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Capitalization of experiences of NGO national platform (NPF)

 

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I
 History and Task of the NGO National Platform
II
 Function and Governing of the NGO National Platform
III
 Internal and external relations of the NGO National Platform
IV
 Other Remarks on your NGO National Platform
 
I. HISTORY AND TASKS OF THE NGO NATIONAL PLATFORM
1) HISTORY OF THE NGO National Platform

a) Please describe the important factors connected to the creation of your NPF (important events: famine, arrival of an international NGO, political crisis, etc)? 10 lines or more

 

In 1993 a propaganda campaign started against Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) terming these as anti-state. It resulted in formulation of a law by the government of Pakistan for monitoring activities of NGOs. In the prevailing circumstances NGOs were rightly thinking that government wanted to implement a one-sided law affecting all the good work done by NGOs. It also necessitated in demand for a platform that could protect NGOs in the wake of propaganda onslaught while working on shield against possible actions on part of the government. The process was in its initial stage when the government promulgated “Social Welfare Agencies Control Act 1994”. The act allowed government to interfere in the working of the NGOs, and to stop the involvement of organizations in any activity initiated without prior intimation. This act also enabled the government to push NGOs for providing any information it deemed necessary.

 

In these circumstances some quarters of the civil society stressed the need for building public opinion against this act whereas other segments emphasized on mobilizing networks at the provincial level. In this regard, a meeting of like minded groups was organized in Sindh which was attended by 340 participants from different NGOs. The meeting resulted in the establishment of “Sindh NGOs, Federation” in October, 1994, 400 NGOs from other provinces formed the initiative and a coalition was also formed in Islamabad and Rawalpindi .

 

Rigorous discussions took place among representatives of various NGOs. Afterwards, Federal Minister for Social Welfare Dr. Sher Afghan Niazi approached these groups and, on behalf of the Government, promised that the proposed bill would take into account public aspirations and suggestion given by these civil society organizations.

 

In the meanwhile, NGOs groups decided to form a National Level Network to register their concerns, against any state-driven code of conduct for NGOs. The network was named as Pakistan NGOs Forum (PNF). All of its provincial chapters started working together in May 1995. Before that these networks were operating at provincial level without any national level integration and agenda. Names of these networks are;

  • Punjab NGOs Coordinating Council (PNCC)
  • Sindh NGOs Federation (SANGOF)
  • Balochistan NGOs Federation (BANGOF)
  • Sarhad NGOs Ittehad (SNI)
  • Coalition of Rawalpindi Islamabad NGO (CORIN)
 

b) Please describe the significant growth of your NPF (extension of scope, increase in the number of members, activities, possible crisis)? 10 lines or more

 
  • Setting priorities in accordance with citizens' development and welfare needs.
  • Promoting participatory democracy
  • Ensuring citizens' primacy in the development process at all levels.
  • Promoting respect for citizen rights, particularly the rights of women and children as enshrined in the country's constitution.
  • Making all possible efforts for effective information dissemination and service delivery and meaningful development interventions.
  • Fostering greater collaboration and networking among organisations working towards common goals.
  • Promoting the spirit of initiative
  • Adopting methods that allow complete participation of all stakeholders in programmes undertaken.
  • Reviewing community-based development interventions and honing them according to needs of participating communities.
  • Revisiting organizational mission and objectives on the basis of citizens' needs and the demands thrown up by the changing times.
 
 

c) What are the strong points of your NPF?

 

Have the mandate to serve the public interest, through citizen organizations (NGOs) which are active in a broad assortment of fields across the country. They, in principle, are operating for the welfare and civil rights of marginalized groups.

These groups understand and have strong faith in development as a human conduit. Spurred on by voluntary initiatives, they function regardless of personal or parochial interests and organize themselves accordingly. They regulate their relationships with each other, with the government, international development agencies as well as their own staff in the same context.

 

d) What are the weaknesses and points to be improved? (For example, in terms of institutional or organizational reinforcement, communication material, strategy, financial management, etc)

 
  • Lack of paid professional human resource.
  • Lack of Financial Sustainability.
  • Delay actions on decisions due to involvement of multiple organizations.
 
2) MISSIONS OF THE NGO National Platform

a) What services does your NPF offer its members? Give a detailed account of the aims and activities organized (type of training, counsel, communication means, etc)–10 lines or more

 

PNF wants a strong society based upon the principles of justice, responsibility and freedom. If wants to strengthen the process that ensure the growth of civil society organizations alongwith public development, social welfare and rights based initiatives. Forum thinks that for establishing a vibrant society under the principles of forum a responsible and democratic structure of state and government in necessary that is sensitive to the development and welfare of the people. PNF wants a positive and emirate dialogue with the government for achieving these goals. PNF has directory of its members with postal and e-mail address at national level.

 

b) Does your NPF take a stand with respect to government policies, regional or international institutions? YES/NO
If yes, which ones? In which domain (education, health, Human rights)? How? (meetings with the Ministry, Letters to the Editor, organisation of seminars, etc)

 

PNF has its policy statement and always take stand at national level.

 

c) How are its stands elaborated and adopted (organisation of campaigns, creation of permanent commission or work group within the NPF, etc)?

 
  1. To present problems faced by the NGOs at National Level.
  2. Information programs to all the components of PNF.
  3. To design rules and regulation that included all the donors and NGOs.
  4. To provide maximum information to the people, networking with government departments and elected representatives and empower the voiceless peoples.
  5. To campaign against all those policies and initiatives that negates good work done by NGOs.
  6. To build linkages with maximum number of international initiatives that can organized movement by the people could become a possibility.
 
II Functioning and Governing of The NGO National Platform
1) Functioning of the NGO National Platform
 

a) What is the legal status of your NPF? Is it registered or declared with the authorities? What laws govern NGO activities in your country? Are there different laws for different kind of organizations? (NGO, association, union, collective group, etc) Specify in 10 lines

 

Pakistan NGOs Forum is not registered, it was the personal initiative by different NGOs and have the mandate only registered organizations can be part of this network. PNF central committee consist of 25 members, 5 members from each province and have one third representation of women. PNF central committee have scheduled 1 meeting within in a period of 3 months. All organizational coalitions are eligible PNF membership that agree with the goals and objectives of PNF.

 

b) What are the decision-making bodies of your NPF? (General Body, Administrative Board? Executive Administration? Ethical Board? How are these bodies designated?

 

Central Committee which consists of 5 above mentioned federations.

Members organizations of associated networks form the Central Committee of PNF. Any organization applying for the membership of PNF would have to fulfill all the requirements of respective provincial network. Each network elect 5 representatives for PNF who would be considered permanent representatives for a term of one year.
 

c) Internal rules and ethics
Does your NPF have internal rules? YES/NO (If yes, please attach the document)
Does your NPF have code of ethics or other similar documents? YES/NO (If yes, please attach the document)
Have you changed the code of ethics or internal rules in the last 5 years? YES/NO If yes, please specify:

PNF has its clear statement which basically helps the central committee to plan, design and lunch campaigns at national level.

Code of Conduct document is attached with this questionnaire.
 

d) What are the conditions for membership in your NPF (financial membership, charter, participating in a commission or a work group, tasks relating to development or human rights…)?

Only registered NGOs can apply membership that active and sharing good performance, but it is necessary for such NGOs;

  • work in a defined geographical region or community.
  • have better record and audit report.
  • have good reputations and credibility.
  • must be working for atleast an year and their activities should be visible.
  • have to abide by code of conduct formulated by PNF.
  • should not involve in activities against public interest and must not be organized for any such purpose.
 
 

e) Do you have international institutions as members (associations, NGO movements)? YES/NO If yes, how many? Are they specifically organized within the NPF?

No
 

f) How many members receive information about your activities and your members (letter, e-mails, meetings, web site, Intranet…)?

Pakistan NGO Forum (PNF) is the largest representative platform of non-government, nonprofit, voluntary and citizen organizations in Pakistan . PNF has directory of its 400 member organizations with postal and e-mail addresses and they are synchronized with each others on the subject of activities and information.
 
2) GOVERNING OF THE NGO PLATFORM

a) How are the Administrative Board members elected? What are their duties? (Drawing up strategic perspectives, follow-up of activities and budget…)? Specify.

 

Central committees of PNF elects through elections and member organizations elect central committee members on annual basis. Each federations elect 5 representatives for PNF who would be considered permanent representatives for a term of one year.

 

b) What are the functions of the General Body? Specify.

 
  • To present problems faced by the NGOs at National Level.
  • Information programs to all the components of PNF.
  • To design rules and regulation that included all the donors and NGOs.
  • To provide maximum information to the people, networking with government departments and elected representatives and voice problem being faced by the people.
  • To campaign against all those policies and initiatives that negates good work done by NGOs.
  • To build linkages with maximum number of international initiatives that can organized movement by the people could become a possibility.
 

c) Are there other governing bodies in your NPF? YES/NO If yes, what are their functions?

No
 
III. INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL RELATIONSHIPS OF THE NGO PLATFORM
 
1) RELATIONS WITH THE MEMBERS
 

a) How many members are there in your NPF?

2004 : Total 400 organizations at National Level.
2005 :
2006 :

 

b) Do you have work groups or thematic commissions? YES/NO If yes, on what themes do they work (example: nature, health, objectives of the Millennium for Development, access to funds…)?

No
 

c) Do you assess the expectations or needs of your members? YES/NO If yes, in what way?

YES

  • Ensuring accountability and transparency
  • Having clearly defined mission and objectives and living by them
  • Implementing the governing system vis-à-vis holding of meetings and discharging of responsibilities.
  • Framing policies that prevent direct or indirect conflict of interest between the staff and the governing body members.
  • Keeping the governing body, office bearers and staff from taking decisions that serve or might be perceived to serve their personal interests.
  • Having the governing body structure in written.
  • Providing for smooth lines of communication between the governing body and members.
  • Disallowing board members to seek employment and facilities in the organization; making mandatory for them to resign from the board should they be interested in the aforementioned things.
  • Making it obligatory on the governing structure to pass annual budgets, appointing an independent auditor and maintaining regular audit reports.
 
2) RELATIONSHIP WITH SPONSORS
 

a) Does your government provide reinforcement policies for NGOs? What are the arguments that justify this policy? What are the functions and special tasks attributed to NGOs by your Government, that justify the funds for reinforcing their capabilities?

Not yet.

 
 

b) Is there a specific financial system to reinforce the NGOs in your country (example: funds, special donations)?
If yes, what kind of capabilities do they support? What are the strengths and weaknesses of these funds?
Else, how does the NGO fund its capability-reinforcement programme (staff training, research, strategic plans, organizational diagnosis…)?

 

PNF currently does not work with any other National network/NGOs coalition.

 

c) Who are your sponsors? For each sponsor, specify the project you are working on and the duration.

  • NIL
 

d) How would you summarize your relation with the sponsors (easy/difficult access or communication problem of co-financing, flexibility or not, project pace, evaluation, unsuitable problems, financing of the general expenses of the establishment…)?

  • NIL
 
3) RELATIONS WITH OTHER ASSOCIATIONS, NGO'S
 

a) Do you work with international NGOs, international networks, and national NGO platforms from countries other than yours? YES/NO If yes, please specify the names and the nature of relations:

 

No
 

b) Are there other NPFs or national NGO networks in your country? YES/NO
If yes, what are they? Do you work with these NPFs and/or national NGO networks? YES/NO
If yes, on what themes, what projects?

 

No
 
IV OTHER REMORKS ON YOUR NGO NATIONAL PLATFORM

Sustainable Agriculture Action Group (SAAG)

Detailed document attached with this questionnaire

Pakistan Social Forum (PSF)

Group Address: psf_pak@yahoogroups.com