The South Asia Evidence-Based Policy in Development Network (SA-ebpdn) is the regional arm of the global ebpdn. The SA-ebpdn is coordinated by the Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA) and brings together think tanks, research institutes and similar organisations working in international development across South Asia to promote more evidence-based, pro-poor development . . . → Read More: February 1st, 2011: IDSP’s participation in Evidence-Based Policy in Development Network (EBPDN) Meeting]]> Evidence-Based Policy in Development Network (EBPDN)

The South Asia Evidence-Based Policy in Development Network (SA-ebpdn) is the regional arm of the global ebpdn. The SA-ebpdn is coordinated by the Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA) and brings together think tanks, research institutes and similar organisations working in international development across South Asia to promote more evidence-based, pro-poor development policy making in the region.

As a part of facilitating the network CEPA works with a Core Group of organisations working on evidence based policy research in the South Asia region. Some of these organisations have been partnering CEPA since February 2009 and have engaged in a number of activities including a needs assessment, popularising the platform in each country, running discussion threads and consolidating the discussion.

Overall objectives of facilitating the South Asia regional platform are to:

• Capture region-specific lessons learnt on how evidence can be used more effectively to influence policy
• Strengthen research communication capacity
• Establish a sustainable mechanism to facilitate knowledge sharing between organisations committed to evidence based policy in development
• Endorse regional efforts on bridging research and policy

As at September 2010 the Core Group comprises the following members;

• Centre for Poverty Analysis, Sri Lanka
• Centre for Rural Technology (CRTN), Nepal
• Catalyst Management Services, through the Vrutti Livelihood Resource Centre, India
• Institute for Development Studies and Practices (IDSP), Pakistan
• DRUK Associates, Bhutan

Core Group Meeting, Colombo – January 2011

The Core Group for South Asia held its first meeting in January 2011 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The meeting was organized and hosted by the platform facilitator, CEPA. As facilitator, CEPA had constantly stressed the importance of holding this event so that team members could be able to meet face to face, network and discuss network activities in a more structured manner. This was a first step to consolidate the learning thus far of being a part of the network and discuss future plans.

More particularly the meeting had multiple objectives of sharing, learning and planning ahead.

Sharing objectives

• Experiences that are specific to networking and evidence based policy in the South Asian region are shared and consolidated.
• Members have clarity on basic concepts of evidence based policy and networking and are committed to building a community of practice.

Learning objectives

• All partners are on the same page and are aware of the linkages of the regional platform and its activities to the global platform
• Partners devise ways that the linkages between the global, regional and the local can be encouraged.
• A strong network that is committed to advocating for evidence based policy in South Asia is established.

Sustainability

• Core group members come together to develop a plan of action for the next three years that can be used to mobilize new funding for the platform.
• A clear set of activities and related outcomes are identified by the Core Group.

In conclusion, it was a productive meeting whereby a number of meaningful activities were carried out such as, presentation and discussion on the key terms and concepts of evidence based policy and networking, reflections from the practitioners, sharing of policy maps and experiences of networking, reflections on the past engagement and future planning.

Academic Development Program offer courses for the young and motivated groups and individuals, who wants to practice their dreams and strive to contribute in the processes of social change through his/her direct or indirect involvement. The courses are mainly spaces of reflection, sharing, listening, demonstrating and arguing on different matters/issues which affect our lives . . . → Read More: Programs & Projects]]> Academic Development Program

Academic Development Program offer courses for the young and motivated groups and individuals, who wants to practice their dreams and strive to contribute in the processes of social change through his/her direct or indirect involvement. The courses are mainly spaces of reflection, sharing, listening, demonstrating and arguing on different matters/issues which affect our lives in one . . . → Read More

Learners and Community Partnership Program

Learners and Community Partnership Program is one of the core programs of IDSP aiming to strengthen IDSP learners conceptually and enable them to work with their communities. IDSP has number of learners and having diverse experiences in different thematic areas. Learners across the Pakistan were engaged in IDSP courses where they got the education on understanding . . . → Read More

Child Protection Centers

The project “Improving Child Protection Measures by Involving Key Stakeholders Through Dialogues and Interventions” has jointly been initiated by IDSP Pakistan and UNICEF since July 2006.The project aimed at providing a protective environment to working and street children exposed in motor garages and streets of Quetta city. The project is also sensitizing the people, living in . . . → Read More

ZAANTH: An Innovative Project of Learning and Livelihood

IDSP was a leading national partner in a South Asian innovative joint action research venture of UNESCO for piloting the community based literacy, skill and economic empowerment education project for out of school Adolescents. IDSP was one of the leading partners in national Education Sector Reforms Program in the area of education policy and planning in 8 . . . → Read More

Mainstreaming Gender and Development in Balochistan (MGDB)

Institute for Development Studies and Practices Institute (IDSP-Pakistan) conceptualized and conducted theory and practice based course on “Mainstreaming Gender and Development in Balochistan since 2003. This was an innovative experience of engaging 220 young women of Balochistan from six districts. Their theory and practices generated themes, which includes political education, social organizing, understanding . . . → Read More

Disaster Relief

IDSP Pakistan has been actively providing support to communities affected by Natural Disasters. IDSP Pakistan has worked with 2005 Earthquake affected communities in Azad Jammu & Kashmir, 2008 Earthquake affected communities in Balochistan, IDPs in Pakistan and Recent Flood affected families and communities . . . → Read More

. . . → Read More: December 25, 2010: Christmas and New year celebration]]> To share the joy of Christmas and New Year with Christian brothers and sisters, IDSP-Pakistan organized an event at its Programming office in Quetta. Individuals from both communities participated in the program.

The project “Improving Child Protection Measures by Involving Key Stakeholders Through Dialogues and Interventions” has jointly been initiated by IDSP Pakistan and UNICEF since July 2006.The project aimed at providing a protective environment to working and street children exposed in motor garages and streets of Quetta city. The project is also sensitizing the people, living in . . . → Read More: Child Protection Centers]]> Introduction

The project “Improving Child Protection Measures by Involving Key Stakeholders Through Dialogues and Interventions” has jointly been initiated by IDSP Pakistan and UNICEF since July 2006.The project aimed at providing a protective environment to working and street children exposed in motor garages and streets of Quetta city. The project is also sensitizing the people, living in nearby communities, on child protection and exploitation issues, and benefits of childbirth registration. The project was extended for the year 2007 with inclusion of girls CPC on double road and expansion to another area “Almo chowk UC 49″. The project provided Supplementary Nutrition to 400 children daily in all four CPCs. IDSP accessed and engaged 1950 (1554 boys and 396 girls) working and street children.

The project continued with the same activities in 2009 and facilitated more than 1900 children enrolled in four child protection centers. The children were provided with services i.e Basic Non formal education, Health and Hygiene services, Knowledge and awareness, Psycho-social support, Recreational activities, Livelihood skills, Religious education, supplementary nutrition and ICT for boys and girls. IDSP Pakistan created strong communication links with like minded organizations, community members, ustaads and parents to discuss child protection issues.
IDSP continued to provide services in 2010 with limited resources and enhanced the support of UNICEF for three centers. The centers are moving towards the consolidation phase of the project and IDSP is making efforts to sustain these centers through resource mobilization and consultations with Government department. In the mean time, IDSP is also creating spaces for the communities to take the ownership of this project and enhance the capacity of child protection committees to take a leading role. The transitional phase will possibly help the communities and, especially the children, in continuing these centers with the support from government and friends of IDSP in future. Meanwhile, the project is focused upon interventions of different activities to generate income and support the operational cost of these centers for future.

Enrollment Statistics (July 2010):

Progress Reports:

Quaterly Report – July 2010

On the basis of last twelve years experiences compounded by internal and external evaluations, reviews, retreats and series of reflections IDSP has decided to carve its own path based on its own experiences. IDSP has intended to establish one of its identities by extending its outreach and academic processes. In this connection an university of community . . . → Read More: Charter Development]]> Introduction

On the basis of last twelve years experiences compounded by internal and external evaluations, reviews, retreats and series of reflections IDSP has decided to carve its own path based on its own experiences. IDSP has intended to establish one of its identities by extending its outreach and academic processes. In this connection an university of community development will be established that will cater learning and livelihood needs of the excluded majority of Pakistani youth.

During the 12 years consecutive practices, IDSP has evolved its unique patterns of human resource development, that engage the disillusioned and excluded youth to become agent of social change and sustainable development. The 10 years courses Evaluation Report recommends to culminate the diverse practices of human resource development both in the horizontal and vertical dimensions. In this connection IDSP is going to devise an independent charter for University that will be essentially guided by the principal of inclusion of diverse groups and motivated individuals. The charter for IDSP’s university will be stemmed in its vision and core values. IDSP’s vision of demystifying the power structure, for changing it by developing a critical mass will form the pivot around which the whole structure of the University and its charter will be constructed.

The eligibility criterion, curricula, methodology, assessment process and a close link of theory and practice will all be guided by the principles and standards evolved by IDSP in its last twelve years experience. As the idea of seeking any affiliation with the existing universities runs the risk of transforming IDSP’s efforts into any other formal educational institution, therefore, IDSP will maintain its approach and methodology both in theory and practices.

IDSP will evolve courses for different audiences with relative standards and equivalence (with other formal educational institutes). The standards and approach will be guided by IDSP’s vision, philosophy, experiences and the idea of inclusion of the excluded majority. Unlike the mainstream educational institutions, the charter for IDSP university will seek a close link between the education imparted and the livelihood opportunities for the graduates. Similarly, efforts will be made to link and relate the theory taught in the courses to the practices to make it more practical.

University Charter Development Process:

Step 1: Packaging and Standardization of the courses:

Since inception IDSP has conducted diverse modalities of long and short term courses. The two categories of Development Studies (DS) that is 1)Community Development and 2) Gender Mainstreaming in Development have been practiced consistently. In order to initiate the process of charter development and its approval from the provincial assembly the two prominent courses 1)Community Development and 2) Gender Mainstreaming in Development will be packaged in standardized frameworks. The prospectus and calendar of courses will be published.

Step 2: Formation of Academic Council
Academic Council is one of the recommended body by the third party evaluation report (2009). The council is supposed to infuse new insights in the process of human resource development practices. Member of the council will cater the reckoned scholars, intellectuals and practitioners from the diverse areas of the country. This group will be identified through series of consultations. The refined courses will be shared in the consultations with the individuals. The TORs of the Academic Council will be developed through the process of consultations. After the identification and finalization of the members the council will meet first time for working out and approving the outline and significant points of the charter. The council will also discuss and propose the level of degrees that will be awarded through courses.

Step 3: Development of Charter for registration.
In the light of the academic council collective resolutions, the process of writing the charter will be started. A consultant will be selected through a competitive process. The draft of the charter will be shared that will be assessed by the council members. The charter will be finalized after incorporating the inputs.

Step 4: Advocacy for the resolution of charter.
Series of dialogues will be launched with the Members Provincial Assembly (MPA) for sharing the Charter. The focal persons from different political persons will be identified and taken on boarded through proper orientations. These focal persons will develop close coordination with the selected member of provincial assembly. A consultant in this context will be hired who will precede the process with the required logical sequence.

Step 5: Presentation of the Charter in the Provincial Assembly.
The charter will be launched in the scheduled meeting of the provincial assembly in the month July-August 2011. During presentation members of the academic council and IDSP trustees will be present.