Aurat Foundation

Introduction:

Aurat Foundation was established in 1986, as a national, non-profit, non-governmental

organization under the Societies' Registration Act 1860, Aurat Publication and Information
Service Foundation (Aurat Foundation/AF) is committed to create widespread awareness and
commitment for a just, democratic and caring society in Pakistan, where women and men are
recognized as equals, with the right to lead their lives with self-respect and dignity. Over the last
28 years, Aurat Foundation has come to be recognized nationally and internationally as one of
the leading institutions creating, facilitating and strengthening civil society groups and networks
for promoting trust and collaboration among citizens to mobilize public pressure for women’s
empowerment in the country.

Aurat Foundation has its Head Office in Islamabad, and five regional offices in the provincial
capitals in Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and Gilgit, and 37 Field Offices. Further, it has a
countrywide network of voluntary citizens' groups and individual activists in 128 districts in the
country. These groups include Citizens Action Committees (CACs), Resource Groups and Aurat
Foundation Resource Centers (AF-RCs) and Information Network Centers (INCs).

The Foundation has also emerged as a major support institution for civil society
organizations working for social change at the community level. The Gender Equity Program
aims at closing the gender gap in Pakistan by proactively supporting the development of women.
The program seeks to facilitate behavioral change in society by enabling women to access
information, resources and institutions, and improve societal attitudes towards women's rights
issues.

Advantages:

i. To enable women to acquire greater access to knowledge, resources and institutions

ii. To influence attitudes and behavior for a social environment responsive to women's
concerns and people- centered issues
 iii. To facilitate citizens' active participation in the process of social change and governance
at all levels.

iv. They provide caring and friendly environment for women

v. They work for all socio-economic classes and also for both illiterate and literate groups.

vi. They support women's participation in decision-making and their activism, as well as to
enhance their access to opportunities and facilities at all levels

Criticism:

i. Their main focus is to promote equality between men and women but still in our
society omen have to face inequality in many fields of life.
ii. They work for both literate and illiterate and also for rural areas but the women of
rural areas have no access to them because it has a long procedure.
iii. They collaborate with USAID that is international NGO that bring projects which are
indirectly beneficial for them.

Conclusion:

NGOs play a critical part in developing society, improving communities, and promoting
citizen participation. Aurat Foundation is also working for the welfare of society and to empower
women in every field of life. Their main aim is to facilitate women and to overcome gender
based violation and to create equality between men and women but it lags to create equality in
many fields of life like wages gap.
 Assignment

NGO
Topic:
Critical analysis of NGO
Course title:
NGO
Submitted By:
Ammara Aslam, Sana Ijaz
Roll no :
34, 54
Submitted To:
Ma’am Kiran Usman
Department:
Sociology, 8th Semester
Session:
2015-2019

GC Women University, Sialkot