Youth and Women Empowerment
- . Youth and Women Empowerment
Youth and Women Empowerment
The youth volunteers (female and male) carry a central place in CSP’s humanitarian, development campaigning and advocacy services. It has developed an impressive pool of 570 youths and volunteers in total and 30-50 at each district level from all walks of life. They all proactively take part in a wide-range of activities including emergency response operations in the aftermath of climate induced-natural disasters, man-made crisis, blood donation, community-based disaster preparedness, community based first aid, creating awareness during epidemics/ pandemics and improving knowledge, attitudes and practices of masses through mass campaigns for safe and healthy living and enabling communities to claim their rights with duty bearers.
CSP particularly focus on individual behavior change amongst young people as well as systematic change in policy and practice towards a more supportive environment for youth-led development. CSP deliver community based impactful quality interventions mostly in hard-to-reach, underserved areas and ignored populations. Leveraging the impact of its existing volunteer base, CSP is creating a network of young leaders, supporting them to progress in their careers and be champions of youth-led inclusive development. CSP also support and advocate among governments and policymakers to engage young people in the decisions that affect them. Additionally, CSP collaborate with state institutions linking them with its young volunteers to take them on-board while responding emergencies. A recent example is a successful COVID-19 Response Joint Venture of CSP with district governments of Islamabad in capital territory, Rawalpindi in Punjab province and district Mirpur, Bhimber, Haveli and Neelum in the state of Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK). CSP volunteers are also supporting federal government in the application of its COVID-19 containment SOPs under Prime Minister’s Tiger Force. The Prime Minister of Pakistan Mr. Imran Khan invited a team of CSP young volunteers and thanked them for their extraordinary work during 2019-2020 COVID pandemic.
CSP particularly advocate for women engagement in decisions making processes at local community as well as provincial and national levels. CSP focus on mobilizing women and girls to demonstrate their proactive leadership role for women empowerment in their specific locality along with fostering policy change agenda of women rights protection. CSP has introduced an exemplary model of 14 grassroots Mother and Child Healthcare (MCH) Centers in district Neelum offering sustainable services jointly governed by local women organizations and AJK state government. CSP is presenting this model to many institutional donors for their support to replicate this model in other districts of AJK. Moreover, CSP is contributing towards socioeconomic wellbeing of women & girls diversifying their livelihood sources mainly supporting them in kitchen gardening, livestock and poultry raring, imparting vocational & technical skills and providing financial assistance for small scale enterprises development and channelize their products to potential markets
CSP has successfully completed technical vocational skills training project for women in district Neelum for the promotion of local handcraft of Apperan with funding support of USAID. CSP uses an integrated skills enhancement approach of establishing self-sustained Craft Promotion Centers (CPCs) to provide employable quality skills, financial literacy, promoting savings, linking them with financial service providers/ institutes along with full package of other socio-economic development opportunities for the targeted populations.
Women Empowerment through vocational training to produce cultural dress to set a global market. The major contributions of CSP are community development, Community livelihood, Vocational training, Trend of social entrepreneurship, Capacity building of staff and teachers in a remote area as CSP is running a complete PEHRAN project for women’s empowerment where CSP has trained more than 400 girls to produce cultural dress to set a global market. Growth in the community through awareness and resource mobilization and its “Vocational Training Institutes. CSP is serving by engaging the local youth and providing skill-based training in dressmaking, hand and machine embroidery, industrial machine operating, and home textiles.
Key areas of interventions:
CSP Institute of Skills Development
The CSP Institute of Skills Development is dedicated to empowering women through vocational training and capacity-building initiatives that promote sustainable income generation and economic independence. The institute focuses on equipping women with practical skills in stitching, tailoring, handicrafts, and garment production, enabling them to become self-reliant entrepreneurs and skilled professionals. By developing strong linkages with markets and institutions, CSP facilitates opportunities for women to showcase and sell their prepared and designed products, enhancing their market access and visibility. With a broad operational network, CSP Institute of Skills Development fulfills orders across Pakistan and Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJ&K), contributing significantly to women’s empowerment, artisan promotion, and community development. There are two institutes (Islamabad and District Neelum AJ&K) which are registered in NAVTTC.
Trainings of girls and women in multiple sectors/trades
The CSP Institute of Skills Development trains girls and women in multiple trades through expert master trainers, offering long-term, short-term, and refresher courses. Key areas include designing, cutting, stitching, embroidery, needlework, and marketing of products at the national level. These trainings enhance skills, create income opportunities, and promote women’s economic empowerment by enabling them to become self-reliant and financially independent. The NAVTTC takes test and exam of trained girls and women and issued authorized certificates to present at all levels.
Linkages development of women groups with markets and financial institutions
The CSP Institute of Skills Development actively develops linkages between women’s groups, markets, and financial institutions to strengthen their economic participation and sustainability. By connecting trained women with local and national markets, the institute creates opportunities for product display, sales, and long-term business growth. It also facilitates access to financial institutions, enabling women to benefit from savings schemes, microfinance, and small business support services. These linkages enhance women’s entrepreneurial capacity, improve market access, and ensure that their skills translate into stable income generation and lasting economic empowerment.
Establishment of Family Healthcare Centres under Community Midwife (CMW)
CSP supports the establishment of Family Healthcare Centres under trained Community Midwives (CMWs) as a sustainable income generation initiative for women. These centres provide essential maternal and child healthcare services at the community level, improving access to safe and affordable healthcare while creating dignified employment opportunities for skilled women. By enabling Community Midwives to manage and operate their own healthcare facilities, the initiative promotes financial independence, professional growth, and leadership among women. This approach not only strengthens local health systems but also serves as a powerful tool for women’s empowerment and income generation.
Enterprise establishment in rural and urban areas
CSP promotes enterprise establishment in both rural and urban areas by supporting women to launch and manage micro-enterprises within their communities. CSP facilitates the setup of small shops and tailoring units by providing essential materials, technical skills, and business guidance, enabling women to successfully run businesses. In addition, CSP encourages kitchen gardening for vegetable production and marketing, honey production initiatives, and the development of IT skills for online business establishment. These diverse income-generating activities enhance women’s economic participation, strengthen household livelihoods, and foster sustainable entrepreneurship at the grassroots level.
