The All Pakistan Women Association (APWA) is Pakistan’s oldest and most prestigious non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to the welfare of women and children. Founded in the wake of the 1947 partition, it has grown from a refugee relief group into a national institution with international consultative status.
1. General Overview: APWA (National Level)
Founding and Mission
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Founder: Founded on February 22, 1949, by Begum Ra’ana Liaquat Ali Khan, wife of Pakistan’s first Prime Minister.
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Founding Purpose: Initially formed to address the urgent refugee crisis and provide emergency relief to women displaced during the partition of India and Pakistan.
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Mission Statement: To promote the moral, social, and economic welfare of Pakistani women through improved legal, political, and educational status.
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Vision: APWA envisions a society where women are free from economic, social, and political shackles, emerging as equal participants in national growth.
Organizational Structure and Leadership
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Headquarters: National Headquarters (NHQ) is located in Karachi.
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Provincial Structure: Provincial headquarters are situated in Lahore, Karachi, Quetta, and Peshawar.
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Leadership: Traditionally led by prominent women activists; current leadership includes Mrs. Farrukh Mukhtar (Chairperson) of APWA Multan and other dedicated executive members.
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Global Reach: APWA maintains overseas units in Canada, the USA, and the UK.
Key Initiatives and Impact
| Sector | Key Programs and Advocacy |
| Education | Operates various primary and secondary schools, mothers’ clubs, and higher education colleges (e.g., APWA College for Women, Lahore). |
| Health | Runs mother and child health centers, dispensaries, APWA Mobile Ambulance, maternity homes, and family planning clinics. |
| Economic | Established the Gul-e-Ra’ana Nusrat Industrial Home, cottage industry shops, APWA Multan Handicraft and craftsmen colonies to promote vocational skills. |
| Legal Aid | Operates legal aid clinics and was instrumental in passing the 1961 Family Laws Ordinance regarding marriage registration and divorce procedures. |
| Relief | Active in national emergency responses, including the 2005 earthquake and 2010 flood relief. |
International Recognition
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UN Consultative Status: Holds Category B (Special) status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and consultative status with UNICEF.
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Affiliations: Member of the International Council of Women (ICW), Associated Country Women of the World (ACWW), and the International Alliance of Women (IAW).
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Awards: Received the UNESCO Adult Literacy Prize (1974) and the Peace Messenger Certificate (1987).
2. Regional Focus: APWA Multan
Establishment and Local Presence
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History: APWA Multan was registered on August 17, 1964 (Registration No. DSW/561).
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Location: Based at the historic APWA building on Abdali Road, Nawan Shehr Chowk, Multan.
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Leadership: Led by Chairperson Begum Farrukh Mukhtar, who has been authorized by the NHQ due to her significant contributions.
Specific Programs and Projects
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Vocational Training: Runs the Women Vocational Institute, offering a diverse range of certified and technical courses including Digital Marketing, Car Driving, English Language, Cooking, Beautician Training, Fashion Designing, and Yoga. These programs are designed to meet the unique needs of students and assist women in gaining the skills required for financial independence and career growth.
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Health Services: Operates the APWA Mobile Dispensary and its own ambulance service to provide essential “doorstep” healthcare to underserved areas of Multan. The initiative includes weekly medical camps led by a dedicated team of doctors, LHVs, and medical officers who focus on maternal and child health. These camps provide consultations, basic diagnostic tests (such as blood sugar and pregnancy tests), and prescribed medicines; in a single year, 52 camps served 12,906 patients.
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Youth Engagement and Economic Support: Facilitates professional development through a Summer Internship program for O/A level students in partnership with institutions like MASH, Spring Hospital, PC Romanza, and ABL. APWA also partners with organizations like MCB for specialized training, which has successfully transitioned students into permanent job placements. Furthermore, the association maintains its youth-led advocacy for domestic workers’ rights and support for persons with disabilities (PWDs).
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Education: Before the 1972 nationalization, APWA established and managed the school as a private welfare project on its own land at Abdali Road. Even after the government took over, APWA continued to run its vocational center and other welfare activities side-by-side with the school on the same property. Throughout this period, APWA supported the school under its umbrella, offering its own rooms to host classes when the official school building became unsafe to use.
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Social Welfare and Advocacy: Provides vital community support through legal aid, ration assistance, and the APWA Handicraft initiative. The association also manages several sponsorship programs, such as Sponsor a Beneficiary and the provision of EssentialRX and EmergencyRX kits, to ensure marginalized individuals receive critical resources and medical aid.
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3. Official Contact and Resources
National Headquarters
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Address: APWA National Headquarters, 67-B, Garden Road, Karachi, Pakistan.
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Website: apwanational.com
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Social Media: Verified profiles on Facebook and Instagram under “@apwanational”.
APWA Multan Office
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Address: APWA House, Ahmed Shah Abdali Road, Nawan Shehr, Multan.
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Phone: +92-61-4588077