Report Walks on Reconstruction of Educational Institute1(

8/14/2019 Report Walks on Reconstruction of Educational Institute1(

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WALK ON RECONSTRUCTION

OF

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTES

A JOINT VENTURE OF PRESS FOR PEACE & ACTION AID 1


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The Activity

Since the reconstruction of Educational Institutes is delayed and a generation is suffering, i

the high time to force and push the concerned agencies, Government departments a

organizations to accelerate the process of reconstruction. To this end Press For Peace (PF

in collaboration with Action Aid arranged advocacy events in the three affected Districts

Azad Kashmir i.e. Muzaffarabad, Bagh and Rawlakot. The event comprised of walks in t

three Districts in which the key-stakeholders including students ( from Primary level to Deg

level), teachers, community representatives, community activists, members of civil sociorganizations, media personnels, representatives of national and international organizatio

participated proactively.

Objective

The main objective of these walks was to highlight the issue of delay in the reconstruction

Educational Institutes and put the attention of concerned authorities towards it and resolve it

priority basis.



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Arrangements for the walk

Press For Peace (PFP) utilized its already existing volunteers in all three districts w

voluntarily extended their support to mobilize key-stakeholders including, teachers, a

students of all ages both male and female, community representatives, civil society membe

journalists, community activists, representatives from trade unions and the officials

different national and international organizations. Requests letters were disseminated

School Management Committees to ensure their participation in the events. The managemcommittees were constituted to arrange for the walks in all three districts. Managem

committees were asked to build a strong liaison with the media so a comprehensive covera

of the event would be made possible.

Highlights of the walks

1. District Muzaffarabad ( Capital of AJ&K)

The major event held at Muzaffarabad on October 7, 2009 in which more the 6

individuals including children, students (male & female) from government school in

city as well as from the villages and other key-stakeholders participated enthusiasticalStudents were holding banners and play-cards with slogans written on them. Th

slogans were highlighting the issue of delay in reconstruction and its worst impacts

the educational future of students. The walk started from Club Hall near Bank Road a

ended at Central Press Club Muzaffarabad. At the end of walk various students a

community representatives delivered speeches in which they addressed concern

authorities to initiate and accelerate the process of reconstruction of educatio

institutions in the earthquake affected areas of AJ&K.



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Students carrying play-cards and banners

2. District Bagh

Same enthusiasm was seen in the district of Bagh. Here the walk was held on October2009 in which more than 300 individuals participated. The walk began from Haidri Chow

main Bazar and ended at Press Club Bagh. In this walk children, teachers, studen

representatives from trade unions and civil society organizations participated a

effectively highlighted the issue of delay in the reconstruction activities. At the end of

walk community representatives laid a great stress on the line departments to immediat

focus the adverse situation of educational institutes and provide them with the requir

facilities without any further delay.

3. District Rawalakot

On October 8, 2009 a walk in the District of Rawalakot was jointly organized

ActionAid, PFP and Poond Development Forum (PDF) in which more than 250 stude

and individuals from different walks of life participated. The walk started from Main Ba

and ended at District Court Complex. The participants had play-cards and banners in th

hands and at the end speeches were delivered by students and community. The rally w



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addressed by Sardar Qadeer, Chairman PDF, Sardar Basheer, Khawaja Khalil,Sar

Liaqaat and others office bearers of local political parties and NGOs. They urg

government to start the rehabilitation work on City Development Plan and reconstruct

of schools.

Role of Media

Media Gave extraordinary coverage to these walks. F.M Radio Muzaffarabad & Rawalak

telecasted special reports regarding the event. At the end of walk BBC and all other T

channels telecasted detailed news of this walk and gave encouraging coverage to all

educational institutes and the students of Azad Kashmir who have been facing bundle

problems due to poor and grieved condition of their institutes since earthquake of 20

International news agencies also delivered press release regarding the event reconstructi

Similar converge was observed in the media of Indian Administrated Kashmir, which ha

also suffered the damages of Earthquake. The overall converge of the Walks, apart fro

attracting the attention of policy makers and organizations related to rehabilitation, a

created a public debated about the delaying of educational institutes.



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( The details of press releases, news clippings and website links highlighting the activitywalks in three Districts of AJK, are available in another report)

Outcomes

Through series of walks, Key-Stakeholders are now well aware about the main causes

delay in construction of educational institutes

Real facts and figures regarding the reconstruction were brought in front of k

stakeholders

Line departments accepted the delay in construction process and identified constraints

Thorough media mass awareness campaign is triggered and duty-bearers are pushed

resolve issues and speed up the process of construction

Attention of competent authorities from EARRA, SERRA, EEAP are brought to the iss

and they have announced construction of education institutes as a priority issue to

resolved.

Recommendations

Continuous and coordinated efforts are required to lay stress on the authorities throumobilizing general public and other key stakeholders.

It is seen that mostly the delay is due to the community conflicts on land issues and t

red-tapism of bureaucracy. Therefore there is a need to create a mass awareness amon

the communities highlighting the importance of Educational Institutes, their rehabilitat

and reconstruction; also there is a need to find out diminutive ways to resolve the issues

Community participation must be acquired to influence the duty-bearers and to help

initiating the reconstruction endeavors.

Lesson Learnt

It is observed that most of the organizations (National & International) are showing le

interest to the said issue. If these are involved proactively to mobilize communities so tha

continuous process is initiated to urge duty-bearers and line departments to resolve the is



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on the priority basis. Although there had been a continuous criticism on Government fr

different segment of the society but no practical action was made.

Research and Policy Wing

Press For Peace(PFP)

Bank Road Muzaffarabad,

Jammu and KashmirPh: 0092 -5822-445457Fax: 0092 5822 -445437

Email:[email protected]

www.pressforpeace.org.uk

mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.pressforpeace.org.uk/mailto:[email protected]://www.pressforpeace.org.uk/

Report Walks on Reconstruction of Educational Institute1(

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