviting parliamentarians form National Assembly and Senate as well as the representatives of the donor agencies including UN and INGOs to deliberate on issues of youth participation, reproductive health and fostering opportunities for overall youth development in Pakistan.

“My name is sajida, I am 18 years old and did my matriculation. One day my friend told me that youth friendly centre was opened in our area only for girls, which is providing sports activities, health information and skill development programmes. I discussed this with my mother to get permission to go there with my friends. After convincing her I went to YFC with my friends and I found incredible friendly staff over there they briefed us about YFC services and other activities. YFC’s counselor told me that very soon they are going to start beautician course, when I heard that right at that time I requested them for registration. I also discussed with my mother about the course, first she refused but then she allowed me to join the course..."

“First time in my life, I travelled from my Province to Islamabad to participate in four days RHIYA youth summit. For the first time in the history of District Killa Saifullah large female youth from the district participated in a function out side the district. It was a great experience. We avail the opportunity to listen and share experience with number of people including Donors, parliamentarians and even prime minister who I saw first time. I sought the opportunity to express my views on a number of topics at a national level event, I felt an important person being heard by even decision makers.

Liaqat Ali’s tribe, the Panhwar, comes from Jacobabad. He first became active on social issues during his adolescence. In secondary school and in college, Liaqat brought to the attention of school offi cials various student concerns, including the needs for better transportation, sports programs, maintenance of the physical facilities, and community relationships. These experiences deepened his understanding of other social issues (ranging from sanitation to early marriage and the dowry system), which he began discussing with his peers. While at the university, Liaqat became active in politics, which he sees as “the only means to voice young people’s needs and fi ght to promote their rights.”

Given the silence and sensitivity surrounding young people’s sexuality, SACHET adopted a consultative approach, rather than a confrontational one. SACHET-RHIYA Program Coordinator Saleem Ullah Baig explained that such an indirect approach is more effective because “They positioned the program more as youth capacity-building activities that also include information on sexual and reproductive health [rather than the other way around].

PAVHNA is a recognized leading national reproductive health NGO established in 1979. It is a consortium of 48 NGOs/CBOs operational in all four provinces of Pakistan including Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). PAVHNA’s mission is: