The NWFP government has earmarked Rs40 million for a project funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for promoting dispute resolution through alternative mechanisms at the local level. The funds will be utilised for addressing deficiences in the Gender Justice Through Musalihat Anjuman (GJTMA) project initiated by the UNDP in 2005 in the four provinces. A cost-sharing agreement was signed between the provincial governement and UNDP here on Tuesday. NWFP Additional Chief Secretary Ghulam Dastagir and UNDP Deputy Country Director Programme Mikiko Tanaka signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Dastagir said the provincial government, despite facing difficulties in the wake of security situation and massive displacement, was committed to providing people with access to an efficient dispute resolution mechanism through Musalihati (reconciliatory) jirgas. The GJTMAP is an initiative for the vulnerable by promoting nonformal, community-based alternative dispute resolution systems such as jirgas. The mechanism is also mentioned in the Local Government Ordinance, 2001. In the NWFP, this project is in progress in five districts, where disputes at the local level are tried to resolve through the reconciliatory jirgas. Mr Dastagir said the reconciliatory jirgas had been successfully functioning in districts of the province and reiterated the provincial government's commitement to strength the initiative. More than 600 cases, he said, had been referred to reconciliatory jirgas in Abbottabad and Dera Ismail Khan alone, with 95 per cent settlement ratio, adding the number would increase after completion of training in Mardan, Nowshera and Haripur districts. Efforts, he said, were required for advocacy and awareness raising at the community level so that more cases were referred to the jirgas, especially by police and judiciary at the local level. Ms Tanaka appreciated the NWFP government's commitment towards provision of free access to alternative dispute resolution to people. The UNDP, she said, was aware of the difficult circumstances under which the project was functioning, adding the UNDP would continue working with the provincial government as its partner in development.

The Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) has approved on May 13, 2008 to release funds for GJTMAP/UNDP as per schedule agreed in the Cost-Sharing Agreement (CSA) signed on April 8, 2008. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Ahmad Baksh Lehri, Additional Chief Secretary (Dev), Government of Balochistan.

GJTMAP has been selected as one of the best initiatives under a Joint EAD/ADB "Scoping Study on Capacity Building (CB) for Service Delivery & Aid Effectiveness in Pakistan" under a joint process initiated by the EAD to identify specific steps related to Pakistan's commitment to the Paris Declaration on Harmonization and Aid Effectiveness. The selected case studies were documented by ADB/EAD with support from projects and presented to the Donors and Government of Pakistan in a two days workshop on 'CD for Aid Effectiveness' organized by EAD/ADB at Marriot Hotel, Islamabad on 13-14th May, 2008. The goal of the workshop was to develop recommendations for Pakistan's aid policy and action plans for possible Capacity Development.

As a follow up of the 3rd Core Group Meeting held in Islamabad on April 29th, 2008 the Visioneering Workshop for MenEngage Alliance – Pakistan was held on 9th May, 2008. The objectives of the workshop were: a) to build a shared vision for MenEngage Alliance in Pakistan; b) to develop a vision and value statement; and c) to assess strategic options and develop action plans (Advocacy, Partnerships and Resource Mobilization). A total of 15 participants from the MeEngage Pakistan Core Group and partner organizations participated in the workshop. The workshop provided an opportunity to develop vision statement and action plan for one year for advocacy and partnership for the MenEngage Pakistan Alliance. The results of the workshop would help in framing a concept note for the MenEngage Pakistan Alliance and sharing it with the relevant development partners for support.

The purpose of the meeting was to meet the new Secretary and exploring venues for partnering under the upcoming UN Joint Programme. The UNDP team headed by Ms. Faiza Effendi, ARR/Chief PR&GU UNDP CO, called on Mr. Saleem Khan Jhagra, Secretary MoLG&RD on 9th May 2008. The team greeted the Secretary and introduced the Projects to him and his support and guidance in taking these forward. The Secretary appreciated and took keen interest in the Project. He suggested to explore poverty alleviation fund of the Government and to include the Project in Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) and Provincial Annual Development Plans (ADP), so that funding could be made available as cost-sharing to on-going efforts. The Secretary also emphasized to explore funding from the bilateral donors apart from the Government, e.g. Asian Development Bank (ADB) as they provide grants for longer periods. During the meeting management review and issues related to technical assistance to National Center for Rural Development (NCRD) were also brought forward by the chairperson and asked MoLG&RD to develop ToRs and share with UNDP CO for providing technical assistance.

A meeting was held with Dr. Muhammad Sulaiman, DIG Operation, Peshawar, NWFP on 3rd May 2008 at Peshawar to discuss and introduce GJTMA Project. He was nominated for the meeting by the IGP who could not participate himself in the meeting. The DIG appreciated the Project on the provision of justice at the grass roots levels to the vulnerable segment of the society. He ensured full support to the Project on behalf of the Police department.

A meeting was held with Mr. Hayat Ali Shah, Registrar, Peshawar High Court on 3rd May, 2008 at Peshawar to discuss and introduce GJTMA Project and seek support from the judiciary at the Provincial as well as at the selected Districts levels.

The MenEngage Pakistan Secretariat, GJTMAP, organized 3rd Core Group meeting on Tuesday - April 29, 2008 at 1000 hours at MenEngage partner's office – Sahil, under the Chairmanship of Mr. Shahid Latif, NPD GJTMAP. The objectives of the meeting were to: a) Share feedback from the recent ME Focal Persons meeting at New Delhi (10-11th April, 2008); b) Preparation of up-coming Joint Regional Program for ME and other regional initiatives/experiences; c) Review the progress on MenEngage related interventions in Pakistan (post ToT) / partners PPP; d) Follow up on Action points agreed during the 2nd Core Group Meeting, dated Oct. 17, 2007 (minutes were circulated to all concerned). The meeting was participated by the Core Group members and some key development partners as observers such as Aurat Foundation, Bunyad and Gender Justice and Protection (GJP) Project.

The 4th Provincial Steering Committee (PSC) meeting of GJTMAP NWFP was held on 5th March 2008 at Peshawar. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Hammad Awais Agha, Secretary Local Government NWFP. The Project progress was reviewed and very much appreciated by the Chair. The Annual Work Plan 2008 was also presented before the Committee for approval. The Committee unanimously approved the Annual work Plan 2008 for GJTMAP NWFP.

The 5th Provincial Steering Committee (PSC) meeting of GJTMAP Sindh was held on 26th February 2008 at Karachi. The meeting was chaired by the Special Secretary Local Government Sindh on behalf of the Chairperson PSC Sindh, Mr. Aftab Memon, Secretary Local Government. The Project progress and the Annual Work Plan 2008 were also presented before the Committee for approval. The Committee endorsed the Project progress 2007 and the Annual work Plan 2008 for GJTMAP Sindh.

The 4th Provincial Steering Committee (PSC) meeting of GJTMAP Punjab was held on 21st February 2008 at Lahore. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Akhlaq Ahmad Tarar, Secretary Local Govt Punjab. The Project progress was reviewed and appreciated by the Chair. The Annual Work Plan 2008 was also presented before the Committee for approval. The Committee unanimously approved the Annual work Plan 2008 for GJTMAP Punjab.

The MenEngage Pakistan Secretariat at GJTMAP and Sahil has organized a three-days Training Workshop for the staff of Core Group Members. The workshop was successfully carried out on 12-14 February, 2008 at Marriot Hotel, Islamabad. The workshop focused on understading prevalence and magnitude of Gender Based Violence (GBV) in Pakistan - Cycle of violence, reproduction of common forms of violence against girls, boys women and other men from Life Cycle Approach in Pakistan and socialization of boys and men and its relation with GBV. The participants showed interest and share their valuable experiences for engaging men and boys in reducing GBV by creating awareness about underlying causes of this issue.

The 4th Provincial Steering Committee (PSC) meeting held on 7th February, 2008 at Quetta, Balochistan. The Secretary Local Government & Rural Development Department, Mr. Naseer Ahmed Baloch, chaired the meeting.

The 4th NSC meeting was held on 30-01-2008 under the Chairmanship Mr. Muhammad Saleem Khan, Secretary MoLG&RD at Islamabad. During the meeting the performance of the Project in the FY 2007 was reviewed and found satisfactory. The newly inducted Project Districts viz Nowshera and Sanghar, as notified by the respective Provincial Governments, were endorsed. The Annual Work Plan 2008 was also presented before the committee for approval but a decision on the same was postponed till the finalization of activities along with their respective budgets by the PPMUs.

A team of senior officials headed by Mr. Muhammad Saleem Khan, Federal Secretary Ministry of LD&RD called on the Governor Punjab, Mr. Kahalid Maqbool on 13-12-2007. The Governor was briefed about the Project background, its objectives, achievements, activities and institutional arrangements, especially with reference to Punjab Province. The other officials included: Mr. Riaz Akhtar, NPD / Deputy Secretary MoLG&RD; Mr. Akhlaq Ahmad Tarar, Secretary LG&RDD, Punjab; Mr. Babar Hassan Bharwana, Director General, LG&RDD, Punjab; Mr. Sajid Baloch, GSP, UNDP; Mr. Hamid Raza Afridi, National Project Manager, GJTMAP; and Mr. Shahid Aslam Mohar, PPM, GJTMAP, Lahore. Mr. Hassan Wasim Afzal, Principal Secretary to the Governor was also present.

A group of 51 (07 females) newly appointed Civil Judges-cum-Judicial Magistrates from Federal Judicial Academy (FJA), Islamabad, visited Abbotabad - a GJTMAP District in NWFP. They were accompanied by Mr. Aurangzeb Khan, Director FJA and Mr. Muhammad Amir Munir additional Director FJA. The visit was aimed at providing orientation to judges on functioning of MAs, the issues being brought by the communities, their amicable settlement at UCs / MAs level and community ownership.

An orientation session was held in Federal Judicial Academy (FJA) Islamabad on 29th November 2007 to familiarize the newly recruited Civil Judges-cum-Judicial Magistrates with GJTMAP. Mr. Hamid Raza Afridi briefed the participants about the objectives, working, institutional arrangements and achievement of the Project.

Mr. Mohammad Saleem Khan, Secretary MoLG&RD, headed the launching ceremony of District Sanghar as one of the Project Districts on 20th November 2007. He congratulated the people of Sanghar and hoped that Muslihat Anjuman will provide justice to the common people at their door steps. Haji Khuda Bakhsh Rajar, Distirct Nazim Sanghar, thanked the Federal Government for selecting Sanghar as one of the Project Districts.

A team of Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC) visited Abbotabad on 1st November 2007, as one of the Project Districts. The team comprised of Ms. Chloe` Milner, Program Manager-Pakistan, South Asian Division, SDC -Bern, Switzerland and MR. Aamir Khan Goraya, National Program Officer, SDC, Pakistan. Mr. Hamid Raza Afridi, National Project Manager, GJTMAP, Ms. Sajeela Sohail, Provincial Project Manager (NWFP) and other Project team members accompanied them. The purpose of the visit of SDC team was to examine the functioning of LG system, particularly ADR mechanism viz. GJTMAP, progress review and feedback from Government counterparts (including: Local Government, Police, Judiciary, Civil Society Organizations and MA representatives).

Gender Justice Through Musalihat Anjuman Project was launched in District Nawabshah on 29th October 2007 by Mr. Muhammad Saleem Khan, Federal Secretary, Ministry Local Government and Rural Development, on 29th October 2007. The secretary said the Project would pave the way for resolving disputes of common nature at the Union Council level.

A Provincial Steering Committee meeting is scheduled to be held on 28th June 2007. Project implementation and progress will be reviewed in the meeting.

A 2-days orientation workshop has been organized for Nazims, Naib Nazims, UC Secretaries and lady Councillors in the district Jaccobabad from 27th to 28th of June 2007. The workshop has focused on the over arching goal, specific objectives, structure of the Project, roles and responsibilities of the Project stakeholders.

An orientation meeting of MAJA district Multan was held on 27th of June 2007 by PMU Punjab. The purpose of the meeting was to orient MAJA about the Project, their roles and responsibilities, future plans of the Project with special emphasis on the activities of PMU Punjab.

A software training of UCs’ Secretaries and the staff of Assistant Director Local Government (ADLG) has been scheduled on 27th June 2007 by Punjab PMU. The training envisages capacity building in terms of documenting and reporting of cases received by Musalihat Anjumans (MAs) at UC level and maintaining computer software for recording reports of MAs at ADLG/ District Focal Person level.

A meeting of MASS partners is scheduled on 27th June 2007. The purpose of the meeting is to review the Gender Sensitization and Legal Literacy manuals and finalize the comments for revising both these manuals.

A delegation headed by Mr. Christopher Graf, Head of Asia Division, Swiss Agency for Development & Cooperation (SDC), Bern, Switzerland has visited GJTMAP, PMU Punjab. Mr. Chistopher was accompanied by Ms. Nicole Ruder, Deputy Country Director, Swiss Agency for Development & Cooperation (SDC), Pakistan, Ms. Mikiko Tanaka, Country Director, UNDP, Ms. Faiza Effendi, ARR/Chief, PR&G Unit, UNDP, Mr. Sajid Baloch, Programme Coordinator, GSP, UNDP and Mr. Hamid Ali Khan, Director General LG&CD / PPD-GJTMAP-Punjab. A presentation was given by Mr. Hamid Ali Khan to the delegation and later on a meeting took place with Musliheens representing different Musalihat Anjumans (MAs). The delegation also visited the Gender Sensitization training session for Nazims and Naib Nazims under the Women’s Political School project at Social Welfare Training Institute, Township Lahore.

MASS meeting held at Karachi in which performance of MASS, MAJA and Musalihat Anjumans (MAs) was discussed in detail.

GJTMA Project was launched in Mianwali District.

An orientation and awareness raising workshop was organized for UC Nazims, US Secretaries, Female Councilors, Musalihat Anjumans on 12th, 13th and 14th of June at Tehsil Esakhel, Tehsil Piplan and Tehsil Mianwali respectively.

The training was held to build the capacity of UC Secretaries to carry out reporting activities on regular basis to District Focal Person for documentation of the cases received to MAs. The trainings were conducted from 4th to 8th June, 2007.

After consultation with the District Local Government Sindh, MASS Partners and other stakeholders the nomination of the MAJA memebers has been completed in two new districts of Jacobabad and Nawabshah.

MASS meeting held at Lahore in which progress of MAs was reviewed and future plans were discussed.

GJTMA Project was launched in Jhelum District.

GJTMAP organized a meeting of MenEngage for developing the Country Action Plan (CAP). This will help in achieving the targets of one of the objectives of the Project "Community Advocacy for legal rights of Women and Men’s role in ending violence".

A meeting of MAJA was held to review the progress of the project and to foresee the need for future trainings of MAs in the District.

Meeting chaired by Mr. Riaz Akhtar NPD GJTMAP was held to take feedback on the consolidated modules of trainings for the capacity development of the MA members. This feedback was required to make necessary changes in the modules for the upcoming trainings.

The training was held to build the capacity of UC Secretaries to carry out reporting activities on regular basis to District Focal Person for documentation of the cases received to MAs.

Radio program through FM Radio Burraq (FM 104.4) have been launched in Abbotabad, NWFP and on Radio Pakistan in D.I. Khan. In addition to spot messages, promos, Live Road shows and branded programs will be broadcasted in Urdu and local languages focusing on women issue, Musalihat Jargas functions, RoBs, etc. Live interviews of UC Nazim’s and beneficiaries were also being held. MAJA Attock (FM94) has taken similar initiative to create awareness among the communities about Musalihat Anjuman Rroject.

District level Project Launch ceremony was held on 19th September 2005. The honorable Minister of local Government graced the occasion as chief guest. The provincial secretaries, Local government official, representative from UNDP, various government departments CSOs, media, Bar associations and academia attended the ceremonies. This activity was arranged to create awareness about the project networking and seeking support from the various partners.

Federal Minister for Local Government & Rural development, Justice (retd) Abdul Razak A Thahim, on Saturday presided over a meeting in Municipal Training & Research Institute (MTRI), Karachi, to review progress of Gender Justice through Muslihat Anjumans Project, Sindh.

A network of NGOs (having demonstrable track record in legal rights awareness) to strengthen MAs has been established.

A five-days ToT workshop was arranged by the FPMU at Peshawar, with PPMU – NWFP support, inviting six members from each Provincial MASS partner and Govt. Depts. (LG&RDD), nominated through respective Provincial PMUs. The feedbacks provided by the participants were duly incorporated into the draft modules and Trainer's manuals. Renowned scholars, subject specialists and practitioners participated as resource persons at the ToT and helped in developing, pre-testing of the draft consolidated training modules and in revising/finalizing thee in light of feedback the master trainer’s at ToT, FPMU and GSP/ PR&GU.

Training Directorates of Provincial LG&RD Departments will impart training to members of MAs and personnel of Union Councils for their capacity building activities.

National Program Manager and Admin/Finance Officer GJTMAP visited PPMU Sindh and discussed operational issues with the Project team. This visit was followed by an internal audit team fielded by the PR&GU/UNDP, which visited the PPMU Sindh on May 26-27, 2006, comprising of Mr. Irfan and Mr. M. Aijaz as a part of the routine monitoring visits to Provincial PMUs. The PPMU-Sindh was advised to ensure compliance with PCOM procedures. Such internal audit missions are a regular feature, and would be fielded to other PPMUs in the near future.

"Justice for All" means Justice at the doorstep. This aim can only be achieved through public awareness about the importance of ADR or Musalihat Anjuman system. Every segments of society especially lawyer/Judges can play a vital role in helping to properly understand and manage the modernize and sophisticated system of dispute resolution. To full fill this objective of the project "Gender Justice through Musalihat Anjuman Project" Quetta is conducting one day seminar on "Justice for All" on 4th November 2006 at Qila Saifullah Hall, Serena Hotel Quetta. The honorable Chief Justice of Pakistan Mr.Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudry would be the Chief Guest at the occasion.

A joint meeting was held in the office of Inspector General Police (IGP), NWFP that was also participated by DIG Hazara Range, DIG D.I Khan, Program Officer, UNDP and FPMU team. During this meeting, a detailed Project briefing was provided to the Police Officials and all out support to the Project was announced by the IGP. This initiative was meant to start the process of field level coordination between police and Musalihat Jirgas (MJs). As a follow-up, DSP HQs Abbotabad (Police rep/MAJA member) along with female police staff personally participated in the Project orientation sessions at the UC level, thereby ensuring police ownership and partnership at all levels. Similar, briefing was also arranged for the IGP Balochistan that was also participated by DIG Lasbela Range, DIG Quetta along with other senior Police officials, Program Coordinator, GSP and FPMU team. On 11th May, the CCPO Balochistan also offered full support and cooperation for all success of the Project and directed the relevant officials for closely liaise with the Project team & MAs at field level. Similarly, Project briefings are also being planned for IGPs Punjab and Sindh to take these important stakeholders on board.

Consolidated Manuals on Gender Sensitization, Legal Literacy and Monitoring and Reporting have been prepared with inputs from the MASS partners & PPMUs, lead by a core group notified after consensus during the Joint Strategy Meeting arranged by the FPMU.

The Federal Project Management Unit (PMU) organized a two days (7th to 8th June) staff orientation workshop for the provincial LG&RD Departments at National Centre for rural Development Islamabad. It was the Orientation of project staff on the project objectives, outputs, envisaged outcome a implementation mechanism