IDSP

Democratic Education Foundation

The SDDP process initiated in 2004, which is the continuity of DRCEP, aims to facilitate policy dialogue enabling marginalized groups especially women and the poor, to increase their influence over reform initiatives and strengthen networks and coalitions of civil society organizations on democratic reform. This process is initiated in 9 district of Balochistan Panjgur, Awaran, Khuzdar, Lasbela, Sibi, Bolan, Loralai, Pashin and Zhob district to conduct public forums on various themes poverty, peace and access to justice to have the opinion of marginalized groups that what they thing and suggest over such issues. This program is initiated all four provinces, in NWFP Khwendo Kore, in Panjab and Sindh SPO and in Balochistan IDSP is facilitating the process.
In the context of the experiences of political education programs, projects and campaigns there is a number of valuable contributions on general awareness of human rights and issue specific advocacy initiatives in the country beside, all these efforts the area of developing human resource has been remained a challenge the substantiality and continuity of the programs as depends on the local capacity building of the organizations, activists, journalists and civil society members.
Therefore, this project was more focused on developing human resources with reference to the political education and strengthening the local coalitions for advocating basic human rights, initiating public debates and dialogues on larger issues of democratization in the country and increasing public awareness and accountability through engaging activists, organizations and coalitions in a learning discourse on the areas of democracy, cultural pluralism, peace, tolerance, public accountability and fundamental human rights.

Objectives:

• Provide leadership training to community activists and organizations enabling them to play a more effective role in democratization process.
• Build the capacity of IDSP and partner organizations to facilitate public dialogue and mobilization around issues related to democratic governance;
• Facilitate policy dialogue enabling marginalized groups, especially women and the poor, to increase their influence over reform initiatives;
• Strengthen networks and coalitions of civil society organizations on democratic reform.

Conduction of course:

The course was started on 16th July 2003. The modules taught in the course till Dec 2003. The modules which were introduced in this course were, Orientation of IDSP and Course, Basic Concept of Self-awareness, Basic Concept of Gender, Mentoring Approach of Education, Social Pathologies of Religion, Culture, and Politics, Critical Analysis of Development Practices, Institutional Analysis, Alternative Development Context, Idea Generation Workshop and Reintegration/Field Plan. Political Education module and Interactive Theater module was included in course in last after the consultation of TAF.

This course had two major areas, theory and practice. After the theoretical session a session on “idea generation workshop” was organized to support and finalize the learners’ research and action research areas. The learners were sent to field to their relevant communities that they may initiate there tasks finalized in idea generation workshop. IDSP faculty team was continuously engaged with learners supporting them in field. The faculty visited their field areas in Sindh, NWFP and various districts of Balochistan e.g. Panjgur, Awaran, Lasbela, Khuzdar, Sibi, Bolan, Loralai, Kilasaifullah, Zhob and Pashin.

In the end of field practice the learners presented their field experiences in front of a panel comprising internal and external faculty members, Academicians and social activists. The panel shared their comments and feedback with learners and IDSP faculty.

District Public Forums

Public Forums on different topics was the major activity of this program. These public forums were conducted in 9 districts of Balochistan. The main objective of conducting these forums was to sensitize the marginalized groups on their issues and provide a platform where they discuss their issues. It was the part of program to publish the collected information and initiate a process of advocacy. Three Public forums were conducted in each selected district but one forum of Zhob was reshuffled and was conducted in district due the capacity of engaged learner and his group.

Balochistan is basically a tribal society where the mobility of the women is limited. They are excluded in all areas especially in decision making process. Therefore it was focused to ensure their participation. But due to various reasons in few districts the partners were not able to do so. Where there was no participation of women the facilitators tried to discuss the issues of women regarding selected themes to sensitize the people on women issues.

Provincial Forum Gawadar:

In the province of Balochistan Gawadar port and its declaration as a international trade zone has created many political problems for the Government of Pakistan because still there is lack of consensus with in the federal and provincial point of views and the opposition and government specially at provincial level. Therefore, this forum was intended to start an informed public dialogue on this issue. Because of the positive interaction on the issues between different political and social circles the understanding of common citizens on the real aspects of the mega project and developments is becoming more blurred and the popular political slogans from the Government and other political spheres are making the situation more complex. Therefore, with the support of District and provincial partner organizations it was planned in Gawadar.

Provincial Forum Quetta:

The theme “Democracy, Politics and International Economic Relations” was decided after review of the dialogues at District level and arising issues which has connection with the democracy and current challenges in the county. It was shared with concerned partners relevant to the identified areas. The partners from all Districts were invited in the forum. The representatives from media, academia, labor organizations, student organizations, professional associations and social and political worker were invited.

Action Research Groups/individuals:

In first step the learners were divided in to three regions and learners from each region were short listed on the basis of assessment on their final presentation, class participation and behavior etc. Awaran, Panjgur, Lasbela and Khuzdar district is included in Khuzdar region, Sibi, and Bolan are coming in Sibi region and Pashin, Loralai and Zhob districts are included in Loralai region

Impact of the program:

• The capacity of the partner organizations were developed to conduct public forums and mobilization

• The civil society networks were strengthened for creating a public demand for democratization in the country

• The partners in the democracy program continued and refined their work and strategies at practice level during the reviews and assessment sessions.

• In the District forums the marginalized sections of society shared their opinion on the issues of social security, peace, social services, local governance, basic rights etc. which contributed to raise the confidence of public to share their opinion in larger public gathering and meetings.

• During the public dialogues and IDSP learner interaction with communities the role of local government system was analyzed as it’s the nearest public institution at District and community level. Therefore, the forums provided a space to the citizens to interact and discuss public concerns with their local political representatives.

• The media coverage of the forums raised the policy issues awareness at a larger level and the local journalist’s were encouraged to raise issues in the newspapers.