Peace building and conflict transformation Initiatives of PAIMAN in Pakistan

Under PAIMAN's  Lets Live in Peace Program the following initiatives are being carried out :

• Female and Youth Peace Groupscalled‘TOLANA'is working at the community level in Khyber, Mohmand, and Bajur agencies and FR Peshawar and FR Kohat and in the districts of Peshawar, Mardan, Charsadda, Swat, Dir and Sawabi.Both male and female groupscarry out community meetings to sensitize their respective communities on the impact of radicalization on the socio-economic fabric of the area and mobilize them to work for peace and conflict transformation. They are actively involved in negotiation and mediation in their respective areas.

     PAIMAN is trying to help de-radicalize youth from Swat who were influenced by extremist's ideology and some of them had worked with the extremists groups as well. The youth undergo psycho-social counseling along with training in life skills and livelihood skills so that they can contribute positively to the their community.  They are also being helped in rehabilitation reintegration into their communities.

• Mothers for Change:is a joint initiative of PAIMAN and Sister Against Violent Extremism (SAVE) Austria. Under this project widows, female orphans and injured women narrate the impact of extremism on their lives and are then helped to overcome their trauma and are guided to live a normal life by engaging them in some healthy activities.

• Combating extremism through socio-economic empowerment of women:is PAIMAN's flagship program in which women are given livelihood skills along with life skills and peacebuilding to become not only the earning members of their families but also play a significant role in social cohesion and building peace within their household and community.As contributors to family income we learned that women gain confidence and strength to combat any type to violent extremism amidst them.

• PAIMAN in partnership with Inclusive Security has formeda ‘National coalition of Women for moderating Extremism in Pakistan'to address issues of extremism atdifferent levels. It is a USIP funded initiative. It is the first ever Women Coalition in the country to address issues of peace and security from a gender perspective and advocate for inclusion of women in peace process, rehabilitation and reintegration. The 20 members of coalition are selected from all over Pakistan.

• Periodic surveys and research studiesare conductedregarding socio-political and economic dimensions of conflict, and the impact of conflict on youth and women in FATA and other parts of the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP).

• PAIMAN has establishedCentre for Conflict Transformation & Peace Building in Islamabad, which acts as a resource centre and training institute on the subject for the region and beyond. User-friendly training manuals and associated training materials are developed in the context of our own conflict and its dynamics. Short courses and workshops on Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding have commenced.

• The guiding objective of the centre is to assist parties in developing organic conflict resolution practices and structures in order to create sustainable peace. The centre will develop knowledge of the issues that spark conflict in the region, enhance expertise in peace and conflict transformation.

•   Women Peace Dialogue between Pakistan and India is being conducted on regular basis.