PRESS RELEASE

                                                                                                                                                                                             

PRESS RELEASE

Dated:-  29-09-2011

South Asia Forum for Human Rights (SAFHR) has been formed Constituency Relations Group (CRG) in each constituency. The 15 members group comprises of social activists, women, minority members, journalist and students. CRG is central to the Supporting Transparency, Accountability and Electoral Processes (STAEP). The CRG is an idea that will assume the form of a tangible group as the program rolls out. The CRG will act as a catalyst to foster and foment local level accountabilities with the objective of enhancing the responsiveness of national, provincial and local-level elected representatives and public officials. The ultimate objective of the groups, however, will remain strategic and concerted efforts to improve governance processes that have a direct impact on the lives of the people.

South Asia Forum for Human Rights (SAFHR) has arranged ‘Voter Registration Campaign’ in 9 constituencies of 4 districts of Karachi and Hyderabad Division. The aim behind this is to facilitate increasing citizens’ participation in democratic process to enhance their participation in legislative, policy-making and decision-making processes that affect their lives. To complement the voter registration campaign, SAFHR is also facilitating citizens in the issuance of 'Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs) in Tando Mohd Khan, Shaheed Benazir Abad (Nawabshah), Badin and Karachi Collaboration with NADRA.

Training Workshop

FAFEN HELD TWO DAYS WORKSHOP

A Two days workshop (14^th June-15^th June) held in order to interpret the Goals & Objectives of the project by Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) with collaboration of SAFHR and other organizations in a hotel Karachi, The workshop started with the recitation of Holy QURAN and the introduction of participants Who were selected for different constituencies in Karachi District.  

FAFEN BACKGROUND

Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) has been contributing their efforts in Pakistan since 2006 and constituted a body of 42 members from civil society organizations according to the trust for democratic education and accountability in Pakistan. FAFEN actively participated in 2008 elections and urged election Transparency in order to monitoring the election.

In 2009 FAFEN implemented Democratic Governance Program in 96 districts and 150 constituencies of Pakistan, now it’s updated in shape 200 constituencies of Pakistan (including Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtun Khawah, Balochistan and Gilgit Baltistan.

PROJECT (STAEP)

FAFEN introduced STAEP (supporting, Transparency, Accountability and Electoral Processes in Pakistan) a leading project of FAFEN which is about started in various districts of Pakistan.

ORGANIZATIONS

·         SOUTH ASIA FORUM FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

·         BAANHN BELI

·         INDUS RESOURCE CENTRE

·         TAKHLEEQ FOUNDATION

TRAINERS

Adnan Anjum (Secretariat FAFEN),

Younis Bandhani (Baanhn Beli)

Hina Tabbasum (SAFHR)

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS

·         WAJID ALI KHASKHELI

·         ZEESHAN BHUTTO

·         ANWER KAMAL

·         HAMMAD MAJEED

·         ABU AAMIR KHAN

·         SHAFIQUE MAHAR

·         NASEER GILL

·         MUHAMMAD NAWAZ ARAIN

·         SADIA SHAKEEL

·         QURA-UL-AINE

·         MALIK QAMAR

·         MUHAMMAD ASIF

·         NIGHAT SULTANA

·         FAHMIDA JAFFRI

·         JAWWAD NIZAMI

·         HINA NASARI

·         SAIMA MALIK

·         ZIA-UL-HAQ

·         FOZIA

SUMMARY

In workshop, Trainers explained regarding the project that how to form CRG(Constituency Relations Groups), Target audience, Public Relations, holding meetings, filling different forms, custom duties of coordinators in constituency and how to communicate the masses in order to render the project in the constituency.

Trainers also explained,

·         Governance and its components

·         Democracy and Dictatorship

·         FOI (Freedom of Information)

·         Planning and Reporting

·         How to target audience

·         Advocacy and Its steps

·         Social Change

 Governance monitoring is basic tool of analyzing Government Departments and their Performance towards Masses, trainer said. So they urged to monitor the government institutions in well manners and access their approach to collect data from Government.   Formation of CRG is major part of STAEP with out CRG nothing could be ascertained in proper way in this regards, target communities in order to resolving their problems. They also narrated terms of Democracy and dictatorship governance and their merits and demerits in the light of good governance.  The trainer told that it is a process through which one can raise his/her voice for the solution of a particular or specific issue by drawing attention of the higher authorities towards it.

The workshop was participatory in nature, with the participants mainly working in Constituencies along with (CRG) group to explore issues. Plenary feedback sessions allowed time for further Discussions of points raised and sharing of ideas amongst constituency’s representatives. Ultimately, the constituency’s participants each worked to review their existing plans and Policies related to STAEP (project), and to set plans for its update or improvement. They also developed plans for activities needed to ensure that their plans would be fully pre defined to their Program managers.

METHODOLOGY

In the regards of project it’s necessary to follow a proper methodology for data collection and others process

·         Governance Monitoring

·         Identify Constituency Relations group (crg)

·         Framing a Plan

·         Identify Issues  

·         Select issue

·         Outline advocacy strategy

·         Set policy goals

·         Select target audience

LEARNING METHODS

The learning method encourages participants to carry out activities, as a way of finding out and learning about STAEP plans and policies.

Participants will work in groups; everybody encouraged participating and contributing to the overall conclusions.

GOVERNANCE MONITORING FORMS

FAFEN introduced GM Forms to analyze performance of the Various Government Institutions and their feedback to the masses. The trainer described thoroughly about different types of forms which we will get filled from different government institutions

PLANNING & REPOTING STYLE

 It’s necessary to constitute a work plan according to the given criteria i.e.  area mapping , formation of the CRG’s  , Identifying the CRG members , selecting the CRG members , identification of place for venue , meeting with selected CRG members , identifying and addressing various advocacy issues of the constituency , forms filling etc. and to create an activity report on the work done in due date.

CONCLUSION

In the regards of Project FAFEN has contributed their efforts to participants and enhanced mutual capability to render this project. So Overall it was our learning experience in which we came across so many new things at enlarges scale, regarding (project) STAEP.

 I feel proud to be a part of SAFHR who provided us the platform to learn such things and fulfill our social responsibility.

TRAINING AGENDA

SR. NO	AGENDA ITMES	TIME
	MODULE 1 : INTRODUCTION
1.	Unit-1:  Introduction of participants and trainnig	9:00-10:00
2.	Unit-2 : Introducation to FAFEN and STAEP	10:00-11:00
	TEA (11:00-11:15)
	MODULE 2: UNDERSTANDING DEMOCRACY
4.	Unit-1: Understanding the Concept of democracy and democratic attitudes	12:30-1:10
	LUNCH (1:10-2:10)
5.	Unit-1: Governance: Concepts, Characteristics and its linkage with STAEP	02:10-4:00
	TEA (4:00-4:15)
	MODULE 4: SOCIAL CHANGE
6.	Unit-1: Social Change	4:15-5:15
7.	Unit-2: Advocacy	5:15-6:30
	DAY-2
	MODULE 5: OPERATIONAL FRAME WORK AND ACTION PLANNING
8.	Unit-1: Governance Monitoring Forms	8:00-12:15 [working tea]
9.	Unit-2: Activity Tracking Form	12:15-1:15
	LUNCH (1:15-2:00)
10.	Unit-3: Palnning and Reporting	2:00-6:15 [with 15 minutes tea]
11.	Unit-4: Area Mapping	6:15-6:45

My Observation

Topic

ROLE OF DISTRICT HEALTH MONITORING COMMITTEES FOR THE BETTERMENT OF HEALTH

SERVICES IN SINDH

Organized by

STRENGTHENING PARTICIPATORY ORGANIZATION (SPO)

Venue

Regent Plaza, Karachi

Chief Guests

DR. Abdul Ghaffar Billo

(Health Expert and Chairman HANDS)

Dr. Suresh Kumar

(Special Secretary Health)

Dr. Mehboob Khuwaja

(Co-Chairman Hands)

Universe/Selected Areas

Badin

Tando Mohammad Khan

Matiari

Sharing

Chairman of the Health and Nutrition Development Society (HANDS) Dr Abdul Ghaffar Billoo, health department special secretary Dr Suresh Kumar, executive district officer of community development department of Matiari district Qurban Ali Memon, Dr Zahida Jamali of Tando Mohammed Khan, regional head of the SPO of Karachi Elahi Bakhsh, Karachi SPO programme officer Rahima Panhwar and Sangrasi Programme Officer of the SPO of Hyderabad region Abdul Wahid..

Summary

After recitation, Guests were introduced in the ceremony and individually participants introduced themselves and after introduction session Rahima Panhwar was called for the welcome note.

Rahima Panhwar welcomed the audience while said that SPO has been working to strengthen the masses since a number of years and its first time in sindh that SPO monitor health institutions (BHU) and educational institutes in the remote areas of sindh.

She said that SPO collected data for the purpose of the evaluating the institution services to masses in sindh.

She also said that SPO conducted the survey with the collaboration of CBOs, NGOs, Legislators and community people.

The SPO informed the audience about the findings of a survey they conducted in these three areas of the province with the help of local community organizations and district governments.      

Mr. Ellahi Bakhsh Baloch said that through survey it has been observed that there are no facilities of drinking water, sanitation and waiting rooms, especially for women visiting the facilities in BHUs.

He said that coordination & cooperation of the government and efficient Research & Development would change the current system.

He urged that government should take further steps for the reformation of the Health Facilities in the rural areas of Sindh.

Qurban Ali Memon appreciated the role of the SPO for its findings which would be shared with government officials at provincial level to improve the healthcare system. He said the Government needs to resolve the community health issues through findings and indicators in relevant districts.

He said the research task was hard to perform at grassroots beside that SPO rendered its efforts in this regards.

He also said the SPO with partnership of NGOs conducted a baseline survey to assess the quality of services in health in the Badin, Matiari and Tando Mohd khan.

Dr. Zahida Jamali said there is no communication gap between PPHI (Peoples Primary Health Institutions) and SPO. Meanwhile SPO facilitated different equipment’s, generator, wash rooms, labor room and Ladies waiting room in 10 BHUs of Tando Mohd Khan.

She said that PPHI is working in 18 districts of Sindh and recently government of Sindh purchased 56 Ambulances from PPHI annual budget and delivered to the community stations.

On the occasion Special Secretary for Health Suresh Kumar said the SPO survey observation shown actual condition of the institutions and soon health issues would resolve.

He urged SPO to take further steps of survey regarding health issues in other districts of Sindh.

He said that collective approaches and contributions towards resolving issues of community would bring reforms in the society. He said that on the directives of the Secretary for Health Initiatives has been taken regarding shortage of medicine, negligence of staff and unavailability of facilities in the institutions.

Chairman of HANDS Dr. Abdul Ghaffar Billoo appreciated SPO survey in the relevant districts.
He said that 80 per cent health facilities were available, but there were gaps in the delivery of services.
He urged that Primary healthcare is a basic human right which should be expanded at enlarges scale in remote area. He said that Public Private Partnership Module is effective beside other so it need to execute in this regards.
He emphasized the need for strengthening of monitoring, supervision and evaluation system in the health sector.
He also said that In future the SPO should follow the health indicators while compiling findings in surveys in other districts.
Mr. Ellahi Bakshsh Baloch Thanked to the audience for the participation in the ceremony.

Findings

·         Total BHUs = 70

·         Functional BHUs=68

·         Worthless = 2

·         Equipment’s =19%

·         Laboratories= not sufficient

·         Ambulance=4%

·         Functional Wash rooms= 59

·         Waiting Rooms Visiting Faculty Male = 60%

·         Waiting Rooms Visiting Faculty Female = 7%

·         Lady Doctors are not more than one in per institute.

·         Availability of Medicine = 37%

District Health Monitoring Committees (DHMCs)

These committees were formed for the enumeration in the relevant district.

Union Council (UC) = one Male + one Female = Two

Town                         = one Town Monitoring officer

District                     = one District Monitoring Officer

Health Officials facing problem

·         Absenteeism of staff

·         Low performance of available staff

·         Political interference

·         Resource limitation

·         Limited role in decision making

Partner organizations

·         HANDS (Badin)

·         AGHAZ (Tando Mohammad)

·         SHDES (Matiari)

Participations

·         Government Officials

·         Non-government organizations

·         Journalists/Media person

·         Politicians

Public Opinion

 Different peoples shared their views

Agenda

Time	activity
10:00 – 10:30	Registration and reception
10:30 – 10:40	Tilawat
10:40 – 10:50	Welcome and Objectives – Ms Raheema Panhwar
10:50 – 11:20	Sharing of SPO Health Survey Findings – Mr Ellahi Bakhsh Baloch
11:20 – 11:30	Experience sharing of District Health Monitoring Committee- Mr Qurban Ali Memon, Chairman District Health Monitoring Committee - District Matiari
11:30 – 11:40	Experience sharing of District Health Monitoring Committee- Ms Zahida Jamali, Representative of Health Department - District Tando M.Khan
11:40 – 11:50	Experience sharing of District Health Monitoring Committee- Dr. Mehboob KHuwaja, Co-Chairman District Health Monitoring Committee - District Badin
11:50 – 12:30	Open Discussion – Concept of Community monitoring
12:30 – 12:50	Reflection of Special Secretary Health – Dr. Suresh Kumar
12:50 – 13:20	Conclusion – Dr. Abdul Ghaffar Billo, Health expert and Chairman of HANDS
13:20 – 13:30	Vote of Thanks – Mr. Ellahi Bakhsh Baloch