CASE STUDY

A Step Towards Women

Empowerment
Chak no. 75/F Hasilpur, District Bahwalpur

By Naushad Kazi

CASE STUDY
CHAK NO- 75/F, HASILPUR

A downtrodden village of the tehsil Hasilpur named Chak no. 75 was formed in 1935;
merely 20 kilometres far away from the tehsil head quarter in district Bahwalpur. A total
population of the village is around 2400 people or 300-350 households approximately.
Unfortunately, water is scarce or contaminated in the vicinity. Hence, the people of the village
are compelled to drink arsenic contaminated ground water for last many decades. The quality
of the available water is apparently drinkable, but it changes colour after some time and turns
yellowish. So, it isnt safe to drink because transmits diseases such as diarrhoea, dysentery,
typhoid, cholera, and hepatitis. Population belongs to the middle and lower income group,
majority of which associated with different professional groups vary from farm labour to
daily wagers.

Usually, women and children bear the burden of fetching water, so they use buckets to
haul water from outside faucet which is 5 kilometre far away from their homes. Sometimes,
such women and children can take up to three trips a day to gather and transport water.
These walks could average ten miles a day, so carrying water up to fifteen litres every trip
creates trouble for such people and often they face back, feet, and posture problems. Like
everywhere else, gender inequality was found very common. Before this, many water supply
schemes were announced and implemented to facilitate people to drink fresh water by the
government but all were designed and given the communities without appropriate planning
and community consensus. Hence, people didnt own them and finally such schemes became
useless.

The people were informed that due to all these observations, Govt. of Punjab thoroughly
studied various options and finally decided to establish an independent institution called
Punjab Saaf Paani Committee PSPC, an initiative by the Government of Punjab has
intervened to install filter plants and other suitable schemes in the area of south Punjab.
Specifically in such village, a scheme of the filter plant was approved by the Saaf Pani
Company (PSPC) and implemented by MDF & Awaz CDS with mutual support of EMC.
The mobilization process was finalized in the village and the sessions about nature and
importance of Saaf Paani Committees were delivered. While formation of the Saaf Paani
Committee, in which 70% populations presence is mandatory for formation of General Body
and Executive body. Due to efforts of the field officers of Awaz CDS & MDF whom
mobilized the community, the villagers took weird decision and realized gender inequality
and injustice. The community have contemplated to empower their women to come forward
and take steps ahead to develop their status and identity in the village as well as in the city
and also at broad level. The community have shown their trust womens abilities and brought
them in front and assigned them very significant positions in the Saaf Pani Committee of the
village. The community trusted them for the positions of Vice President and Finance
Secretary.
Mrs. Hafeeza Bano was elected to work as Vice President and Mrs. Nasreen Akhtar was
given position to work as a Finance Secretary.

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