Introduction

Development Area, a project of Women Workers Help Line is working on four themes including education, human security, governance, and women rights. Women Workers Help Line took an initiative of launching “Progressive Young Girls” to address the issues of female youth and to formulate the girls group into an association under the theme of Human Security.

Progressive Young Girls organized a meeting on 31^st July in Carton Tower Hotel to form its executive body through elections paving a way to democracy in societal young generation. One hundred and thirty young girls passionately participated in the meeting from Shahdara, Kot Lakhpat and Badami Bagh.

Objectives

The meeting started with the warm welcome of Ms. Rabia Shad. After introducing Women Workers Help Line and Progressive Young Girls she shared the aimed objectives of the meeting which are as follows:

• To formulate an executive body comprising of three area coordinators and one convener through elections

• To share the literature prepared with the participants

Proceedings

Ms Rabia Shad shared the previous activities and activity calendar for next six months of Progressive Young Girls in her presentation. She said we are struggling hard to gather more and more girls on this platform. With the passage of time this youth association will come up with energetic young leaders to be the part of mainstream, she opined.

She shared the literature comprising of membership forms, membership card and fund receipts with the participants.

Proceeding to her presentation she announced for the candidates to contest elections for area coordinators. The candidates were Ms. Maria Saleem and Ms. Sadaf from Kot Lakhpat, Ms. Amber Naqvi and Ms. Ayesha from Shahdara and Ms. Beenish Ayub and Ms. Saba from Badami Bagh.

Speeches of Candidates

Ms. Maria Saleem from Kot Lakhpat said in our society the problems of girls are very intense which is the basic reason of less participation of girls in outside activities. But I want to overcome and shatter the fears of young girls in my area for their maximum participation in on going activities of life.

Ms. Sadaf from Kot Lakhpat said girls in our area are too much pressurized particularly by the family and societal behaviors. I want to lessen their fears and enable them to come outside with same courage which I do have.

Ms. Amber Naqvi from Shahdara said I feel myself very lucky to be the part of this organization and I want to gather more girls on this platform to strengthen the female youth of our area, she said.

Ms. Ayesha from Shahdara said we are very thankful to WWHL for taking this initiative. I want to bring closer the female youth of my area to address and solve their problems, she opined.

Ms. Beenish Ayub from Badami Bagh said it is a golden moment to address the problems of female youth when we have an actual structure leading by young girls. I want to put beast of my efforts in it, she said.

Ms. Saba from Badami Bagh said I was very unconfident but now I am courageous enough to take the lead of young girls, she revealed.

Elections for Area Coordinator

Three election pools were formed and community girls casted vote at their own will for area coordinators. The election commission counted the votes later.

The results were:

Voting results for Area Coordinator

From the results the selected coordinator for Badami Bagh was Ms. Beenish Ayub, Ms. Maria Saleem for Kot Lakhpat and Ms. Amber Naqvi for Shahdara.

Elections for Convener

Elections were held for Convener in which Ms. Rabia Shad and Ms. Sana Safdar contested the elections. All participants casted their votes for convener of the Progressive Young Girls. Election commission counted the votes and result        

Voting results for Convener of PYG

The four members executive body was formed which will in their area of work for three months and same process will be repeated after three months.

Young girls who attended the meeting found it very visionary and progressive. They sang revolutionary songs and expressed themselves openly.