Pakistan is generally perceived to have an uncanny tendency for courting strife. Conjuring up romantic images of peoples living on the edge, Pakistan has never failed to find mention in the words of writers and travelers in awe of its freedom-loving people. Today however, it is mentioned for all the wrong reasons. The strife that this region has concurred is only because of limited interest of the decision makers to maintain status quo in the volatile areas. Failure to come up with a clear vision for integrated development in Pakistan especially KP and FATA, as a sustainable solution to all that troubles the region, has kept the people marginalized and impoverished. In this opportunity-vacuum, tribesmen have been left to their own devices, vulnerable to exploitation at the hands of criminal and extremist elements from within and outside. Decision makers can, however, no longer afford to remain indifferent to the development of the area. An integrated and sustainable development strategy is indispensably needed to put KP and FATA on the path to peace and prosperity along with the rest of the country.

 

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 Poverty is the parent of revolution and crime. ~Aristotle

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KP and FATA region is characterized with limited economic growth where majority of population rely on subsistence agriculture, arms manufacturing, low-scale trade which sometimes involve cross border trade. The employment opportunities are almost non-existent with complex social factors and traditional lifestyle where entire family is dependent on individual earner. These elements often trigger and trap youth’s interests in non-productive activities leading to crime and domestic violence.

Women in KP and FATA are living lives with strict protection of their dignity, security and shelter dominated by combined understandings of religious values, culture and traditional norms. In their commitment to household relations, women play pivotal role and acts as bonding force keeping the family fibers intact with strong sense embedded with respect, esteem and harmony. However, women in KP and FATA are vulnerable to inter-related economic, social and psychological aspects of poverty. Economic poverty is due to lack of assets and low endowment of human capital. Social poverty derives from the inability of the society to accept women’s equality, and their economic, political and cultural rights; while psychologically women are poor in respect of restrained liberty under the dictates of customs and traditions depriving the control over their own body and wishes.

 

Lack of education, cross culture interaction and exposure have stiffened the local behaviors, whereas, the prevailing violence and uncertainty has swallowed local hesitance confining interactions and exposure, resulting in social deprivation of the locals.

SABAR has been engaged in micro credits to poor households of the region, micro-enterprise development activities and small community infrastructural development activities. It has been advocating and providing capacity trainings to the local dwellers in disciplines of Information Technology, Livelihood Skills, Health and Hygiene, Population Welfare, Gender and Child Protection and Justice and reproductive health to the most vulnerable communities of the region. Hence, SABAR helps create an environment conducive to poverty alleviation and social development.