Khalida BrohiParticipatory Development Initiatives (PDI)

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We are No fools, we know our rights when they are snatched, the company has been taking much rather

then giving and it is ought to pay us back!

(Imam Zadi, Salar Panhwar Goth, Dadu Dist)

Women in Sindh

Sindh Province being beautiful, blessed with resources, enriched with minerals still lacks the true potential where its people are living would be living in societies with equity and equality and justice applying to all……….the reasons hasn’t been the land itself, but many other reasons that are based on that land, harvesting much and investing less.

Women of this province has suffered a lot.. They have been the most vulnerable in all aspects may it be socially or economically.

Corporate promises! Among these Reasons are the corporations on the land

of Sindh are actively engaged in money making, among which are the oil and Gas Companies as well.

About more then a dozen companies prevail in the land of five most vulnerable districts of Sindh which are:

Thatta BadinTando AllahyarHyderabadDadu

Cont: These Oil and Gas Companies stand accountable

to CSR that include:

Environment EmployeesNeighbors and ConsumersCompany Code of Conduct

Neighbors and Consumers

Their promises include the prosperity of the people of the communities they are working in, promises for better health institutions, better education, providing of employment, trainings, betterment of structure of the community and what not.

The real world These five districts

where the intervention of these companies have occurred from years and are “ought” to be prosperous by now are suffering from problems that are yet created by these companies.

Among the sufferers, women have been the core victims of these irresponsibitlies.

1). Skin Diseases:

Women have became victim to chemical release in the water and air, many are even exposed to diseases like skin cancer.

Some core problems introduced by these companies are:

Mostly land due to seismic surveys, chemical dumping, companies transport movement, oil spill are destroyed to the extent of not being able to be used by the owners.

This has created a clash in the routine economic condition of the household mostly effecting the women due to the conflicts on less income in the house.

Economical Problems

Stomach ProblemsStomach diseases are the main problems ever

mentioned in the districts, caused by the usual dose of oil filled water.

Women and children have been adversely effected by the disease of infection in stomach, burning of intestine and pain in joints.

Infrastructure Conditions:

Heavy transportation from the companies has led to destruction of the fragile roads and main paths to the local communities, cases show vulnerability growing at the condition.

House hold Conflicts

Due to the growing problems in the house and less income, along with the jobless men who are much in a frustrated condition where comes to sharing the responsibilities of the house.

An environment of dread has created in families which has been effecting the women in all sorts.

Psychological Problems

The law relating to the distance level from the local communities hasn’t been applied which resulted in many different problems and one of them is that is has been creating psychological problems in the residents of those communities which sit in the lap of those gigantic monsters.

The daily explosions, fire heat, noise has created a frustrated situation within the local people.

Case Studies: Maluka hasn’t lost hope (village Guhram Pahnwar)

Mother of six girls, with husband disabled of bone cancer, Maluka works day and night to provide three times meals to her family. Her husband being unable to walk, sells sweets to the kids in the village sitting at home when Maluka leaves off to work in the far off lands with other women from the village.

Having no sons, with a disabled husband and six little girls to feed, Maluaka couldn't have given herself up to circumstances, but she stood with strength long before her land was asked to be used by the gigantic oil company in her community that stood tall at a bit of walk from her home.

Maluka have recently found out how hard things have become for her, the land used by the company used to make a lot of money then what she is paid now, I know its injustice but I alone felt vulnerable to the huge company and thought my voice wont count until I was appointed as General secretory at the CO in my community, we women are all together now and m amazed how we agree on a lot of things and feel more powerful!

Now we all believe that change is ought to come, because its amazing how many rights we had on this company when all it did was snatch others away.

Imam Zadi seeking her rights It doesn't seem if the whole herd of people standing beside Imamzadi is her family and

most amazingly her children and grand children. The cheerful, strong looking and most friendly Imam Zadi is yet a respectable lady in her community in Dadu. She has been a well known midwife of her village .

Imamzadi when little was prey to child marriage, at a very young age her father married her off to an old man, who soon after their marriage died leaving her with 5 children. It was then she seeked for livelihood options and tried off the work of midwife for the community.

I have been making a living from that only, things hadn't been easier for me, now as my family keeps growing, I become frustrated at the thought of not being much of a help.

My two sons applied a hundred times in the BHP Oil Company but had been refused each time. I wouldn’t want to be selective ever, any place offered to my boys will be a blessing for the family but things hadn't gotten that better for her yet.

ImamZadi further see’s things harder as they get, so far I have been able to marry off a some of my kids but life isn't easier with my sons working on a few rupees wages and myself at the sake of my job.

We don’t have any enmity with the company, but all we want is our rights and we do believe we will be able to get that someday.

PDI intervention with these communities

Participatory Development Initiatives initiated the campaign in February 2007 for the implementation of CSR of these Oil and Gas Companies in these five districts of Sindh.

PDI’s Campaign on CSR of OGC’s in Sindh is aimed

towards raising awareness of the local communities and do policy advocacy for the ignored CSR of Oil and Gas Companies in Sindh.

CO Formation:

Mobilizing through the process

The Path to Change Making at PDI

Participatory Development Initiatives deeply believes in mobilization and awareness raising of women and men altogether for the change wanted.

The process has been tough but being participatory it has eased up at the levels of formation of grouping at the gender based approach and finally have been successfully able to see things REALLY happening.

A lot of change is seen in the mindsets of people, they not only being aware are strongly joining in to fight for their rights and see justice coming!

Breakthrough at BP-Dist Badin

The president of PDI CO also the community Based Organization Suhni Welfare society Zahida Qureshi along with the member of the CO broke through in huge company.

Hearing PDI at first about all these rights and all, it wasn’t what we took as real. But slowly with the sharing of booklets, joining in their seminars and workshops and knowing what's going on we couldn't stop but fill with rage at the inhuman slaughtering of our rights.

No road is better in this community, nor do we have facility for sanitation or water, education being in a bad shape here and look at all those promises they made!

And so one fine day Zahida and Raheema visit BP to demand on behalf of PDI, Oxfam and their CBO the renovation of the school Zahida has been running a total wracked condition from years.

It wasn’t easy to be heard, but amazingly enough something happened! She says, some time later they came and visited the school, assessed the condition and here we are at the process of renovation, she exclaims happily.

It looks like for the CO at Kario Ghanwar that things CAN happen, and they are trying out for the next initiative to demand rights altogher.

They Stand United-The powerful women CO at Tando Jam

It was amazing when the faded colored cloths, weary hands and torn dupatta’s they looked none like someone who might talk about rights but rights from oil and gas companies but they did, and when they did it was amazing.

This is the women CO formed by PDI at a small village of District Tando Jam.

We are ready if we have to go on roads to get our rights, says Wazir Zadi the president of the CO.

With about all energetic women it seems like this village is off to a better start towards demanding of rights from Oil and Gas Companies.

Youth Stand up for rights-Dist Tando Jam

Members of the cricket team of Participatory Development Initiatives youth program at Tando Jam, wanted their involvement in the campaign towards awareness raising on the issue.

We believe the much we are shocked, it is the most important news we can get to other people who ought to know. Says captain of the team.

The youth forum is all set to organize a tournament which will share brochures, posters and booklets plus commentary messaging on CSR of oil and Gas Companies in Sindh.

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Thank you!