Press
Soft Power, Woman Power: Forging a New Security Paradigm in Pakistan
This article was originally published by Global Post. It was a unique Christmas party. Eight madrassah students in Peshawar, Pakistan took giant homemade cards, cake and flowers over to the US Consulate last year. The students and diplomats sat and talked for four hours, facilitated by teachers who provide English language and computer skills to […]
Post, Video
Collective Action on Blasphemy Law
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.
Press
Pakistani Women Unite to Battle Religious Extremism
This article was originally published by Huffington Post. Sameena Imtiaz, a soft-spoken, educated Pakistani social worker, operates in the midst of U.S. drone strikes and Taliban suicide bombings. She regularly travels to remote parts of her country in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, infamously known for the safe […]
Press
Pakistani Women Waging Peace the World Over
This article was originally published by Global Post. It was when children began painting ambulances, hospitals and dead bodies in art class that Bushra Hyder decided it was time to actively work towards healing. That was 2009, and there were almost daily blasts in Peshawar, a Pakistani city not far from the border of Afghanistan, […]
Post, Video
Peace Network Pakistan
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, […]
Post, Video
She Will Think 100 Soft Times
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.
Post, Video
Peace Practitioners
In 2011, Inclusive Security staff went to Pakistan to meet with members of our coalition of women peacebuilders. Zarmina Rafiq, a peace trainer from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), spoke about her work to create groups of peace practitioners in areas that are difficult to reach due to geographic and cultural constraints. Through illustrations […]
Post, Video
Human Beings First
In an interview in 2011 in Islamabad, Pakistan, Farhat Asif told a story about how her training as a mediator enabled her to calm down a friend who held extremist attitudes about Shi’as. She was able to remind her friend that people are human beings first and that other layers of their identity, such as […]
Post, Video
Madrasa Students as Part of the Solution
Sameen Imtiaz noticed that a great deal of blame has been placed on madrasas for causing the rise of extremism in Pakistan, which she felt was not entirely true. In order to change this perception and work with madrasas to become part of the solution to peace, she began engaging religious leaders and teachers in […]
Post, Video
Why Pakistani Women
As a woman peacebuilder, Sameena Imtiaz has seen many organizations overlook the key role women play in creating a peaceful society. Many organizations, if they focus on women at all, tend to only argue for women’s inclusion based on their right to do so. Ms. Imtiaz takes this a step further and encourages women to […]
