She Can Lead (SCL) is an Oxfam project in partnership with Omer Asghar Khan Foundation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Baahn Beli in Sindh, and Bedari in Punjab from 2017-20. SCL aims to address socially, politically and culturally discriminatory practices in the pre and post-election context of Pakistan (scheduled for 2018) by enabling women’s political participation, empowerment and leadership. To address women’s political marginalisation, the project aims to:

1. Strengthen networks and relationships with political stakeholders to promote the role of women in politics and governance
2. Improve pre and post-election engagement by increasing women voter turnout and promoting women’s positions within political parties
3. Engage with political parties to promote women’s rights through their manifestos and in their candidate lists, and provide women candidates with appropriate training and support.

Bedari will implement this project in 5 districts of Punjab; Rawalpindi, Lahore, Sialkot, Jehlum and Gujrat. The project will increase youth and women’s participation at both ends of the political process i.e. voting and leadership. This will be done by collaborating with a range of civil society allies. It will provide information to female voters to emphasize their importance in Pakistan’s political future, and will engage political parties to adopt innovative approaches to women’s leadership development.