In many communities in Pakistan women live in the fear, violence and terror due to the Taliban and military operations; many have become Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) due to the conflict. These women witness human rights violations, including the beheading of people and the hanging of their bodies on the streets, and some women are restricted in their mobility and banned from receiving an education.

Aware Girls, founded in 2002 and based in Peshawar, Pakistan, is a young women-led organization working for women’s empowerment, gender equality, and peace in Pakistan. This renewal grant from the Ignacio Martín-Baró Fund will support a new project working with internally displaced women on gender issues. The project’s aim is to heal the mental health trauma of women affected by terrorism in Pakistan in hopes these women can move forward in their lives and can contribute to their own development and towards the protection of human rights in their society.

The project will be implemented in the Swat area, a region deeply affected by terrorism. A manual on Trauma and Torture Treatment will be developed which will included resources for trauma treatment, basic human rights, the effects of human rights violations on societies, and educational materials about the social realities which led to the conflict situation in the area. Visit www.awaregirls.webs.com to learn more about the organization.