16th Annual Convention - Toward a gender-responsive, inclusive education system

Where: Islamabad · When: October 2025

Intro:

PCE's 16th Annual Convention brought stakeholders from across the country together to ask how Pakistan's education system can be made more gender-responsive and inclusive. The flagship amplified youth voices and expert perspectives side by side, offering a multidimensional view of the country's education challenges and the pathways ahead.

Panels

Education Journey Through Our Eyes: Voices of Young People 

Moderated by Urwa Naeem (Program Coordinator for Research & Advocacy at SAQE), the opening panel handed the platform to students themselves. 

Panelists, Laiba Bibi (student, SPARC Open School for out-of-school girls), Abdul Rehman Saboor (student, youth activist and PCE’s Youth leader), and Zainab Aqeel and Fatima Najeeb (Grade 8 students at IMCG and Bari Saathi, Cities for Children), spoke candidly about being judged for low grades, the fear of punishment or ridicule that stops them from asking questions, and the rigid systems that make school feel like a burden. They called for: kinder classrooms where teachers motivate rather than intimidate, and where every student feels valued.

Building Pakistan's GESI Roadmap 2030+ 

Moderated by Muhammad Ali Kemal (Economist, MoPD&SI and SAQE’s board member), this expert dialogue explored what it takes to make the system inclusive, equitable, and future-ready. 

Speakers: Dr. Shahid Soroya (DG, Pakistan Institute of Education); Abdul Salam Achakzai (Special Secretary, School Education Dept, Balochistan); Muhammad Ijaz Khalil (Advisor–Governance, E&SE Dept, KP); Fauzia Yazdani (Governance, Gender & Human Rights Expert); Mahnoor Chaudhary (Program Director, Khawaja Sira Society); Muhammad Atif Sheikh (Executive Director, STEP); and Areebah Shahid (Executive Director, PYCA). The panel traced barriers from financing gaps and weak governance to gender inequality and health, and pressed for GESI-focused teacher training, stronger accountability, and inclusive schools.

Power, Policy & Pockets: Investing in Girls' Education (with the Malala Fund) 

Chaired by Dr. Shaista Khan (MNA, Child Rights Caucus member) and moderated by Zehra Arshad (National Coordinator, PCE), this session unpacked what investing in girls' education really means. Panelists: Dr. Nishat Riaz (Chief Executive, Malala Fund Pakistan); Gulmina Bilal (Chairperson, NAVTTC); Rene Raya (Lead Policy Analyst, ASPBAE); Mahnoor Salman (Co-founder & Senior AI Engineer, atom.camp); Abdul Salam Achakzai (Special Secretary, School Education Dept, Balochistan); Noor Alam Khan (Education Specialist, World Bank KP-RAP); and Dr. Shakeel Ahmed (Advisor to the Education Minister, Punjab). The panel went past access to gender-responsive budgeting, inclusive curricula, and diverse teacher recruitment - with a shared message: investing in girls' education isn't charity, it's strategy for Pakistan’s future prosperity.

Alongside the convention: Civil Society Learning Event 

A two-day learning session for coalition members and partners on strengthening organisational GESI capacity, safeguarding through a human-rights lens, Theory of Change, and intersectionality. 

• See Capacity Building & Trainings [Add link here]

Watch & See: [livestream embed]

Photo Gallery