As Pakistan began to emerge from the peak of the COVID-19 crisis in 2021, the country was still coming to terms with the pandemic’s social and economic consequences. Communities across rural areas, in particular, faced challenges beyond health – from misinformation and mistrust in public institutions to the unequal burden placed on women who often serve as primary caregivers and community connectors.

Recognizing these challenges, Accountability Lab Pakistan (ALP), with support from the Direct Aid Program (DAP) of the Australian High Commission, launched an initiative in early 2021 titled “Building COVID-19 Community Resilience with Female Leaders in Haripur District.” The initiative aimed to counter misinformation and promote public awareness by empowering local women leaders to share verified, life-saving information about health pandemics and climate emergencies within their communities.

Through the initiative, ALP collaborated with the Haripur district administration and the Department of Health to train local women leaders, including local government representatives, teachers, and social mobilizers, from nine union councils. The initiative focused on myth-busting, information verification, communication techniques, confidence-building and leadership to help female participants engage effectively with their communities.

After completing their training, these women went door-to-door, organized village-level convenings, discussions in schools and markets, and used radio and digital channels to spread accurate information about vaccinations, hygiene, available public health facilities and guidelines. Over six months, the initiative reached approximately 5,000 women directly and more than 100,000 indirectly, establishing women as credible sources of information and catalysts for behavioral change across Haripur.

Building Trust Through Local Leadership

The project’s findings revealed significant shifts in community attitudes. At the start, fewer than half of the surveyed women recognized COVID-19 as a real threat. By the end of the project, 97 percent (out of a sample of 300 respondents) acknowledged the presence of the virus, and 96 percent expressed willingness to be vaccinated. Awareness of official health helplines and credible government information channels tripled during the same period. These findings underscored an important lesson; public trust is most effectively built through local leadership and peer communication. When messages are delivered by women who are part of the community, they are received with credibility, empathy, and understanding that the campaigns otherwise often lack.

Extending the Impact Beyond the Pandemic

Although the project concluded in the last quarter of 2021, its impact has extended well beyond its implementation period. Many of the trained women have continued their work independently, leading small awareness sessions on health, education, and social issues in their communities. Some have leveraged social media and local radio platforms to continue sharing verified information and encouraging open dialogue. The initiative also brought to light the persistent digital divide faced by rural women in Pakistan – a challenge that limited their access to reliable information during the health emergencies. To address this, the project integrated basic digital communication training, helping participants use mobile phones and online tools to connect and engage effectively with local communities and disseminate authentic and verified content. This not only expanded their reach but also increased their confidence to engage in digital spaces traditionally dominated by men.

Why Women’s Leadership Matters for Resilience

Pakistan ranks low on global gender equality indices, reflecting ongoing barriers to women’s participation in decision-making.

Notably, Pakistan has been ranked as the second-worst country in terms of gender parity, placed 145 out of 146 states, in the Global Gender Gap Report 2022 released by the World Economic Forum. This ranking is not just a number; it reflects deep structural challenges that continue to limit women’s access to participation, opportunity, and representation in public life.

The COVID-19 pandemic further exposed how fragile community systems can be when women are excluded from decision-making. During COVID-19, misinformation spread faster than verified information, making it difficult for families to make safe health choices. Additionally, government reports found that cases of domestic violence rose by more than 25 percent during lockdowns in Punjab and Sindh, while mental health challenges among women and youth nearly doubled. The crisis served as a reminder that women’s participation is not optional, it is essential for effective communication, protection, and recovery. These trends underline the need for gender-responsive governance that prioritizes women’s voices in crisis planning and recovery.

Despite these persistent inequalities, women have consistently demonstrated their ability to lead with empathy, collaboration, and resilience. They are often the first to identify local needs and the most trusted to deliver critical messages. Their involvement in local governance and awareness fosters transparency, encourages collective responsibility, and builds stronger connections between citizens and institutions. In moments of crisis, whether a pandemic, flood, or economic shock, women’s leadership transforms awareness into coordinated action, ensuring that recovery is not only faster but transparent.

Way Forward

As the pandemic transitions into recovery, these initiatives offer valuable lessons for future governance and crisis preparedness. The Haripur experience proves that sustainable change starts at the local level, where women can bridge the gap between citizens and institutions. Strengthening local leadership, especially among women, remains essential to sustaining trust and accountability in times of uncertainty.

The project demonstrated that with the right support and capacity, women can lead effective, community driven responses to public challenges – transforming crisis into an opportunity for empowerment, inclusion, and lasting progress. Looking ahead, continued investment in women’s leadership will not only build resilience against future emergencies but also lay the foundation for a more transparent, equitable and resilient society.

About the Author:

Syed Raza Ali is Program Manager at Accountability Lab Pakistan and can be reached out at raza@accountabilitylab.org.