Pakistani woman earns UN award
By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani medical professional who is also a civil society activist is among two individuals and two non-governmental organisations (NGOs) who are this year’s winners of the United Nations Vienna Civil Society Award.
The award has been given for their services for the global fight against drugs and crime. Dr Parveen Azam Khan is associated with DOST Welfare Foundation from, Peshawar. The winners of the award will be honoured at a ceremony in Vienna hosted by the Austrian Foreign Minister, Benita Ferrero-Waldner.
The award was established in 1999 by three co-sponsors, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (ODC), the Austrian government and the City of Vienna. The awards are given annually to those who have made an outstanding contribution to promote civil society by combating drug abuse, crime and terrorism.
This years winners from Lithuania, Pakistan, Romania and South Africa who were chosen from more than 200 nominees worldwide, will receive a medal, a personalised certificate and a share of $100,000 prize money. Dr Parveen Azam Khan is a doctor from Pakistan who set up a non-profit organisation for drug addicts 10 years ago. The DOST Welfare Foundation based offers treatment and rehabilitation for drug addicts and reaches out to the most vulnerable and marginalised people and helps to reintegrate them into society.
As the President and Director of DOST, Dr Parveen, is the driving force behind the organisation, which is professionally staffed and runs several treatment centres and programmes which have benefited thousands of drug addicts and their families in Pakistan.