LAHORE: A delegation from the British Council’s Aawaz-II Programme, led by Dr Yasmin Zaidi, called on Secretary Social Welfare and Bait-ul-Maal Punjab, Mr. Javed Akhtar Mahmood, to deliberate on sustaining the community engagement structures established under the programme as it enters its phasing-out stage by March 2027.
The delegation included Arshad Mehmood Khan, Deputy Team Lead; Ms Raffat Yasmin, Pillar Lead; and Ms Summiya Yousaf, Provincial Lead Aawaz-II. Senior officials from the Social Welfare Department, including Ms Amina Munir, Additional Secretary, and Iftikhar Saleem Bhatti, Deputy Secretary (Technical), were also present.
Welcoming the delegates, Secretary Mahmood appreciated the British Council’s role in promoting social inclusion and protection of vulnerable groups. Dr. Zaidi briefed the meeting on the Aawaz-II programme’s extensive outreach, which currently operates through 900 Aawaz Aagahi Centres and a network of 29,946 volunteers across 23 districts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, reaching over 26.9 million individuals. She noted that the programme has played a key role in supporting provincial and district-level policy actions, particularly those addressing gender-based violence, child marriage, and social exclusion. Through awareness campaigns and behaviour change initiatives, the programme has reached 20 million people via social media, directly engaged 44,059 individuals in knowledge-building sessions, enabled 55,456 people to access services through Aagahi Centres, and benefitted 66,639 individuals through social cohesion and collective community actions.
Deputy Team Lead Arshad Mehmood highlighted the productive collaboration between Aawaz II and the Social Welfare Department, noting that field formations of the department have provided full support since the programme’s inception. He said that Aawaz-II forums have actively assisted in promoting the Himmat Card initiative by spreading awareness among marginalised citizens about its benefits, and praised the department’s ongoing efforts for the welfare of underprivileged communities.
Dr. Zaidi informed the Secretary that Aawaz-II is now entering its final implementation phase, scheduled to conclude in March 2027, and emphasised the importance of ensuring sustainability of its community networks beyond the programme’s closure. She urged the department to consider institutional mechanisms to enable the volunteers and forums to continue their work independently.
Secretary Mahmood assured the delegation that the department would extend full support to sustain the Aawaz II legacy. He announced that volunteers would be provided working spaces in Social Welfare field offices and would also be included in district advisory committees to ensure their continued participation in community initiatives.
The meeting also reviewed Aawaz-II’s policy and legislative contributions in Punjab. The programme’s sustained advocacy led to the notification of the Punjab Hindu Marriage Act rules in February 2025, safeguarding the rights of more than 228,000 members of the Hindu community. Through awareness drives and coordination with district authorities, Aawaz-II also facilitated the activation of Disability Assessment Boards at tehsil level, improving access to certification and services for persons with disabilities. The programme further contributed to provincial pre-budget consultations, ensuring that recommendations from vulnerable groups were integrated into development planning, with nearly 40 per cent adopted by the relevant departments.
Since its pilot phase between January 2020 and December 2022 in 13 districts, Aawaz II has expanded to 10 additional districts since May 2023, now covering 23 districts including Sialkot, Sargodha, Hafizabad, Sheikhupura, Toba Tek Singh, Sahiwal, Khanewal, Vehari, Bahawalnagar, Muzaffargarh, Multan, Lodhran, Pakpattan, Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur, Faisalabad, Nankana Sahib, Kasur, Khushab, Narowal, Layyah and Jhang. Through community-led forums and early warning systems linked with district administrations, the programme has promoted tolerance, inclusion, and social cohesion, with active participation from women with disabilities, transgender persons, and religious minorities.
Concluding the meeting, Secretary Social Welfare Punjab Javed Akhter Mahmood expressed gratitude to the British Council for its continued partnership and reaffirmed the department’s commitment to institutionalising community participation mechanisms. “The Department recognises the immense contribution of Aawaz II volunteers. Their inclusion in advisory committees and continued engagement through our field offices will ensure that the spirit of social inclusion and empowerment remains alive beyond 2027,” he remarked.
Aawaz-II, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and implemented by the British Council, works with local communities in Punjab to promote inclusion, tolerance, and social cohesion while addressing harmful practices such as gender-based violence, child marriage, and discrimination. Its community-led model, in collaboration with the Social Welfare Department, continues to serve as a benchmark for sustainable grassroots engagement and inclusive development in the province.