NGO Role in Pakistan PDF

Role of Non Government Organization Dr. Hira Shaikh By the end of session students will be able to understand: Objectives Definition of Non Government Organization History of NGOs in Pakis...

Role of Non Government Organization Dr. Hira Shaikh By the end of session students will be able to understand: Objectives Definition of Non Government Organization History of NGOs in Pakistan Categories of NGOs NGO Purpose Roles of NGOs in rehabilitation Characteristics of NGOs Classification of Pakistani NGOs Impact of NGOs on the Development of Pakistani Society How NGOs can be improved in Pakistan?  Non Government Organization The United Nations (U.N.) Department of Public Information (DPI) defines the NGO as: “a not-for profit, voluntary citizen’s group that is organized on a local, national or international level to address issues in support of the public good”.  History of NGOs in Pakistan The origin of NGOs in Pakistan goes back to partition 1947, when British India was divided into two states India and Pakistan. During 1980s, many new NGOs merged to avail of the funding set aside for development through local bodies ( district, municipal , town and local councils). In the early 1990s, there was another rapid increase in NGOs, when new organizations were formed to take advantage of available funding under the People’s Works Program. Laws governing the NGOs in Pakistan 1. Societies Registration Act, 1860 (for professional, cultural and educational bodies) 2. Cooperative Societies Act, 1952 3. The Voluntary Social Welfare Agencies (Registration and Control) Ordinance, 1961 4. The Companies Ordinance, 1984 (it allows NGOs to set themselves as nonprofit companies) 5. Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 (this Act sets out the tax exemptions Regulatory framework for NGOs Pakistan Registration requirements The Ministry of Social Welfare and Special Education and the Provincial Social Welfare Departments are responsible for registering and monitoring organizations under the Voluntary Social Welfare Agencies (Registration and Control) Ordinance 1961. Not-for-profit companies are required to apply for a license from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The income tax exemptions are granted by Ministry of Finance and these are not automatically granted. NGOs can apply for Reporting requirements Organizations registered under the Voluntary Social Welfare Agencies (Registration and Control) Ordinance 1961 are required to maintain accounts and submit an annual report and audit report to District Officers. NGOs, which benefit from tax exemptions, are required to submit annual audited accounts, a list of donors and beneficiaries and other financial information to the Central Board of Revenue  Categories of NGOs There are two general categories of NGOs: (1) Operational NGOs, whose primary purpose is the design and implementation of development-related projects. (2) Advocacy NGOs, whose primary purpose is to defend or promote a specific cause and who seek to influence the policies and practices of IGOs. NGO Purpose Demand Supply NGOs NGOs Welfare oriented Advocacy/ lobbying Provide services to Awareness, beliefs and community ideologies Volunteers and staff Seek to influence public policy Roles of NGOs in rehabilitation Disaster Response and Recovery Psychosocial Support Education and Vocational Training Community Development Advocacy and Awareness Health Services Livelihood Support  Classification of Pakistani NGOs 1. Advocacy and Empowerment: These NGOs are involved in social issues and have a high-profile agenda on education, human rights, gender issues, health and poverty. For Example, All-Pakistan Women Association (APWA), Family Planning Association of Pakistan etc 2. Policy Engagement: These NGOs are usually backed by international funding and advocate for broader structural changes by engaging governments in debates about alternative and better policy options. For example, UNESCO, USAID, although these have overlapping function of all three types of NGOs. 3. Disaster, Relief and Emergency based NGOs: The most reputable organizations in Pakistan are based on providing disaster relief, emergency and rehabilitation to the benefit of society. These include Edhi Foundation, Benazir Income Support Program, the Fatimid Foundation and Red Crescent etc.  Impact of NGOs on the Development of Pakistani Society Rural Development The forerunner of this initiative is Agha Khan Rural Support Program (AKRSP) whose effective role in the development of northern villages and successful collaborative projects. These include Sindh Rural Support Program(SRSP), Baluchistan Rural Support Program (BRSP), Sarhad Rural Support cooperation in KPK (SRSC) and a National Rural Support Program (NRSP) which have undertaken many successful rural projects in their respective provinces (Bennett, 1998). Domestic and Family Issues The Family Planning Association of Pakistan is one of the few successful NGOs dealing with domestic issues and population growth. Its outreach encompasses around 4,000 villages with professional staff of around 1500 and volunteers leading up to 70,000 engaged in 23 projects among different aspects of population dilemma faced by the rural communities (ADB, 1999). Education A prominent name in this field in the Citizens Foundation (TCF) enterprise which has established around a thousand schools across Pakistan enrolling 126,000 students and employing 6,300 female staff for the teaching purposes. This creation of educational avenues has also contributed in creating 9500 jobs for engaging human capital of the communities these schools are based in (SEED Report)  Prospects for NGOs in Pakistan The future of NGOs in Pakistan is bright due to the emergence of free media and judiciary. Media can be used for mass mobilization and advocacy campaigns. Free judiciary has also provided a supportive platform for strengthening of democracy where NGOs feel free to work as compared to the military rule. How NGOs can be improved in Pakistan? If the biggest problem of registration is solved many problems regarding availing the funding from international donors can be resolved. Proper regulatory framework is needed to avoid corruption and elite capture of NGOs. NGOs work can be improved through monitoring, accountability and capacity building. References https://www.globalpolicy.org/en https:// pu.edu.pk/images/journal/studies/PDF-FILES/ 13_v21_2_20.pdf https://chezuba.net. Drug Addiction Recovery and Support NGOs in Pakistan (ngobase.org) Thankyo u