Our History

The idea for the Pakistan Association for Women's Studies was first conceived in 1991 at the National Workshop on Women’s Studies organised: A Pakistani Perspective by the Centre of Excellence in Women’s Studies at the University of Karachi. PAWS was formed in March 1991 in Karachi by activists and academics with feminist consciousness to acts as a catalyst to bring about the empowerment of women, transforming a gender biased society into one inclusive of gender equity and social justice.

Objectives

PAWS has the following objectives:

• To provide a forum for interaction and coordination for those engaged    in teaching, research or action for women’s studies and for women’s    development

• To build solidarity among women's studies practitioners globally

• To identify, re-examine and develop feminist research and training    methodologies which are relevant to the Pakistani situation.

• To under take participatory/action oriented research that is sensitive    to issues of gender and development in Pakistan and in the region of    South Asia

• To strengthen the capabilities of Pakistani women researchers through    training, education and research activities

• To network with individuals and groups working for elimination of    discrimination against women

• To seek visibility for women home-based workers through the media    and in national policy

• To assist women in their self employment and income generating    activities

• To report and translate research findings in a manner usable by policy    makers and relevant groups

• To organize conferences, seminars, workshops and short courses on    women’s studies and feminist issues with the purpose of promoting and    defending the interest of women’s studies
   Pakistan Association for Women’s Studies functions under the    supervision of an advisory committee and is governed by its    Constitution. PAWS is registered (Registration No. DSW (726)-K. of    1992) under the Voluntary Social Welfare Agencies (Registration and    Control) Ordinance 1961 (XLVI 0f 1961).

Pakistan Association for Women’s Studies functions under the supervision of an advisory committee and is governed by its Constitution. PAWS is registered (Registration No. DSW (726)-K. of 1992) under the Voluntary Social Welfare Agencies (Registration and Control) Ordinance 1961 (XLVI 0f 1961).

Membership

PAWS is a member-based organization. Among its members are academics, journalists, lawyers, business women, medical doctors, non-professional women, and students. Individuals and institutions may join PAWS as ordinary or life members.
Membership forms and fee
For enquiry and forms please mail a request to our office address or email us at: niswan_pk@hotmail.com

PAWS has undertaken the following steps:

Research

PAWS has a team of trained researchers and field workers. We have completed several research studies. Our most recent research is collaborative team research (Canada, Indonesia and Pakistan) on Women’s Experience of Reproductive Health in the Family in Canada, Indonesia and Pakistan: A Comparative-Intergenerational Life-Story Project. The Project is funded by IDRC & SSHRC, Canada.

Library

PAWS has more than 2500 books, periodicals and reports in its collection. It has photo copies of some nineteenth and early twentieth century Urdu texts in its collection.

Our Publications
Journal & Newsletter

• Pakistan Journal of Women’s Studies: Alam-e-Niswan published twice a   year since 1994.

• Panghat, a bi-lingual (Urdu-Sindhi) Newsletter published twice a year    and distributed gratis to women’s organisations (due to logistical and    financial constraints PAWS has suspended this well-received    publication).

• Women’s March ’93- Abolish Violence

• Women’s March ’94 –Women’s Rights are Men’s Rights

• Women’s March ’95 – Girl Child- the Woman of the 21st Century.
   (Publication suspended due to paucity of resources).

Books

Azra Abbas, Translated by Yasmeen Hameed (1998) Voyages of Sleep

Nasreen Ayub (1994) The Self–Employed Women in Pakistan: A Case Study of the Self-Employed Women of Urban Informal Sector in Karachi.

Unaiza Niaz-Anwar (1997) Cotemporary Women of Pakistan: A Psycho-Social Perspective.

To buy these publications please send enquiry to info@pakistanwomenstudies.com or
niswan_pk@hotmail.com
pakwomenstudies@gmail.com