Peshawar: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Pakistan and Hashoo Foundation, in collaboration with the climate change, forestry, environment and wildlife department marked the completion of the training programme for Swat’s environmental human rights defenders and insider mediators here on Tuesday.
The programme is a milestone under ‘Empowering Women for Peace and Environmental Justice in Swat, ‘ part of UNDP’s Decentralization, Human Rights and Local Governance (DHL) Project. ‘
Forty Environmental Human Rights Defenders and Insider Mediators-20 women and 20 men-completed the two training cohorts. The initiative connects Women, Peace and Security, environmental justice and peace building by supporting women’s leadership, community dialogue and responsible engagement with public institutions.
Addressing the ceremony, Shahab Ali Shah, Chief Secretary of the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, lauded the initiative. He emphasized that building localized conflict resolution frameworks and empowering environmental advocates are critical pillars for strengthening regional stability and addressing complex ecological transitions across the province.
Muhammad Junaid Khan, Secretary for the Climate Change, Forestry, Environment and Wildlife Department, delivered the opening remarks, outlining the department’s firm commitment to institutionalizing grassroots environmental defense networks.
‘Environmental pressures can also become peace building concerns. Floods, unmanaged waste, pressure on water and land, environmental degradation and climate risks affect livelihoods and can strain community relations, ‘ said Dr Samuel Rizk, Resident Representative, UNDP Pakistan. ‘Trained Environmental Human Rights Defenders and Insider Mediators do not replace public institutions. They can help identify concerns early, reduce misunderstanding, convene respectful dialogue, document issues responsibly and guide communities toward institutions with the mandate to respond. ‘, ” remarked Dr. Samuel Rizk, Resident Representative of UNDP Pakistan, during his closing address.
Ten participants-five women and five men-shared reflections on behalf of the wider cohort. They reflected on applying dialogue and mediation to environmental concerns in Swat, supporting women’s participation and recognizing when an issue should be referred to institutions with the authority and technical capacity to respond. A video presentation documented the participants’ learning journey.
The trained community actors can help identify concerns early, convene inclusive dialogue and connect communities with environmental, disaster-management, justice and local-governance mechanisms.