Advisor to the Prime Minister on Women Development and Vice-Chairperson Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS), Mrs. Nilofar Bakhtiar chaired a conference on Role of Volunteers and Civil Society in Strengthening linkages with support net Workers ( Hospitals DHQs, Schools, Media)on 1stDecember, 2004 at the National Headquarter, PRCS. Lt.Gen. (Retd.) Jahan Dad Khan, Chairman PRCS welcomed the guests and highlighted the significant role of women and youth in the International Red Cross Red Crescent Movement. He gave a historical background of PRCS emphasizing that it is an institution raised by an act of Parliament and Quaid-e-Azam was its first President. He further mentioned that PRCS did an excellent job in 1965 war. However, he regretted that the Pakistani youth of today were not aware of PRCS or role of Red Cross/Red Crescent (RC/RC) Movement in the world. He hoped that awareness of PRCS should be spread right to the remotest areas like the village. Mrs. Nilofar Bakhtiar, addressing the gathering said that women from all walks of life were invited so that diverse and practical input could be had so as how to effectively contribute towards awareness raising of PRCS. The meeting covered the policy and agenda of Women and Youth affairs with regard to PRCS . She formed the following four committees of Awareness Raising Committee, Fundraising Committee, Project/Activities Committee and Media Committee headed by Mrs.Mushtaq, Principal Roots School, Mrs Fatima Azim, entrepreneur in automobile industry, Mrs. Aseela Ashraf, wife of Dr. Nasim Ashraf, Chairman of National Commission on Human Development, NCHD and the Mr. Riaz Beg Raj, Media Advisor of PRCS respectively. The role of the committees was identified and the activities such as the development of website, production of flyers and other promotional items were delegated to the committees. She advised the committees to focus on the awareness raising campaigns in girls’ schools and women’s universities. Prominent women from the civil society volunteered to work for PRCS through these committees. Mrs. Nilofar Bakhtiar further said that the Provincial chapters of Women and Affairs would be formulated in the next meeting that is scheduled to be held after a fortnight. .