Aurat Foundation
Aurat Foundation is a women's rights organization based in Islamabad, Pakistan. Aurat Foundation does active lobbying and advocacy on behalf of women. It also holds demonstrations and public-awareness campaigns.
Aurat Publication and Information Service Foundation (Aurat Foundation/AF) is registered in 1986 as a non-profit society under the Societies' Registration Act 1860. Aurat Foundation has its Head Office in Islamabad, and four regional offices in the provincial capitals (Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta). Further, AF has a countrywide network of voluntary citizens' groups and individual activists. These groups include Citizens Action Committees (CACs), Resource Groups and Aurat Foundation Resource Centres (AF-RCs) and Information Network Centres (INCs). With its local partners in all the districts of Pakistan, AF is a national organisation with the largest district level network in the country. AF is a civil society organisation working for women's empowerment and citizens' rights with the collaboration of citizens' groups and organisations to provide information, build capacity and undertake advocacy for women's issues and for good governance in Pakistan.
Goals
- Assist women to acquire greater control over knowledge, resources and institutions.
- Influence social attitudes and behavior for a sensitive and responsive social environment to address women's concerns and development.
- Develop a strong network of civil society organizations to support women at the community and district level.
- Undertake advocacy with public servants and public representatives for development policies and planning as well as supportive legislation that increases women's access to development opportunities and resources.
- Facilitate women's greater participation in political processes and governance.
- Develop and strengthen networks of citizens' organizations for strengthening citizens' struggle for accountable and transparent governance and participatory democracy in Pakistan.