Promote Social Justice, Democratic Governance, And Peace
Status: Completed Start Date: Oct 2011 End Date: Sep 2014 Geographic Coverage: 42 Districts in Sindh, Baluchistan, Punjab Focus Area: Peace & Governance SDG Goal: 16 Implementing Partner: SPO Funding Partner: British High Commission (BHC)
Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO) with the financial support of British High Commission (BHC) implemented a multi-year project, which was targeted to achieve Enhanced capacity of community-based organizations, civil society networks and political workers to practice and promote democratic governance, social justice, peace and social harmony.
The project implemented in 42 Districts of Sindh, Baluchistan, Punjab, and KPK provinces of Pakistan, had achieved following key results against the objectives falling under thematic areas of Democratic Governance, Peace and Social Harmony and Institutional Strengthening;
1. Increased capacity of community organizations to undertake knowledge based programs for human rights and address governance and conflict issues at local level.
2. Enhanced capacity of political workers to respond to local conflicts, development issues.
3. Increased capacity of civil society networks in promoting social harmony and tolerance among diversified groups.
4. Increased capacity of civil society networks to design and execute successful advocacy campaigns to achieve desired policy goals.
5. Increased capacity of civil society networks to design and execute successful advocacy campaigns to achieve desired policy goals.
6. SPO remains transparent and accountable to development partners and promotes integrated learning based development models.
7. Improved mechanisms for the planning and management of programme, finances and human resources at SPO.
SPO has always nurtured partnership and alliances especially when it comes to linkages building with government authorities. The government was main partner in ensuring that the programme objectives concerning good governance were achieved both at national and local levels. SPO invited government in all the consultations and forums to solicit their opinion and achieve coordination for the execution of different activities.
The ministry of human rights, women, social welfare, health, education environment remained as main supporters in this project. Through this in-depth community mobilization, and engagement SPO through this big support of BHC trained 240 Community Organizations (CO) on rights based approach, democratic behaviors, gender and roots of conflicts, facilitated CO in developing 480 action plans to disseminate the knowledge about democratic governance and human rights with special focus on minority rights, 90 advocacy campaigns were run on peace building and conflict prevention measures, 15000 complaints lodged in the ombudsman’s office on governance and development issues,
100 human rights violations responded by SPO partner organizations, 25000 women facilitated to acquire CNIC and voter registration to take part in electoral process, 960 awareness raising/advocacy events were conducted under project thematic areas, Gender sensitized systems and policies in place for at least 200 community organizations for improved transparency and accountability, 240 partner organizations are trained in planning and financial management, 3 new district and 4 provincial steering committees developed and strengthened, 300 political workers become aware of and understand human rights, democratic governance, research advocacy and lobbying and conflict resolution techniques, 493 events are conducted by the District Steering Committees (DSCs) concerning district level conflicts and development issues, 42 district and 4 provincial political steering committees asses and prioritize development needs by employing participatory techniques and map out conflicts of the district through strategy development workshops, 24 events organized by provincial steering committees on major conflicts and issues to support democratic governance, stability and peace, 24 recommendation documents on resolution of conflict and development issues drafted and submitted to ministries and parliamentary committees, 122 policy issues identified by the civil society networks in relation to the absence of policy, inadequate policy or the implementation of the policy at the local level, 122 advocacy campaigns planned and conducted by civil society networks, 24 provincial level dialogues conducted by Civil Society networks (CSNs) on policy issues and implementation mechanisms,
42 CSNs are capacitated to resolve conflicts, carry out research and advocacy activities in districts, 504 initiatives taken by CSNs to promote tolerance, peace and harmony among diverse social groups, and CSNs expanded their membership with more participation of minority groups, women, professionals and media.
This project contributed to SPO credibility of work, and as a result SPO is consulted on national and provincial level policy issues by the decision makers, financial institutions and media to advocate for the rights of marginalized groups particularly women and minorities.
