Two Pakistani women receive Foundation Chirac prize for conflict prevention

ISLAMABAD, Nov 24 (APP): Two young Pakistani women Gulalai Ismail and Saba Ismail, cofounder of NGO Aware Girls have been conferred with the prestigious Chirac Prize for Conflict Prevention in recognition of their contributions toward development of a culture of peace and non violence through the action of women and youth in Pakistan.
The prize was awarded by the Former French Minister for Culture Chirstine Albanel in an impressive ceremony held in Quai Branly Museum, Paris on Thursday, a press release issued here said.
The ceremony was attended amongst others by French President Francois Hollande, the ambassador of Pakistan to France Moin ul Haque, intellectuals, members of civil society, diplomats and media persons in large number.
Gulalai Ismail cofounder of NGO Aware Girls after receiving the prize said their NGO with the help of young women is working successfully for empowerment of the women especially in the conflict zones to bring about qualitative changes in their way of life.
The French president while speaking on the occasion paid rich tribute to Aware Girls for empowerment of the women in the conflict zone.
He said Aware Girls is giving the women the possibility to participate in and monitor elections, to provide education to women and economically empowering them by providing micro credit.
The ambassador congratulated the recipients on receiving the Chirac prize and appreciated their work towards empowerment of women
in the conflict prone areas.
The Chirac Foundation was launched by the former French President Jacques Chirac, who served two terms in office between 1995 and 2007.
Since 2008, this foundation strives for peace through five advocacy programmes which include conflict prevention. The prize for conflict prevention has been awarded every year since 2009.
The Aware Girls is a young women led Organization, established in 2002 with the aim of strengthening leadership skills of young people  specially young women and girls enabling them to act as agents of change for women empowerment and peace building.