Girls in a village in Pakistan were experiencing frequent verbal harassment and intimidation in public spaces from groups of young men loitering near the school and the vocational training centre. During community meetings in early 2025, parents raised concerns about the persistent street harassment because it frightened the girls, restricted their mobility and threatened their ability to attend school and vocational training safely.
In response, the community developed an innovative, locally driven solution: a volunteer-led community patrolling system to safeguard the girls’ daily journeys to school and the vocational centre. While neighbours had occasionally and informally watched over nearby routes in the past, there had never been a structured or co-ordinated system in place to ensure the girls’ safety. Through dialogue facilitated by the project, community members collectively designed a simple but effective mechanism to address the issue.
The initiative challenges the common call of “safety concerns” that is often used to restrict girls’ access to education and employment pathways. Volunteers signed up for scheduled shifts and were assigned to monitor key routes and identified “hotspots” during peak commuting hours in the morning and evening when students travelled to and from school and the vocational training centre. Typically, two to three volunteers were stationed at strategic crossroads, creating a visible and protective presence. A basic feedback mechanism was also introduced to monitor the system’s effectiveness and address emerging concerns quickly.
The patrol was initially planned for the duration of the vocational training course, with the possibility of extending it, depending on how well it worked. At first, some community members mocked the initiative, questioning why such protection was necessary for girls. However, its impact quickly became evident. Weekly feedback sessions with students and volunteers helped track safety concerns, and reports of harassment or unsafe areas led to quick adjustments, such as reassigning volunteers or expanding patrol coverage. This flexible, community-managed approach allowed the system to respond immediately to emerging risks.
As a result, more than 40 girls are now able to travel safely to school and the vocational training centre without fear, enabling them to continue their education and skills development. Beyond improving safety, the initiative has strengthened the sense of collective responsibility and community solidarity, with neighbours actively contributing to the protection of girls’ rights and mobility. Importantly, the initiative challenges the common call of “safety concerns” that is often used to restrict girls’ access to education and employment pathways.
This community patrol model demonstrates how simple, locally designed innovations can address deeply rooted social barriers. By organising themselves to create safer public spaces, community members not only protected girls on their daily journeys but also contributed to shifting attitudes about girls’ right to move freely and pursue education and opportunities.
Contributed by SPARC, Pakistan.
