During the weeks I spent preparing to bring a delegation of 12 women from Pakistan to the US to talk about one of Washington’s hottest issues—extremism—I couldn’t help but be filled with a slight sense of dread. Let’s be frank; relations between the US and Pakistan are far from ideal. A Gallup survey done last year […]
The following is a letter I sent to the US Embassy in Islamabad this morning to thank them for sponsoring a US visit of 12 Pakistani women. Salaam from Kabul! I hope you all are well. I wanted to thank you for supporting the delegation of 12 Pakistani women for their exchange visit. Of course, […]
In this clip, Pakistani journalist Naziha Ali explains why she joined Citizens for Democracy Pakistan in January 2011 after the assassination of Pakistani politician Salmaan Taseer, who was killed for his religious beliefs. This experience inspired her and others to come together to work to reform the blasphemy laws.
[View the story “Pakistani Women Peace Delegation Visits the US” on Storify]
Three weeks ago our founder and president, Ambassador Swanee Hunt, travelled to South Sudan and Sudan to meet with coalitions of women peacebuilders, most of whom we’ve known more than six years. Many, in fact, met Ambassador Hunt in 1999 when she gathered 110 women leaders from conflict zones around the world for our first […]
Sameena Imtiaz holds many roles in her native Pakistan. She is a social worker, education reformer, mother, and peacebuilder. By working in the most conflict-affected areas of Khyber Pakhtunkwa (KPK) and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), she was able to change the mindsets of young people who would otherwise turn to violent extremism. Eventually, […]
Why The United States provides more foreign aid to Pakistan than to any other country, with the exception of Afghanistan. A significant portion of those funds is intended to reduce violent extremism through the provision of aid to civilians. Still, thousands of Pakistanis die each year due to ethnic, sectarian, and political clashes motivated by […]
This article was originally published by Huffington Post. As the weather warms and tourists descend on the nation’s capital, 12 Pakistani women will be among the thousands of visitors in DC this week. But they aren’t here to see the cherry blossoms or tour the White House. They’re here to meet with US policymakers to […]
The US administration made major headway in the area of women, peace, and security with the announcement of the National Action Plan in December 2011. But the NAP lacks a practical element it needs to be sustainable and successful. The administration is now creating implementation plans to accompany the NAP, but there’s a lot of […]
Extremism is a boiling problem in Pakistan. Zarmina Rafiq, a peace trainer from some of the most extreme areas of the country, spoke to staff at Inclusive Security during a trip to visit the coalition for moderating extremism in Lahore, Pakistan.
