DENMARK FUNDS NEW DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME OF DKK 130 MILLION ÍN PAKISTAN FOR THE PERIOD 2010-2012. READ ARTICLE: IF A YOUNG GIRL CAN CLIMB A MOUNTAIN SHE CAN DO ANYTHING!

DKK 50 million will go to UNICEF’s efforts to provide education for children in Khyber Pakhtunkwa, and also in FATA. Under the assistance there are plans to rebuild the 473 schools which have been entirely or partially destroyed during the conflict in Pakistan. The long term goal is to provide proper schooling and thereby reduce the risk of both poverty and radicalism.

In an effort to promote gender equality and create youth role models for women in Pakistan the Danish Embassy in Islamabad has recently taken a landmark initiative in giving financial support to Samina Baig, a young Pakistani woman, towards her participation in a winter climbing expedition in the Karakorum from December 29th 2010 to January 12, 2011. The initiative is in line with the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals for women and youth and with the Danish Government’s commitment to reach the Development goals by 2015.

Samina Baig is the first Pakistani female to have embarked on a high altitude winter climbing expedition. Earlier in 2010 she climbed a peak of 6.400 meters which had never been climbed before. This was Samina’s first expedition and ascent. The mountain she climbed, the Chashksin Sar, has now been renamed as Samina Peak in her honour. As a follow-up to Samina’s recent return from her outstanding climbing achievement in the Karakorum the Danish Embassy and the general public attended a rock climbing event on 26th January, 2011 at the Rawal Lake.

The event attracted considerable media attention as also the Danish Ambassador to Pakistan, Uffe Wolffhechel climbed a rock wall together with Samina. “Our support for Samina´s courageous winter expedition was driven by our aspiration to promote a role model for gender equality. Pakistan’s future lies with educating the youth to create new opportunities. The Danish government is also proud to promote Samina as an example of a positive and dynamic Pakistan which is seldom covered by the international media”, said the ambassador. “Furthermore, Samina’s climbing draws the attention to the beauty of the pristine mountains of Pakistan” he added.
“I intend to motivate more women to participate in such events” Baig commented. “This will give a message of confidence to all women that if a young girl can climb a mountain, she can do anything”.

Samina was born in a small village in the poor Tilgit Baltistan area, and is in that sense an ordinary young Pakistani woman. Along with her brother Mirza Ali she established Pakistan Youth Outreach, a local organization promoting mountaineering among the younger population. Samina and her brother are both extremely motivated to reach out to the youth and teach them about the mountain adventures in Pakistan. The organisation also conducts seminars in school, colleges and universities to educate youth about mountaineering.