Consultative Workshop on “National Youth Policy”
Strengthening Participatory Organisation (SPO) arranged a “Consultative Workshop on Youth Policy” on March 26, 2010. The objective of the workshop was to identify unfavorable or defective areas in the existing policies regarding youth, and recommend policy options within the framework of existing policies. Participants of the workshop stressed the need to include youth in every sphere of society through policy intervention. Speaking on the occasion Naseer Memon, Chief Executive SPO, said that SPO was engaged with youth of Pakistan. That was why SPO arranged the consultative workshop by engaging policy experts and carrying out consultation with civil society organizations and youth groups. ‘Fundamental policy for youth is already there, but changed circumstances demand changes in youth policy in the light of issues and gaps identified by the stakeholders, particularly youth’ Memon stated. He laid great emphasis on the need to carry out debate regarding youth policy at provincial level to broaden the ambit of feedback from all stratum and regions of the country. Mazhar Arif, a media watch expert, appreciated the policy for addressing the economic dimension. He, however, emphasized not to focus solely on economic aspect because it would only create a working class for the consumption of jobs in the market. ‘The policy follows a narrow agenda if it focuses on production of only job seekers for the market. Instead the policy should broaden its perspective by providing vistas and opportunities to youth to actualize their potential through socialisation and increased participation’ Mazhar said. Arif urged youth of get involve in every sphere of society. He was of the opinion that our society had closed the doors of opportunities for the youth and forced the youth to become hostile. ‘This situation can be averted by providing multiple way outs to the youth’ Mazhar Arif stated. Zafar Zeeshan, Head of Programme SPO, stated that the society needed youth rather than youth needed society. He termed the policy of isolation of youth from the mainstream activities as unfair. ‘Youth should be given centre stage in the affairs of country. Current turmoil in the country has changed many things and we need to address the questions generated by the changed situation’ Zafar said. Zafar Zeeshan highlighted the need of taking contemporary challenges and issues of youth into consideration while chalking out youth policy review. The consultative workshop was attended by youth stakeholders from across the country. They lauded the efforts of SPO in mainstreaming youth with the affairs of country through policy dialogue and intervention. In the end the participants prepared and presented detailed recommendations for change in the youth policy. These recommendations would be shared with the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Pakistan.
SPO Hattai Bala – Video
Testing of Vedios
Conference on Peace and Harmony
Currently, Pakistan is undergoing a tumultuous period in its history for the country is facing violence from elements which are averse to democratic norms, pluralistic society and dissent. This situation is the cumulative outcome of various underlying social, political and economic factors, but their manifestations are appearing today in the shape of intolerance and violence in our society. Being one the largest rights based organisations in Pakistan, Strengthening Participatory Organisation (SPO) endeavors to cultivate culture of peace and harmony through its core programme of Social Peace and Harmony. It specially encourages activities that are geared toward building a peaceful, tolerant, democratic and pluralistic society in Pakistan. Faiz Ahmed Faiz belongs to those luminaries of Pakistani literature who rejected myopic attitude of the society and gave message of justice, peace and love of humanity through his poetry and writings. The current situation in Pakistan has made Faiz Ahmed Faiz more relevant as the society realized the repercussions of inculcating distorted ideologies in the hearts and minds Pakistani society. Realizing the relevance of Faiz oeuvre in guiding Pakistani society to get rid of obscurantist and violent forces, SPO held a conference ‘Faiz aik simt numa’ (Faiz – lighting the way) at National Language Authority (NLA) on February 17, 2010. The objectives of conference is to explore the dimensions of Faiz’s writings that can prove conducive to peace and social harmony on the one hand, and disseminate the message of love of humanity in Faiz’s poetry to wider audience on the other. Prominent among those who spoke on the occasion were poets Iftikhar Arif, Fehmida Riaz, Harris Khalique, intellectual Ashfaq Saleem Mirza, trade union leader Abdul Sattar. Aslam Azhar, who played a formative role in making the PTV a creative organ of the state, presided over the conference. Introducing the theme of conference Zafar Zeeshan, Head of Programme SPO, said that in Pakistani society domination of emotions over rationality, weak state structure, and extremism resulted in suffering of minorities in particular and people in general. In such a state alternative solutions should be sought within the indigenous literary figures who disseminated the message of peace and harmony. Zafar said ‘a salient feature about these personalities is that they are not imported, rather they have indigenous roots.’ In his key note address Harris Khalique, writer, poet and Chief Executive SPO, highlighted three arenas where ideological struggle for peace and harmony needed be launched. “The country is on a collision course with obscurantist forces trying to win heart and minds of laymen on the streets. We have to free minds from the clutches and demagogues of the extremists and reactionaries and to show respect and love for the wretched and adopt tolerance as a way of life. These were the basic touchstones of Faiz’s poetry,” Prominent intellectual Ashfaq Saleem Mirza shed light of the relationship between Faiz’s poetry and experience of incarceration. He placed Faiz’s writings in incarceration in the tradition of Antonio Gramci, Nehru and Moulana Abul Kalam Azad, who wrote their best writings in jail. ‘Despite hardships in jail Faiz did not become embittered rather he expressed his annoyance through his poetry.’ Poet Fahmida Riaz read out her paper ‘Faiz and Freedom of Expression’. Her paper was interspersed with poetry of Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Speaking against the misuse of Faiz’s poetry for selfish ends she said ‘it is a conspiracy by the rich as well as those in power to advance their vulgar designs. This is being done to rob the people of their favorite poet; but he would remain the people’s poet for no one could ever succeed in separating Faiz from the people.” She was of the opinion that his poetry is a weapon to defeat writers of sanguinary drama in our country. Trade union leader, Abdul Sattar, criticised contemporary intellectuals for deviating from Faiz’s tradition of becoming part and parcel of workers’ struggle. He bought metaphor of seeing the River Tigris in a drop. ‘Intellectuals help us to see parts in totality, and combination of practice and theory are important. Unfortunately, workers are struggling without idea from intellectual because modern intellectual do not interact with the workers.’ he said. Sattar said that bridging the gap between workers and intellectual would help creating a better society. National Language Authority Chairman Iftikhar Arif admitted the failure of the intellectuals in highlighting the issues of the downtrodden and working class. He proposed that national days for the three great minds Prof Abdul Salam, Dr Akhter Hameed Khan and Faiz Ahmed Faiz should be observed. “We should feel ashamed of the way in which we have treated these great men who were a part of the national heritage and pride,” said Iftikhar Arif. He added that Faiz’s poetry was filled with hope for the nation and in this way; we could rekindle the hope for the ultimate betterment of the working class. ‘Faiz is a legend and once a legend is established it is difficult to dismantle it’ he reflected. Aslam Azhar in his concluding remarks said read from Faiz’s poem Sochiye (think) and asked participants to find a solution of the present morass in this message. In the second session of the conference Arieb Azhar, Shahram, Taimoor Rehman and Mehwish thrilled the participants with their music and songs of peace and harmony and Faiz Ahmed Faiz. The conference culminated with formulation Charter of Demands for social peace and harmony, drawn from insights provided by the speakers.
Have faith in Faiz’s promise of people’s victory
By A Reporter ISLAMABAD, Feb 17: Speakers at a conference held here on Wednesday resolved to use Faiz’s poetry to correct the nation’s course and steer the country out of the present impasse. They underlined the need to put faith in, and promote, the optimism that Faiz inspires about the ultimate victory of the people in their struggle for social justice, freedom, equality and peace. They emphasized the poet’s active role shoulder to shoulder with the working class to establish a just society free of exploitation, oppression and economic disparity. The conference was organised by Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO), an NGO. Prominent among those who spoke on the occasion were poets Iftikhar Arif, Fehmida Riaz, Harris Khalique, intellectual Ashfaq Saleem Mirza, trade union leader Abdul Sattar. Aslam Azhar, who played a formative role in making the PTV a creative organ of the state, presided over the conference. Poet Fehmida Riaz read a paper on “freedom of expression and lamented the manner in which the freedom of expression had been subverted especially by the TV channels. In her opinion, it was full of empty noise. “A time has come when many people are quoting Faiz to advance their selfish ends. It is a conspiracy by the rich as well as those in power to advance their vulgar designs. This is being done to rob the people of their favourite poet; but he would remain the people’s poet for no one could ever succeed in separating Faiz from the people.” She also read Faiz’s Punjabi poem Teri meri dharti mata to show Faiz’s attachment with farmers, peasants and workers. She said that Faiz was wrongly been portrayed as a Sufi poet. His message was simple and clear. He wanted a peaceful and just society free from all exploitations. His message is more relevant today, a ray of hope for the poor, workers and peasants who are reeling under the burden of inflation, poverty, unemployment. She held the exploitative economic system responsible for the current sorry state of affairs in the region. She urged the working class, peasants and students to get united and wage a struggle against this system. National Language Autho-rity Chairman Iftikhar Arif admitted the failure of the intellectuals in highlighting the issues of the downtrodden and working class. The NLA chief proposed that national days for the three great minds — Prof Abdul Salam, Dr Akhter Hameed Khan and Faiz — should be observed. “We should feel ashamed of the way in which we have treated these great men who were a part of the national heritage and pride,” said Iftikhar Arif. He added that Faiz’s poetry was filled with hope for the nation and in this way, we could rekindle the hope for the ultimate betterment of the working class. Ashfaq Saleem Mirza discussed Faiz’s message of optimism in the long night of darkness when he was in jail. But Faiz Sahib did not lose his cool or become dejected. He remained patient and had the greatness of heart not to harbour ill will for his many tormentors. Trade union leader Abdus Sattar lamented that writers and intellectuals have forsaken the cause of the common man. He said Faiz sahib was a committed poet who worked under the leadership of Mirza Ibrahim for the cause of working class. Earlier in his keynote address, Harris Khalique set out the rationale of the conference. He said that we have to launch a three-pronged struggle – on ideological front, in media and on the streets. “The country is on a collision course with men with dark vision clashing on the streets. We have to move the country out of the slogans and shibboleths of the extremists and reactionaries and to show respect and love for the wretched and adopt tolerance as a way of life. These were the basic touchstones of Faiz’s poetry,” he said. Aslam Azhar who spoke in the end took up the thread. The only message he gave to the gathering to find a solution out of the present morass. To emphasize this theme he read from Faiz’s poem Sochiye (think). Zeeshan Zafar informed the gathering that SPO was working to create a society that based its mores on the ethics of social justice, peace, equality and harmony. The conference went into second session in which Faiz’s evocative poetry was sung by Arieb Azhar, Shahram, Taimoor Rehman and Mehwish. The session thrilled everyone with its flair of songs and ghazals.Dawn. February 18, 2010
SPO’s Response to the Affectees of Zalzal Lake in District Hattian, Azad Jammu and Kashmir
The recent spell of torrential rains caused a flood like situation all over AJK especially in Jhelum valley. On February 8, 2010, Zalzal Lake in Hattian district, naturally created in earthquake of 2005, burst under the pressure of heavy rains. According to the initial assessment of State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) at least 70 houses were washed away in the high water currents of Zalzal Lake. Since 2005 earthquake, Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO) has been engaged in emergency, relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction work in Azad Jammu and Kashmir through its various programmes. In response to Zalzal Lake burst, SPO brought succor to the people who have been rendered insecure by the natural disaster. SPO emergency team in close coordination with SDMA, district government Hattian and partner organizations conducted rapid assessment of the damages caused. According to this assessment 70 families lost their houses and valuable items in the flash flood. The affectees have been shifted to safe places. They were in dire need of food items and shelter. The SDMA requested SPO to provide food items on humanitarian grounds. On the request of SDMA and the district Government Hattian, SPO initiated the distribution process at the selected point, i.e. the Deputy Commissioner Office in Hattian. SPO and its partner organization made proper arrangements to ensure that the affectees reach to the distribution point easily. SPO with the cooperation of DC Hattian supported 70 families through a relief package sufficient for their one month need. The distributed food items include flour, rice, cooking oil, pulses and other items of daily use.
Seminar “Civil Society Perspective on Health Systems: Learnings from TACMIL Grants Project”
Technical Assistance for Capacity building in Midwifery, Information and Logistics (TACMIL) Health Project was initiated with financial and technical assistance of USAID to address selected MNCH issues in Pakistan. One of the activities under the project was to identify and address the problems in health systems in collaboration with civil society of the country. For that purpose twelve (12) grants were awarded to eleven (11) Pakistani NGOs to implement and pilot innovative models in eighteen (18) districts. The areas of health systems addressed by TACMIL Project grantees ranges from activating health management committees, safe motherhood, mobilizing health monitoring committees, improving in public private partnership, improvement in intra natal care through capacity building, increasing awareness of masses on MNCH issues and their rights and responsibilities in this regard, using of score card technique to ascertain quality and availability of health services, strengthening district health management, behavior change techniques, addressing three delays and improvement of maternal and child care service. Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO), in collaboration of all partner organizations, arranged a seminar on to disseminate and share the experiences and lesson to ensure sustainability of these initiatives on November 16, 2009 at Serena Hotal, Islamabad. The seminar was attended by representatives of the implementing partners, i.e. AGAHE (Association for Gender Empowerment and Human Development); AQWDO (Al Qaim Women Development Organization); CPDI (Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives-Pakistan); GRHO (Gender and Reproductive Health Organization); HANDS; LEAD Pakistan; MAP (Midwifery Association of Pakistan); SPO (Strengthening Participatory Organization); SWWS (Swabi Women Welfare Society); Takhleeq Foundation; and Youth Organization. Also present were Mr. Asad Hafeez, Health System and Policy Unit, Ministry of Health, Government of Pakistan; Ms Mary Cobb, Deputy Chief of Health, USAID; Mr. Zafarullah Gill, TACMIL Health Project, medical practitioners and other members of civil society. Ms Zeenia Masood, SPO, the master of ceremony, welcomed participants to the seminar and started the proceedings. Speakers at the seminar shared challenges in and recommendations for the improvements of health system in Pakistan. Challenges in and recommendations for betterment of health system in Pakistan, drawn from experiences of partner organizations of TACMIL, were presented to Mr. Asad Hafeez, Health System Strengthening and Policy Unit, MoH, Ms. Mary Cobb, Dy. Chief of Health, USAID and Zafarullah Gill, Chief of Party, TACMIL Health Project. Speakers hoped that the concerns and perspectives on health from civil society would be incorporated in health policy and planning to ameliorate the demand and service mechanism of health system in Pakistan. Harris Khalique, Chief Executive SPO, welcomed the participants and guests and set the tone of seminar by shedding light on the issue through civil perspective. He said “innovation is the hallmark of TACMIL Health Project and its successful models can be replicated by civil society organizations in collaboration with government.” Mr. Naseer Memon, Provincial Coordinator, LEAD Sindh, presented overview of TACMIL Health Project and concluded with recommendations for the amelioration of health systems in Pakistan. He laid special emphasis on bridging missing links between the beneficiaries and policy makers. Memon was of the opinion that ‘there is no shortage of infrastructure in Pakistan, but it is underutilized. Hence, health system is malfunctioning.’ TACMIL focused on making health system to function properly, he commented. Dr. Asad Hafeez said that treatment was available and needy people were there, but people did not get treatment. It shows that there were some factors that choked the flow of services to the clients. To address this situation evidence will be generated through research and presented to policy makers in a palatable form, he said. By doing so, linkage of evidence with policy would be established. Dr Hafeez suggested developing a national inventory of initiatives carried out by different organizations in health sector of Pakistan. “The purpose is to learn lessons from initiatives like TACMIL and feed these in policy making,” Hafeez commented. Ms Mary Cobb, Dy. Chief of Health, USAID, shared her views about TACMIL project. She said that the trick was to get the service to client. Cobb expressed her satisfaction that the health issues were on the radar screen of civil society organizations working in the health sector. Mary shared initiatives, such as regulating quality of health service providers through regularity authority. Dr. Zafar Ullah Gill, Chief of Party, TACMIL Health Project, lauded the partner organizations for sharing the results of TACMIL Health Project. He said ‘the project is geared to contribute to MDGs in collaborations with civil society organizations.’ Besides providing grants, the objective of the project was capacity building of partner organizations. If a component of health system does not work properly, then the whole system becomes dysfunctional. “Human resource, infrastructure and medicines are there, but somehow people are not getting medicine. It means there is a missing link. To tackle this challenge it is imperative to have a holistic approach to put the missing link in their place.” Zafar Gill said. The programme was concluded with vote of thanks from Zafar Zeeshan of SPO.
Terrorism in Pakistan
On the evening of 4th September 2008 Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmed, Associate Professor of International Relations at the Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad was invited to the SPO national centre to speak on Terrorism in Pakistan, an issue that is presently agitating the minds of many in the country. Among the audience were students and members of Islamabad based rights based NGOs. Tracing terrorism’s historical roots, Dr. Ishtiaq said that in the case of Pakistan the mushrooming of religious extremists began with the decision of western powers to launch a ‘jihad’ in Afghanistan against the Soviet Union. Several groups were armed to fight against the Soviets and pro Soviet Afghan forces. Seven of these factions were supported by Pakistan and eight by Iran. They were used by international powers to fight against the Soviet Union, and later by Pakistan to fight in Kashmir. Typically, after the war was over, these groups became independent and, as has happened throughout history, turned on their erstwhile supporters. They invited Al Qaeda to Afghanistan, engaged in cruelties and excesses and, despite pleadings by the Pakistan government, destroyed the Bamiyan Buddhas. Madrasas were set up with foreign funding to prepare fighters for the jihad, but the talibanisation of Pakistan began in earnest when the Taliban seized control of Kabul. Sufi Mohammad launched his Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi in Swat, which was financed by criminals who had cases against them in courts of law for murder, rape, kidnapping and other heinous crimes, and sought to escape punishment by subverting the criminal justice system. ‘If Pakistan is seen as an ideological state there will always be people who will demand Shariah’, Dr. Ishtiaq pointed out. He believed that though the Partition had taken place because the Muslims as a group were economically subservient, the Muslim League had raised the slogan of Islam in order to mobilise support. Realising that this could lead to problems, Mr. Jinnah in his famous 11th August 1947 speech emphasised that tolerance and respect for diversity, not religion, would be the guiding principles for the country. To overcome terrorism Dr. Ishtiaq recommended that: Firstly, basic concepts needed to be debated so that a national consensus on the raison’etre of Pakistan could be arrived at. The nation has to decide if Pakistan was an Islamic state or a secular state guided by the 11th August speech of the Quaid-e-Azam, in which he declared that religion had nothing to do with the business of the state, and that citizens of different religions were equal. Secondly, the ambiguous attitude towards suicide bombers and terrorists had to be discarded. It must be clearly understood that religion does not permit the killing of unarmed civilians. The concept that ‘one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter’ is basically wrong. He emphasised that violence against unarmed people could never be justified, and that terrorism and violence could not succeed, only peaceful means lead to success. He cited the examples of Ireland and South Africa, where freedom was achieved when violent means were discontinued and peaceful means adopted. And thirdly, civil society should persuade religious political parties and scholars to oppose suicide bombings and violence. He reminded the audience of the golden age of Islam, and said that fundamentalists ignored the science and culture of this period when Muslims were not afraid of learning from others, and sought their inspiration from the tribal age before enlightenment. Defining terrorism, he said that terrorism was violence, which was politically motivated, deliberate and planned, against unarmed civilians, with the purpose of creating fear in a wider audience, by an individual or group of people. Should states also be called terrorist if they killed and inflicted violence? And if people killed by the terrorist were military or armed soldiers or police, would it count as terrorism? Answering these questions Dr. Ishtiaq reminded participants that international law permitted only states to use force. However, the state had to abide by the Geneva Conventions. During the discussion some thought provoking points were raised. For instance, what relationship did the arms industry have to militancy? And what part did poverty play in provoking people to adopt violence? It was pointed out that exploitation by capitalism could not be ignored. All Muslim countries, with the exception of Turkey, had undergone colonisation. Global injustice too molded societies to support radical movements. And international law cannot be applied equally because of great inequalities between nations. In response Dr. Ishtiaq gave the example of Africa, which too was poor and had undergone colonisation, but had not turned to terrorism to achieve justice. Perhaps there was a problem with the Muslim psyche? On this provocative note the discussion came to a close, as it was Ramzan and time to break the fast.
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