Recent Accomplishments

• The Aurat Foundation has collaborated with a range of civil society organizations on women’s rights legislative advocacy. Recent successes have included the passage of a domestic violence bill in three provinces, the Anti-Rape Criminal Amendment Act of 2015, the Child Marriage Restrained Act in Sindh, and a new home-based workers’ policy in Sindh and Balochistan. In early 2017, the Aurat Foundation’s advocacy for the Hindu Marriage Bill led to the bill’s passage in the Pakistani Senate. This bill helps protect Hindu women from forced conversions to Islam by giving them access to official documentation to prove that they are married. 
• Since July 2011, the Aurat Foundation has been collaborating with the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) on women’s Computerized National Identity Cards (CNIC), voter registration, and voter education in 34 districts. In 2013 alone, this campaign provided CNICs to nearly 1.6 million women.
• In 2017, Aurat Foundation organized a national conference of women journalists in collaboration with Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, where the resolution was passed demanding reservation of seats for women in the National Press Club (NPC) Governing body. The demand was accepted and the NPC constitution was changed as result. Female journalists who participated in WLP-based trainings played a vital role in putting forward and later implementing the demand. Aurat Foundation also funded the NPC to make a room for women journalists and to create space for women in the Press club.
• In 2012, the Aurat Foundation published and presented an influential shadow report for the UN CEDAW Committee on the current status of women’s rights in Pakistan while the country was under review by that body.
• The Aurat Foundation has conducted several rapid and far-reaching national campaigns for natural disaster relief, including rehabilitation of disaster survivors and crisis assistance for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Pakistan.
• The Aurat Foundation has led numerous campaigns to promote women's representation in local government. Since 1998, Aurat has been training women candidates on how to run for political office and conducting citizens' campaigns to maximize women's representation in local government elections in 1998-99, 2000 and 2005, 2008 and 2013.

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.