Social and Economic Management (SEM)

Programme Focus: 2008-2017

The Program aims to ensure access of targeted poorest of the poor communities to food and livelihood security, available state services and resources, dignified working conditions and labor rights, quality basic education (including life skills based education for young people) and basic and reproductive
healthcare services;

Background

It is one of the core programs of AWAZ which actually nurtures and provides basis for more than half of other Foundation’s projects and programmes. Social and economic management focuses on institutional and policy based management. This also focuses on promoting access to means of production, achieving food security, halting environmental degradation, increasing work opportunities and improving working conditions.

AWAZ believes that it is the state responsibility to manage all these by formulating pro-poor and community based policies. However, the state is unable to fulfill its responsibilities effectively particularly in remote, rural and for the marginalized communities. In the context of Southern Punjab, the existing power structure is main obstacle in provision and management of these services. AWAZ therefore takes initiative both at institutional and policy level for the improvement of the social and economic management. Realizing this aim means mobilizing and organizing communities in entire Southern Punjab, increasing availability and accessibility of education, healthcare and dignified economic opportunities livelihood and greater responsibilities in these arenas for provincial and federal government. Special attention is given to women and girls, education, mother and child health their nutrition, clean drinking water, Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH), and livelihood (income generation). AWAZ follows a strategy which includes mobilizing and organizing marginalized rural communities, supporting target-communities and partner VDCs in greater access to basic social services for the poorer sections of the population and lobbying with government and national and regional partner organizations to give priority to social and economic development of the
marginalized communities in the Southern Punjab.