Forum Pakistan

All-Pakistan Women's Association
(APWA) One of the oldest organizations for women, the APWA was set up in 1950. Begum Raana Liaquat Ali *Khan (1905-90), the wife of the country's first Prime Minister Liaquat Ali *Khan, was its founder and lifelong Honorary President. Its headquarters are in Karachi; it publishes a monthly, The APWA Bulletin. According to its charter, any woman in Pakistan can join it regardless of her religion and race. Its aim is to involve Pakistani women in the country's development; improve women's position by upgrading their legal, political, social, and economic status; contribute to social, educational, and cultural programmes; and promote mutual understanding and cooperation between nations.

The association holds its national conferences once every three years. The 1985 conference adopted a resolution to hold a 'Decade of the Pakistani Woman' (1985-95). The 1988 Conference discussed 'Crimes Against Women' (abuse of women, forced prostitution, women prisoners, abduction of women and so on).

The National Executive Committee (NEe) is the leading body of APWA; the sessions are held annually. The activity is conducted through sections: financial, organizational, informational, cultural and educational, production, agricultural, legal, medical, youth, and international.
The association subsists on membership dues and donations, charity campaigns conducted by the association, government subsidies, and help from international donor organizations.

The association has schools, literacy centres, vocational training courses for women, medical centres, family planning centres, pre-school establishments and folk crafts shops. In 1968, the APWA was awarded the UNESCO bronze medal for its efforts in inculcating literacy among the adult population.

The association has branches in all Pakistani provinces and large cities and also abroad - in London, Washington, and Colombo. It enjoys the consultative status of a non-governmental organization of the second category in the UN and cooperates with ECOSOC and UNICEF. It maintains active relation with women activists abroad, is a member of the International Women Alliance, the International Women's Council, the World Association of Peasant Women and the Universal Federation of Women Clubs.