The
Red Cross Red Crescent is achieving exciting breakthroughs in
dealing with the challenges presented by religious and cultural
conservatism in earthquake-affected areas of Pakistan’s
North West Frontier Province (NWFP).
Clerics in remote areas are being regarded as vital entry points
to communities when it comes to the activities carried out by
the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and the International
Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
Rural communities, initially very welcoming of international
humanitarian organizations following last year’s devastating
8 October earthquake, have since grown wary of their presence,
as the operation has shifted from relief to recovery.
This has led to an upsurge in negative comments from religious
leaders about the operations of non-governmental organizations
and aid agencies, with accusations of activities being “contrary
to culture and morality”.
But while some organizations are struggling to cope with this
renewed conservatism, the International Federation and the PRCS
are managing to keep doors open.
Sajjad Awanwar, a PRCS mobile medical team doctor who operates
in the remote Allai Valley region, says this has been achieved
by treading carefully when dealing with local culture and religion.
“Whenever we intend to carry out an activity, we consult
the clerics and village elders since they are influential people
in the area and they help us in reaching out to the vulnerable”
says Dr Sajjad.
Over time, the PRCS and the International Federation realized
that getting the support of the clerics in this deeply conservative
area was essential in order to help promote community-based
first aid in Allai Valley.
Clerics and village elders recently attended a training session
on community based first aid at the International Federation’s
base camp in Banna and emerged enthusiastic about spreading
the word in their communities.
Abdul Waseer Shah, the cleric of Batila village, embraced the
message of the importance of being prepared and serving humanity,
which is promoted by the Red Cross and Red Crescent.
“I think community-based first aid is as Islamic as anything
else and I would be happy to tell people from my area to register
for its training,” he said.
This positive reinforcement of the work of the world’s
largest humanitarian organization is especially heartening in
the light of recent headlines in local newspapers such as “NGOs
under threat”, “Protests against NGOs involved in
vulgarity”, and “Jiihad organized against NGOs”.
Key to maintaining access to communities and keeping the trust
of religious and community leaders is respecting local customs
and traditions, even if they appear to be contrary to more “Western”
norms.
The mobile health teams, for instance, provide separate treatment
areas for men and women, even to the point of being out of sight
of each other if that is what the local community requires.
Cleric Abdul Waseer Shah says male and female health staff are
required to travel in separate vehicles, which the PRCS and
the International Federation adhere to.
This level of caution and respect does bring dividends.
The clerics and elders in the Allai Valley, whilst still displaying
conservative attitudes about women, show they are prepared to
work with them.
The clerics who recently met at Banna base camp said they supported
PRCS female health workers conducting door-to-door activities
to promote community-based first aid to women.
This is in stark contrast to reports of some clerics, elsewhere
in the North West Frontier Province, objecting to NGOs even
hiring female staff.
While the town of Balakot, about four hours drive south of Banna,
is slightly more liberal, local communities there are also heavily
influenced by clerics.
Balakot, which lost a quarter of its population in the October
2005 quake, has been hammered again recently by heavy flooding.
A year on from the disaster, the people of Balakot remain vulnerable.
The PRCS and International Federation are providing a range
of services to local communities, including primary health care,
psychosocial support, and water and sanitation. The culturally-sensitive
approach taken in Banna is being replicated in Balakot, according
to PRCS hygiene organizer, Nadia Saeed.
“We form committees consisting of people from the village
and in some cases headed by the cleric of the area,” she
says. “They advise us how to work in a culturally and
religiously acceptable manner.”
Saeed believes that over the past year, a real sense of trust
and respect between communities and the Red Cross and Red Crescent
has been achieved.
She says locals perceive the PRCS and International Federation
teams as observing local cultural and religious norms and that
clerics realise the volunteers and staff are there to serve
humanity.
It’s a fine balance effectively implementing relief and
recovery programmes while not contravening local customs and
religious norms. However, as Abdul Rasheed, a cleric from Kappi
Gali in the Balakot region outlines, issues such as hygiene
promotion and Islam are complementary.
“Hygiene is very important for the community since keeping
yourself and your house clean, keeps away the diseases and our
religion also tells us to observe cleanliness…. Islam
says that cleanliness is half the faith,” he says.
Harnessing that kind of attitude will go a long way towards
enabling the Red Cross and Red Crescent to make a lasting, positive
impact on the quake affected people of Pakistan.
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The
Pakistan Red Crescent and the International Federation
have developed excellent relationships with clerics and
elders in communities they work in. Here a Pakistan Red
Crescent mobile health team worker greets Abdul Waseer
Shah, a senior cleric in the Allai Valley region. (p14729)
(John Tulloch)
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Religious
and cultural conservatism is strong in Pakistan's North
West Frontier Province and the Pakistan Red Crescent and
the International Federation are utilising clerics as
entry points to communities. Here Pakistan Red Crescent
volunteer Qasim Shah chats to senior cleric Abdul Waseer
Shah during a first aid training session in Banna, Allai
Valley. (p14731) (John Tulloch)
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Pakistan
Red Crescent doctor Sajjad Awanwar says clerics and village
elders are always consulted before activities are conducted
in villages. Respect for local culture and customs has
enabled the Red Cross Red Crescent to get excellent access
to remote communities such as this mobile health clinic
in Rashang village, Allai Valley. (p14730)
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Female
Pakistan Red Crescent workers conduct a hygiene promotion
session for an all-woman audience in a village near Balakot.
Segregation of the sexes for treatment, training etc is
a requirement of local communities and one which the Red
Cross Red Crescent adheres to, enabling continued access.
(p14732) (John Tulloch)
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