Civil Society Organizations

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Civil Society of Pakistan - A giant leap forward in the offing

2010-07-01T06:26:00.000-07:00

From: fasih bokhari

Date: Jun 27, 2010 6:11 PM

Subject: Civil Society of Pakistan

The Pakistan Ex Servicemen Association has repeatedly been asked by a number of civil society organizations to take the lead in bringing all civil society organizations under one umbrella to give a stronger, more united, consensual, and balanced voice to the aspirations of the people of Pakistan. The issue has been under discussion for many months in the General Body and Executive Committee meetings of PESA.

The Executive Committee of PESA in its meeting on 26 June, 2010 has finally decided that we must help initiate the process by offering all civil society organizations (including PESA) one “equal” seat on the executive Committee of the new Umbrella organization (whose name and charter will be decided by the committee itself). The Executive Committee will also do all the planning and co-ordination for holding the first "National Convention of Civil Society" to discuss and prioritize the vital, concerning and challenging issues facing the country. The convention is expected to come up with clear recommendations for the Government, to be followed up for "watchdog" action by the Executive Council. Watchdog follow up may require calls for peaceful rallies or demonstrations, where action by Government is not seen to be timely or adequate.

The Pakistan overseas League has kindly offered to raise funds for the new organization. Other organizations at home and abroad, specially in North America and Europe, with the capacity to do so, are invited to help fund the organization also. Accounting transparency will be entrusted to the Executive Committee of the new umbrella organization.

PESA has nominated Air Marshal (R) Masood Akhtar as the President of the PESA steering committee that will approach all civil society organizations for joining, and nominating, their representative for the Executive Council of the new umbrella organization.

We would request the following esteemed persons to help by giving the name and contact of the person that their organization would like to nominate as their representative on the Executive Council of the umbrella organization:

Ms. Rukhsana Imran Ali Concerned Citizens of Pakistan

Dr. Shahbaz Mirza, Pakistan Overseas League

Mr. Mumtaz Piracha Good Governance Forum

Ambassador Saleem N Gandapur Foreign Office Association

Mrs. Zeba Shah North America Pakistani Organizations

Mr. Roedad Khan Margalla Group of Eminent Citizens

Mr. Azhar Jamil Sindhi Awami Sanghat and SAHEE

Mr. Javed Jabbar Baanhn Beli

Mr. Naeem Sarfraz Fazaldad Human Rights Institute

Mrs. Fiza Shah Developments in Literacy

Mr. Majyd Aziz All Pakistan Memon Federation

Mr. Akram Zaki Creative Youth

Mr. Mohammed Asif Human Rights Commission of Pakistan

Mr. Qazi Mohammed Anwar Supreme Court Bar Association

It would be appreciated if the addressees could pass on contact information of their nominees, and other civil society organizations they may be in touch with, to Air Marshal (R) Masood Akhtar (masood5768@yahoo.com), especially those focused on rural areas of Pakistan including FATA and Swat.

Currently the focus of organizations that have approached PESA is:

"Save Pakistan".

It appears that the time has come when no single individual or group, be it the government or the military, can solely take the decisions on the destiny of the country. It is the collective will of the people which must prevail to safeguard the very integrity, sovereignty, and vital interests of Pakistan. We urgently need to meet to evolve these and put forth the guiding principles and guide lines on which the future of the country must be charted.

Today more than at any time in the history of this great nation every citizen; man, woman, or child, is called upon to do play their part in securing a better future for themselves and the generations to come. Let us join hands across our country in commitment, truth, and courage, for the glory and the defense of the country.

The voice of the people must resonate powerfully and overwhelmingly in the corridors and Assemblies of our Government.

Admiral (R) Fasih Bokhari

President Pakistan Ex Servicemen Association

International Republican Institute

2010-07-01T06:20:00.000-07:00

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June 2010

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2009-12-18T23:35:00.001-08:00

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What is Civil Society?

Civil Society refers to all groups outside government such as community groups, non-governmental organizations, labour unions, Indigenous Peoples' organizations, charitable organizations, faith-based organizations, professional associations and foundations. Civil society expresses the interests of social groups and raises awareness of key issues in order to influence policy and decision-making. In recent decades, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have been successful in shaping global policy through advocacy campaigns and mobilization of people and resources.

Source:

Defining civil society

There has been a dramatic expansion in the size, scope, and capacity of civil society around the globe over the past decade, aided by the process of globalization and the expansion of democratic governance, telecommunications, and economic integration. As an illustrative example, the number of international NGOs was reported to have increased from 6000 in 1990 to 26,000 in 1999. CSOs have also become significant players in carying out international development assistance.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) reported that CSOs were channeling some US$11-12 billion development aid annually to developing countries by the late 1990's.

CSOs have also become important actors for delivery of social services and implementation of other development programs, as a complement to government action, especially in regions where government presence is weak such as in post-conflict situations.

CSOs’ influence on shaping global public policy has also emerged over the past two decades. This dynamism is exemplified by successful advocacy campaigns around such issues as banning of land mines, debt cancellation, and environmental protection which have mobilized thousands of supporters around the globe.

A recent manifestation of the vibrancy of global civil society has been the World Social Forum which has been held annually since 2001 on different continents. The last WSF was held in Nairobi, Kenya in January 2007, and brought together some 50,000 CSO leaders to debate and propose more equitable and sustainable alternatives to current models of economic globalization.

The civil society sector is not only emerging as a clear societal actor in many parts of the world, it is also quite varied in its nature and composition. For this reason definitions of civil society vary considerably based on differing conceptual paradigms, historic origins, and country context.

The World Bank uses the term civil society to refer to the wide array of non-governmental and not-for-profit organizations that have a presence in public life, expressing the interests and values of their members or others, based on ethical, cultural, political, scientific, religious or philanthropic considerations. Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) therefore refer to a wide of array of organizations: community groups, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), labor unions, indigenous groups, charitable organizations, faith-based organizations, professional associations, and foundations.

For more information on civil society:

Center for Civil Society / University of California, Los Angeles
Institute for Development Studies / University of Sussex
Institute for Policy Studies /John’s Hopkins University
Centre for Civil Society / London School of Economics
Civicus: World Alliance for Citizen’s Participation
One World Network Development Gateway - Civil Society Page

Source: http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/CSO

The World Bank and Civil Society

The World Bank first began to interact with civil society in the 1970s through dialogue with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on environmental concerns. Today the World Bank consults and collaborates with thousands of members of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) throughout the world, such as community-based organizations, NGOs, social movements, labor unions, faith-based groups, and foundations.

The World Bank has learned through these three decades of interaction that the participation of CSOs in government development projects and programs can enhance their operational performance by contributing local knowledge, providing technical expertise, and leveraging social capital. Further, CSOs can bring innovative ideas and solutions, as well as participatory approaches, to solving local problems.

The overview section of this website provides information on the Bank’s evolving relationship with civil society. It contains five sections: Background on the history and current status of World Bank civil society relations; Approach of the Bank’s work with civil society; evolution, definition, and characteristics of Civil Society worldwide; Staff which work with civil society; and Frequently Asked Questions about the Bank’s work with civil society.

Source: http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/CSO

Outreach to Civil Society

The World Bank actively reaches out to civil society to share and discuss its policies, programs, studies, and projects. This outreach is carried out through dialogue and consultation meetings as well as through electronic dissemination tools. The meetings occur at the global, regional, and country levels and include face-to-face meetings, video conferences, and web-based exchanges.

These outreach efforts allow the Bank to improve the quality of its policies and projects by listening to the views of civil society on a variety of development issues. By tapping the knowledge of specialized CSOs and giving voice to the poor by consulting with CSOs whose membership comprises poor people, the Bank can have a richer and more complete basis on which to base its decisions. This outreach also help promote transparency, accountability and public understanding of the Bank’s work.

As the third-largest employer in Washington, D.C., the World Bank Group recognizes the need for individual and corporate responsibility where we live and work. In keeping with the Bank's poverty reduction mission, the Community Outreach Program seeks to improve the lives of our neighbors in the greater metropolitan community. We encourage staff volunteerism, conduct an annual grants program, and partner with area groups to strengthen local communities.

This section of the website contains information, documents, and meeting notes on recent and ongoing dialogue and consultations meetings, as well as other Bank – CSO meetings held during Annual and Fall Meetings. The section also provides the latest issues of the Civil Society Engagement eNewsletter.

Source: http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/CSO

Consultations

Consultation, as distinct from dialogue, is generally a more structured exchange in which the Bank commits itself to "active listening" and to carefully consider the comments, ideas, and recommendations received from civil society and other stakeholders. The Bank also attempts to provide feedback on what it heard, what was or was not incorporated, and why. The Bank actively consults civil society and other stakeholders in the formulation of policies and projects at the global, regional and country levels because it believes that the comments and ideas from civil society can help to improve these activities. The World Bank is actively working to improve the quality of these consultations to ensure that they result in improved policies and programs.

At the global and regional levels, CSOs have been formally consulted on the major policies introduced or updated by World Bank staff in recent years in such areas as forest management, information disclosure, indigenous peoples, and resettlement. Poverty reduction strategies (PRSPs) and the expansion of the debt relief program (HIPC) have also benefited from extensive consultation with civil society. Consultations have also become common around reports such as the annual World Development Report (WDR) and evaluations carried out by the independent Operations and Evaluation Department (OED).

At the country level, the World Bank is consulting with a broad spectrum of CSOs on Country Assistance Strategy (CAS), sector studies, and individual Bank-funded development projects. Often these consultations are multi-stakeholder and involve CSOs, governments, businesses, and other donor agencies. With the advent of the PRSPs, governments are being encouraged to the take lead in convening consultations on macro-economic and poverty-reduction policies. The breadth and scope of these consultations vary depending on the nature of the project, expressed interest on the part of civil society, and the openness of the local government.

Source: http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/CSO

Partnering with Civil Society

Throughout its history, the World Bank has reached out to other organizations to build a variety of institutional partnerships geared to promoting social development. Partnerships have been established with governments, private businesses, universities, other donor agencies, and more recently with civil society organizations. These partnerships have ranged from formal agreements and large multi-stakeholder programs such as the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to informal collaborative efforts on country-level projects.

There are many examples of active Bank-financed partnerships with CSOs in the areas of forest conservation, AIDS vaccines, eradication of polio, rural poverty, micro-credit, and Internet development. Other forms of partnership available today for CSOs include collaborating on development initiatives at the local level, undertaking technical training, working at the Bank, staff exchanges, and bidding for Bank contracts.

This section provides background, information, and institutional contacts for learning about and finding opportunities for World Bank – civil society partnerships. There are examples of Bank – CSO institutional partnerships, how to get involved in Bank-financed projects, how to participate in Bank training activities, how to apply to Bank jobs & staff exchange, how to bid for Bank contracts, and who the Bank’s civil society partners are.

Source: http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/CSO/0,