By Khalid Khan

ISLAMABAD (TSAT) In khyber Pakhtunkhwa one of the four provinces of Pakistan located in northwestern region of country, along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border a network comprising of newly elected local government representatives established a champion to promote girls’ secondary education.

The formation was announced during the event jointly organized by Blue Veins, non-governmental organization working for girl’s secondary education, and Pakistan Education Champion Network.

The event was organized to sensitize newly elected local government representatives on their relevant role in improving girls’ access to education, identify and address the barriers that keep girls from learning and fulfilling their potential.

100 newly elected local government representatives in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa joined hands to improve retention and transition rates for marginalized girls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by increasing their access to education and engaging communities through a social mobilization campaign.

While addressing the session Sana Ahmad from Blue Veins shared that: “the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government (Amendment) Act, 2019 puts key responsibility on the local government representatives to monitor and prepare quarterly reports on the performance of functionaries of all offices located in the area including Educational institutions.

“Other than their mandated role, local government representatives can play an important role in behavioral change in the community towards girls’ education and encourage masses to be engaged in community-level change.” Sana added

Naseem Riaz, newly elected Local Government Representatives said, “local Govt representatives have strong connection with community which can strengthen their role not only in monitoring state of girls' secondary education in their areas but they should take individual and collective actions to improve social conditions for improved retention and decreased dropouts.”

Qamar Naseem Program Manager Blue Veins and member Education Champion Network Pakistan Said: “civil society is committed to extend their full and collaborative support to all levels of decision making bodies and government representatives to promote gender equality in education systems and bringing out of school children in education institutions.”