Recent Accomplishments

• Supported the launch of an Anti-Rape Cell at a major public hospital in Islamabad in 2024 through collaboration with civil society and legal advocacy partners. 
• Strengthened women’s electoral participation through voter registration campaigns, media advocacy, and civic education initiatives. 
• Achieved court rulings reinforcing the enforcement of women’s political representation quotas, strengthening gender equality in electoral processes. 
• Partnered with the State Bank of Pakistan to train thousands of rural women in financial literacy and expand access to formal banking systems. 
• Supported the formation of a national Women Journalists Association, advancing protections and professional rights for women in media. 
• Contributed to policy dialogue on climate change from a gender perspective through research and advocacy publications. 
• Submitted influential shadow reports to the CEDAW Committee, strengthening international scrutiny of women’s rights in Pakistan. 
• Developed electoral reform recommendations to expand women’s representation and improve voting access and safety. 
• Contributed to key national legal reforms including domestic violence legislation, inheritance rights protections, anti-rape laws, and protections for domestic workers. 
• Responded to humanitarian crises with gender-sensitive disaster relief and rehabilitation programs.

Organizational Programs and Activities

Special Talent Exchange Program (STEP)

• The Aurat Foundation has collaborated with the International Foundation of Electoral Systems (IFES) and the National Commission on the Status of Women to sponsor a policy dialogue to increase PWD participation in the political process.
• Through an Android app developed in 2015 called DIVE, persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Pakistan are now able to obtain information about local facilities and resources available to them, including education and rehabilitation centers, employment opportunities, and laws and guidelines for voter registration. The Aurat Foundation is working to make this app accessible to every disabled citizen in Pakistan.
• In collaboration with the Embassy of the United States and the Ministry of Law, Justice, and Human Rights, each year the Aurat Foundation celebrates International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

AAWAZ Voice and Accountability

• This five-year program is strengthening civil society and democratic processes in Pakistan through increased transparency, inclusivity, and accountability in 45 districts across Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. The Aurat Foundation addresses a range of issues relating to democratic accountability such as the disenfranchisement of women, intra-party women's quotas on general seats, and access to gender-disaggregated data.

Gender Equity Program (GEP)

• The Aurat Foundation, in collaboration with the Asia Foundation, is providing over 400 grants to civil society organizations and gender-related governmental organizations. The Aurat Foundation’s outreach efforts extend to all of Pakistan's districts, to organizations working at the grassroots and community levels, and to others working regionally and nationally.

SUBAI Provincial Assembly

• The Aurat Foundation’s SUBAI program provides wide-ranging support services to Pakistan’s Provincial and Legislative Assemblies in Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, and KPK. The Aurat Foundation currently collaborates with the Delegation of the European Union in Pakistan to support democratic processes and government accountability. The program provides capacity-building and technical support for elected representatives, selected committees, and secretariats of the Provincial Assemblies.

LISTEN—Leverage in Social Transformation of Elected Nominees

• The Aurat Foundation is promoting active citizenship among 1,200 women and youth in 30 targeted districts by building their capacity to dialogue and engage with their elected provincial and national assembly representatives. The Foundation is assisting at the policy-making and implementation levels to promote women's interests and to create frameworks for implementing policies for women at the grassroots level.

Benazir Income Support Program (SM-BISP)

• Through the BISP program, the Aurat Foundation is increasing the economic empowerment of poor people and dependent family members, including women and youth. BISP initiatives have reduced poverty and promoted a more equitable distribution of wealth in Pakistan through Unconditional Cash Transfers (UCTs), Conditional Cash Transfers, vocational training, interest-free microfinance loans, and healthcare for vulnerable persons.

Policy and Data Monitoring on Violence Against Women

• The Aurat Foundation monitors and documents cases of violence against women and works towards making the issue a higher priority on the agendas of major political parties and decision-making bodies at the national level. The Aurat Foundation conducts evidence-based research on violence against women and on medical and legal support services, and helps legislative bodies incorporate their findings and those of other NGOs into new policies and legislation. The Aurat Foundation has given technical and human resources support to the Ministry of Human Rights, and assisted its Law Reform Committee on drafting bills against rape and honor crimes.