Child Marriage Legislation and Challenges The latest episode of Ranra (Light) highlighted the issue of child marriage and the existing challenges in coping up with this social issue. Child marriage does not only present a negative image of the society, but also deprives young girls of their basic rights. The guests on the show, Mr. Hamad Ramzan, an advocate and Ms. Salma Khattak, shared that child marriage is a custom that is still practiced all over the country especially in rural and underdeveloped areas of Pakistan. Ms. Salma noted that poverty is the main reason behind child marriages as a major proportion of the population is living below the poverty line. The other reasons are our customary practices like Swara (a young girl is married as punishment for a crime committed by her male relatives to end the enmity) and Satta Wata (exchange marriage) under which young girls are forced to marry to end an old feud. There is inequality when it comes to focusing on the health and education of female children as more focus is given to the male child and this is also a contributory factor for child marriages. While talking about legislation she added that legal bills, especially relating to women's issues, are often sent to the Council of Islamic Ideology for revision and it usually results in uncalled delays in the process of bringing it to the parliament. The percentage of early marriages remains high in girls as compared to boys. She elaborated that in tribal districts over 70% of girls get married before they reach the age of 18, exposing them to physical and psychological problems. Mr. Hamad Ramzan said that due to this illicit practice young women remain unable to continue their learning or they may be forced to stop education. While discussing the effective implementation of child marriage laws he said that unfortunately most of the cases of child marriages happening remain unreported due to ignorance among the local communities. He said that people need to...

Youth Volunteerism for Civic Engagement   The latest episode of Jwandai Jazbey (Alive Spirit) discussed the importance of youth volunteerism for civic engagement with emphasis on volunteer activities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A spirit of volunteerism is a dire need if we want the youth to share responsibilities with the state. The guest in the show, Mr. Shahzad Hanif, a well-known volunteer in Peshawar said that volunteerism teaches us to understand the problems of others, being considerate of their feelings and helping out for the sake of Allah Almighty. Defining volunteerism, he said that social activism is aimed at bringing change in the society; however, this may be confined to social media activities while volunteerism is to serve people practically.   Mr. Shehzad said that volunteerism can affect the society largely, though it is another topic that volunteers are not encouraged at times. Volunteerism can be done at different levels and in different scenarios such as removing trash from the streets. He shared that the concept of Dewar-e-Meharbani (wall of kindness) was initiated in Peshawar by his team as a part of volunteer activities. He suggested that volunteerism doesn't have to be age bound and all segments of society can contribute as per their capacity. The guest on call, Mr. Asad Lodhi, a volunteer, emphasized that it is the moral responsibility of every individual whether rich or poor to serve as a volunteer. We must utilize our resources for helping people. Volunteer groups prove to be beneficial for the entire society. A big population in the country is poor and they cannot afford quality food and health facilities therefore we must assist them. If you get involved in voluntarism, you will learn a lot of things and gain experience that will benefit you in personal as well as professional life. The report by Mr. Farid Shinwari shared the details of voluntary activities continuing in Peshawar and the respondents were of the opinion that only youth...

Electoral Process in Merged Tribal Districts     The latest episode of Jarga Maraka (Debate and Council) discussed the recent political developments and 26th Constitutional Amendment regarding an increased number of seats for former FATA. The guest on the show, Mr. Sangeen Khan, an advocate, said that Frontier Crimes Resolution (FCR) had been hampering the political process and administrative measures in the past. He commended the collaborative role of the media, civil society organizations and different stakeholders in the abolition of FCR. Mr. Sangeen said that a merger was prioritized over a separate province because the tribal areas are closer to the more settled areas for instance Mohmand is closer to Charsada. Moreover, a separate province would have proven to be troublesome for the people. The legislature has given a feeling of ownership to the tribal districts and it should be visible in the National Finance Commission (NFC) award too. The guest on call, spokesperson for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Mr. Altaf Ahmad, said that in order to facilitate the electoral process there have been certain changes in the election schedule and a delay of six months is to ensure the maximum participation of the electorates. Redefining the delimitation of constituencies will be ensured in the given timeline. The second guest on call, Mr. Sajid Hussain, a sitting Member of National Assembly (MNA) said that everyone is aiming for immediate decision making in the Senate after the National Assembly’s consent on the 26th Constitutional Amendment. The report by Mr. Gul Hussain shared the facts and figures and responses of the general public regarding the election campaign. The report by Mr. Afzal Mohmand highlighted the importance of the constitutional amendment and the long term impacts of inclusion of tribal people in policy making. About Sabawoon: Sabawoon airs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) since 2011. It began as a...

Fasting for Tolerance and Peace   The latest episode of Ranra (Light) highlighted the importance of tolerance and acceptance for peace building with reference to ongoing holy month of Ramadan. The guest on the show, Dr. Izhar from Institute of Kidney Diseases, Peshawar said that fasting is meant for both physical and spiritual training and we must understand the objectives and the positive messages hidden in the practice of fasting. He added that multiple researches have proved that this exercise really helps in promoting tolerance and patience.   Since it is observed that the level of tolerance is on a decline generally in society therefore it is really important to understand the social aspects of this particular month and how along term tolerant behavior can be developed. He also suggested that in order to avail maximum health benefits people should restrict themselves to a healthy diet and routine instead of getting indulging in excessive eating. The field based report by Ms. Ceena Naeem shared the benefits of fasting on individuals and on society as a whole. Two messages were received during the show.   About Sabawoon: Sabawoon airs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) since 2011. It began as a counter-radicalization, strategic communications program, designed to highlight and promote the fundamental governance values such as democracy, rule of law, women’s rights, and equal citizenry, social cohesion. The show airs Tuesday through Thursday every week under four themes on FM-101.5 Peshawar and Dera Ismail Khan 711 kHz from 3:20 PM to 4:00 PM. On Tuesday, Jarga Maraka covers current affairs and important regional issues with input from government and other senior officials. Jwandai Jazbey airs on Wednesday and deals with issues of relevance to, and significance for, youth, students and women. Socio-cultural and female issues are discussed in Ranra on Thursday. The primary objective of the show has been to...

Right to Education for Orphans The latest episode of Jwandai Jazbey (Alive Spirit) discussed the right to education for orphans and state’s responsibility regarding it. The show was hosted by a transgender, encouraging inclusion and equal citizenry for all genders. The guest on the show, Mr. Imran Takar, a children's rights activist said that orphans living in Pakistan are often deprived of their basic rights to education, health and dignity leading to many social and economic problems which in turn makes them vulnerable to numerous crimes. Moreover, orphans are often denied from the right to inheritance when their one or both parents die. This adds to their many troubles and miseries. The provision of equal opportunities to orphans and street children is the collective responsibility of the society and government and to ensure facilities and resources to relieve this marginalized and vulnerable segment. The second guest on the show, Mr. Usman Marwat, a social activist shared that his organization was working to support orphans. However, in order to protect the rights of orphans and other poor children of the society more legislation and implementation is needed. There are some welfare organizations striving to support the orphaned, but the government should also set up orphanages and provide with the resources of education, boarding and other facilities so that these children may enjoy their rights without any discrimination and deprivation. This will enable these children to become productive and valued citizens of the society. The first report by Mr. Shakir Mehsud highlighted the social issues faced by the orphans. The respondents added that in the constitution there is no particular mention about orphans. Article 14 and 25 of the constitution discuss the rights of individuals and what should be the state responsibilities in this regard, but no specific mention of orphans and disabled has been noted. This is the call of the day to do legislation for the...

Say No to Plastic Campaign   The latest episode of Jarga Maraka (Debate and Council) discussed the recent campaign of 'Say No to Plastic Bags' in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The guest on the show, Ms. Sara Rehman, Assistant Commissioner, Peshawar stated that the provincial government of KP has put a ban on the use of plastic bags to ensure a clean and safe environment as the excessive use of plastic bags is proving to be a menace for our society. District Administration has adopted a gradual but steady policy to discourage the use of plastic bags and replacing them with biodegradable and cloth bags. Responding to a question regarding the industry and human sources involved in the production of  plastic bags she explained that all the stakeholders are on board and we have assured them that government will not immediately shut down this industry. However, they have been asked to change their technology and adopt more environmental friendly methods. The alternative is biodegradable bags which are not made of polythene chemical. They have the option of producing biodegradable and cloth bags. The second guest on the show, Mr. Lehaz Ali, a journalist said that according to news reports an increase of 15% has been noted with each passing year in the use of plastic bags. There are 160,000 people directly associated with this industry and 600,000 indirectly involved. Public awareness is crucial to discourage this trend along with clear legislation and implementation. A field-based report by Mr. Tahir Rasheed shared the facts and figures regarding the excessive use of plastic bags and the need for immediate substitutes. About Sabawoon: Sabawoon airs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) since 2011. It began as a counter-radicalization, strategic communications programme, designed to highlight and promote the fundamental governance values such as democracy, rule of law, women’s rights, and equal citizenry, social cohesion. The show airs...