IDSP

People's Assemblies

People's assemblies was the initiative of national civil society partners to bring in the voice of masses in shaping the then proposed devolution plan. The partners were SUNGI (NWFP), SAP-PK (Lahore), SDC, SPO, SDPI as research partner and IDSP. The program conducted workshops, policy seminars and advocacy campaigns in Balochistan for the larger civil society. The representation in these assemblies Was from government officials former local Government representatives, NGOs, political Parties, Academia, trade unions, Lawyers and Students. The local assemblies' findings were Presented at a provincial forum in Quetta for the Federal government (Minister of Local Government), provincial government officials and larger civil society.

Democratic Rights and Citizen Education Program DRCEP

The DRCEP was an initiative of the national coalition, comprising of SUNGI NWFP, SAP-PK Punjab, PILER Sindh, SDPI as research partner and IDSP in Balochistan. Innovative ideas such as Community Theater were actively used in the program, which also resulted in an organization named Interactive Resource Center. The program had following goals:
1. to promote political education among people to exercise their democratic rights for increasing people's participation in political structure/electoral process.
2. promoting the concept of good governance through a process of democratic and electoral education of citizen (esp. disadvantaged, women and minorities).
3. to revive the confidence of people on the political and electoral processes through collective civil society action.

Iqbal Life and Study
Iqbal is one of the most influential personalities, who’s work has inspired generations. Iqal was either discussed as a great philosopher or a poet but his collective work as an intellectual was sacrificed for one reason or another. The seminar focused on his ideologies and his concept of Millet.
Globalization and Mother Languages
The conference aimed to generate learning discourse in different sections of society to look at globalization and its impacts on indigenous languages and cultures in a constructive, collective and educational manner. Intellectuals around the country Participated in this first ever conference on Languages in Balochistan. A book is published on the articles presented in the conference.
Islam in Post 9/11 Scenario
Islam has been at the fore front of all major media sources around the world after the horrific incidents of 9/11. Islam as a discourse has been questioned, its followers were being marginalized. IDSP felt a great need to initiate a dialogue among the common people to understand what is happening and how it is effecting our beliefs, practices and image around the world. For the very purpose of illuminating some of the misconceptions and to understand the western thought process a public debate was organized. The main speakers were Dr. Riffat Hassan a famous scholar on Islam from university of Louisville, Kentucky USA and Mr. Abbass Hussain from Karachi.

Supporting Democratic Electoral Process in Pakistan SDEPP
[Issues of Women in Politics and Democracy]

The SDEPP utilized different approaches towards attaining its goal of:
1. Understanding, analyzing and conceptualizing specific areas relating to gender dynamics.
2. Creating gender awareness amongst indigenous communities.
3. Encouraging and engaging effective and truly democratic women representation in the local elections.
4. Identify through researches and case studies the indigenous role of women in traditionally democratic societies.
5. Creating a socially and economically viable environment for women.

The Program was conducted in Kharan, Chaghi, Awaran, Panjgur, Kech, Gawadar, Lasbella, Khuzdar, Kalat and Quetta.

Research on effectiveness of District Governments

A research study to analyze the change patterns due to the local bodies restructuring and its impact on people's life was carried out in partnership with SDPI. The research aimed to find out the effects of devolution plan, its impacts on the traditional power structure, participation of women (33% seats reserved for women), and impact of boycott by some of the political parties, conditions emerging of the decision of government for having a non partisan election.

Political Education through Creative, Generative and
Professional Human Resources

The project is 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. The objectives of the project are:
To develop and build capacities of community activists, organizations and civil society members.
To generate community initiatives for political education and promoting the culture of informed debate and dialogues on larger issues of democracy, accountability and democratic political culture.
Promote meaningful participation of marginalized in political structures and decision making bodies.

Tawana Pakistan

The situation of women in Pakistan is worsening; this fact is more evident in the rural areas where the traditional norms, cultural taboos are a hindrance in women’s progress. IDSP is in engaged in a girl child’s nutritional program to help improve the situion in rural Balochistan.

Tawana Pakistan is Government of Pakistan’s initiative. The program is in all provincial and federal areas of Pakistan. The program aim’s to reach to 600,000 primary school age girls. The major objectives of the program are:
* Increasing Girls enrollment
* Reducing the malnutrition in girl child (focus of stunting wasting and anemia)
* Community awareness on nutrition

Tawana in many ways is an innovative program; it is an innovation of Pakistan with respect
to the food distribution programs. The partners group is extensive and diverse, from Ministry of Women Development, Government of Pakistan, Agha Khan University, Pakistan Baitulamal, Provincial Education Department, local governments and IDSP-Pakistan.

The program has resulted in increased interest of the girl child to participate in learning. The drop out of especially the girl child has decreased significantly and the community is mobilized to understand and take action on balanced nutrition.

International Conferences on unfolding learning societies

IDSP-Pakistan co hosted an international conference on “Unfolding Learning Societies” in India Udhaypure from 18th 22th December 2002. This conference is sponsored by UNESCO and Shikshantar is hosting it in India. The conference has been interesting in many ways. For instance the first round / phase of the conference held on the Internet via an e-group. The ideas shared from all corners of the world regarding learning societies, local learning mechanisms, innovations in schooling and education, learning parks, learning societies were all very refreshing and gave in depth information of the variety, diversity and local context of educations and schooling. The participants shared their ideas of de schooling, progressive schools and learning out of schools.
The second conference held during the World Social Forum in Mumbai. The conference discussed the different themes ranging from the myths created by the factory schooling system and looked at different approaches to learning in varied geographical regions of the world. The conference was hosted jointly by Shikshantar, Abhivaktl, UNESCO and IDSP.