Aware Girls facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Formation	2002
Founders	Gulalai Ismail, Saba Ismail
Founded at	Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Legal status	Non-governmental organization
Purpose	Women's rights advocacy, education
Headquarters	Peshawar
Chairperson	Gulalai Ismail

Aware Girls is a special group, also known as a non-governmental organization (NGO). It is based in Peshawar, a city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. This organization started in 2002. Its main goal is to help stop harm and unfair treatment against women and young girls in Pakistan. They work hard to support women's rights and education. Their aim is to help young women become strong leaders. They want these young women to bring positive change and empower other women in their communities.

Gulalai Ismail, a person who works for human rights, was the leader of Aware Girls. In 2018, the government in Pakistan closed Aware Girls. This happened after Gulalai became involved with the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM). This movement works for the human rights of the Pashtun people.

How Aware Girls Started

Aware Girls was created in Peshawar in 2002. It was started by two sisters, Gulalai Ismail and Saba Ismail. At that time, Gulalai was 16 and Saba was 15 years old.

They began by working in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa area. They spoke out against violence that targets people because of their gender. This included very harmful acts like "honour killings" and "acid attacks." Then, they started teaching girls and women about their human rights. They also taught them how to speak up for themselves within their families. Their goal was to help these women become leaders. These new leaders could then teach others in their own local areas.

Saba Ismail explained why they started the group. She said that growing up in Swabi, she saw how girls and women were often treated unfairly. She remembered a cousin who wanted to study and become a pilot. But at age 12, her cousin was made to marry a man 15 years older and had to stop her education. Saba was already working to help women get education and healthcare in college.

What Aware Girls Does

Aware Girls does many things to help young women. They help them become stronger at home and in their communities. They also teach young people to stand up against extreme ideas. They encourage peaceful ways to resist groups like the Taliban. They do this by teaching young people not to become radicalized. They also want more women to have important roles in politics.

They use their Youth Peace Network to reach out to people. This includes workshops and seminars. They create local youth groups. They also use a "peer-to-peer" method. This means young people teach and support each other. This helps them reach young people in rural areas who might be at risk.

Malala Yousafzai attended training with Aware Girls in 2011. In 2016, the Malala Fund started the Gulmakai Network. This network gets money from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It helps local groups like Aware Girls. These groups work on the front lines to get girls an education. They also try to change policies. Gulalai Ismail became one of the Gulmakai Champions.

Aware Girls also does research. They offer support and advice. They work to change laws for women in Pakistan. These women have been affected by difficult experiences from terrorism and violence. Saba Ismail's research showed that women are often hit harder by money problems caused by terrorism. She also found that family problems can lead to more violence at home. In 2015, she said, "Terrorism has ruined homes, properties, businesses, and ways people earn money. Children are scared and cry. Women have lost hope."

Aware Girls also has a special helpline called Marastyal. This helpline helps victims of violence at home. It connects women with people who can give emotional support. It also helps them get legal advice and emergency medical care.

Awards Received

Aware Girls has won several awards for its important work:

• In 2014, Aware Girls received the Global Rising Star award from the Star Foundation.
• On November 24, 2016, Aware Girls received the Fondation Chirac Peace Prize. This award was for their work in preventing conflict in Pakistan. The French president at the time, Francois Hollande, presented the award.

As the leader of Aware Girls, Gulalai Ismail also won many awards:

• The International Humanist of the Year Award from the International Humanist and Ethical Union.
• The Commonwealth Youth Award in 2015.
• The 2013 Democracy Award from National Endowment for Democracy.
• She was a joint winner of the Anna Politkovskaya Award. This award is from Reach All Women in WAR (RAW in WAR). She shared it with a journalist and activist named Gauri Lankesh, who was sadly killed. Gulalai won for her work against religious extremism.

Gulalai and Saba Ismail were also named among Foreign Policy's 100 Leading Global Thinkers of 2013. They were recognized for helping to empower girls in Pakistan.

Who Supports Aware Girls

Aware Girls has received money from several groups. Here are some of their partners and donors:

• MTV Staying Alive: This group helps with education and prevention of HIV/AIDS.
• The Global Fund for Children: This group gives money to small, local organizations. These organizations help children who are in need.
• Urgent Action Fund: This group provides financial support.
• Peace Direct: This is a British charity. It works in areas where there is conflict. It supports local groups that promote peace.
• NCCR (NGOs Coalition on Child Rights): This group works to put the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into action.

Aware Girls is also a member of many groups, both in Pakistan and around the world:

• All Pakistan Women's Association
• Association for Women's Rights in Development
• Humanists International
• International Association for Impact Assessment
• Young Humanists International
• Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights

See also

• Aurat Foundation
• Blue Veins (Pakistan)
• Fareeda Kokikhel Afridi
• Women Media Center