A Woman’s Undeterred Resolve

In a patriarchal society like Pakistan’s, working women face multiple problems. However, the societal limitations imposed on these women also bring out the best in some of them. Uzma Bashir, a member of the Mansehra District Council, is a prime example. After attending the training sessions organized by USAID Citizens’ Voice Project (CVP) for local government representatives, she successfully advocated for the formation of working committees to facilitate public service delivery.

The May 2015 local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa saw thousands of citizens elected to a political office for the first time. To enhance their performance by apprising them of their roles and responsibilities, USAID CVP, managed by the Trust for Democratic Education and Accountability (TDEA), launched its intervention titled “Enhancing the Capacity of Elected Representatives.”

On May 31, 2016, TDEA and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Governance School signed a memorandum of understanding to facilitate capacity-building of elected local government representatives from five districts of the province – Abbottabad, Charsadda, Mansehra, Mardan, and Swabi – on three topics: (i) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government Laws, Structure and Functions; (ii) Resource Management and Transparent Budgeting; and (iii) Participatory Development Planning.

Uzma Bashir, a mother of two and the sole bread earner of her family, was among the USAID CVP training participants. She got selected earlier as a district councilor from Mansehra, based on her proactive approach to social causes and the respect she had earned within her community.

Uzma’s resolve to work for the betterment of her constituents, especially women, received a boost after she attended the USAID CVP training sessions. Most importantly, she realized that the Mansehra District Council’s working committees mandated to address public interest issues were yet to be formed.

Based on the knowledge imparted to her during the training sessions, Uzma moved a resolution in the Mansehra District Council to form working committees as stipulated under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government Act, 2013.

Due to her advocacy with other members of the Mansehra District Council, Uzma’s resolution was unanimously passed after discussion.

“The USAID CVP training equipped me with the knowledge to nurture a healthy relationship between the state and the citizens. The formation of the committees that I instigated in Mansehra is the first step toward achieving this goal,” said Uzma, who now heads the Mansehra District Council’s Working Committee on Population and Welfare.