Project Title: Civil Society Capacity Building on Corporate Social Responsibility and OECD Guidelines Implementation Procedures

After World War II, Europe was devastated and urgently needed an organized plan for reconstruction, economic, and technical assistance. In 1947, America pledged financial aid for a program on European economic recovery under the ‘Marshall Plan’ to help European countries. To ensure equitable distribution of the funds and proper implementation of the recovery program, Organization for European Economic Cooperation (OEEC) was established. In 1961, it was succeeded by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), with headquarters in Paris, France. At present, there are altogether 30 OECD members. OECD’s aim is to strengthen the economies of its member countries through an efficient market system, expansion of free trade, and contribution to sustainable development in industrialized as well as developing countries.

OECD Watch is an international network of 47 NGO’s that was created to facilitate civil society’s activities around the Guidelines and the work of the OECD Investment CommitteeIn 1976, the OECD’s Committee on ‘International Investment and Multinational Enterprises’ (CIME), developed Guidelines for multinational enterprises that represent a set of voluntary principles and standards adopted by governments to which multinational enterprises operating in or from the OECD member countries are expected to adhere. The Guidelines were last revised in the year 2000, when after lengthy negotiations between business, trade union and NGO’s, a new implementation mechanism was agreed giving NGO’s for the first time, the right to submit complaints concerning the activities of companies to OECD member and adhering countries’ ‘National Contact Points’ (NCP’s). NCP’s are government offices established to promote multinational companies adherence to the Guidelines.
The project has been funded by IRENE (International Restructuring Education Network Europe), that is a not-for-profit action research group (a founding member of OECD Watch – See box), based in the Netherlands. The project has an international scope and would be carried out simultaneously in three separate regions of the world, namely Asia, Africa and Latin America. The project aims at identifying the scope and nature of the CSR practices, the role of national legislations in facilitating better environmental and social practices (standards, compliance procedures etc.) and the mechanisms adopted by the corporate groups for community development and participation. To be identified are areas of critical concerns in the implementation, enforcement and compliance procedures of legislations and standards applicable to corporate practices. Particular focus is on environmental issues. The project also looks into the potential of using the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises for improved CSR practices. The Pakistan component involves preparation of extensive capacity building and skills transfer training modules, development of strategies for more pro-active citizen involvement and the holding of a One Day Orientation Workshop on the subject of corporate social responsibility and application of OECD Guidelines targeted at the citizen groups, business and the media. The ‘Workshop would aim at facilitating channels for improving civil society and business interaction and increasing the capacity of civil society groups to effectively monitor the CSR practices of the corporate sector in the country and seek compliance.

The project is being executed in Pakistan jointly by Shehri-Citizens for a Better Environment and Sustainable Initiatives.

Project Title: Habitat Management Plan for Proposed Turtle Beach Protected Area – A Framework for Action (Helping the Turtles Survive)
Year: 2004 – 05

Funding Agency: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

Brief Description: This Project assessed the feasibility of according the turtle habitat at the Sandspit/Hawksbay beaches a protected area designation. The ecological values and functions of the projects area’s turtle habitat are highlighted in detail to develop the case for a protected area designation. Various protected area options are subjected to a comparative analysis to identify the most relevant and best available options. State-of-the-art protected area assessment and management models are adapted and employed to assess the case of the project area’s turtle habitat. In addition to arguing the case for designating a protected area status, a comprehensive protected area management plan framework is also discussed.

Project Title: GIS Mapping of Karachi coast & GIS based analysis of marine turtle habitat: Sandspit/Hawksbay Eco-system
Year: 2009-10
Funding Agency: World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)

Brief Description:The project focused in general on GIS based documentation of Karachi coast for facilitating future policy making, planning and conservation. This would also benefit the sensitive ecology along the Karachi coast, the local community, the land owning agencies and the public at large. The project is addressed all these issues through the use of an emergent technology that has revolutionized sea turtle research. Geographic Information System (GIS) provides a tool with the potential to perform powerful spatial data analyses for long term monitoring of wildlife habitats including sea turtle nesting sites. The project output includes the General mapping of the Karachi, the identification and analysis of causes and locations of hindrances to turtle nesting and the design of a comprehensive lobbying/awareness raising campaign aimed at creating the legislative and institutional space for implementation. The GIS Map will serve long term purposes and resource as it can be used as a planning and conservation tool for organizations like the Sindh Wildlife Department and WWF Pakistan on a continuous basis for updating, storage and retrieval of data and modeling different planning and management scenarios. On 22nd June, 2012 the project was awarded the ‘Indus Conservation Award’ by the Technical Committee of the Partnership Fund for best performance among the funded projects.

Project Title: FOI – Freedom of Information – Every Citizen has the Right to Know
Year: 2012
Funding Agency: Open Society Institution

Brief Description: Shehri-CBE has exposed many tools, through public interest litigation (PIL), citizens’ help desk, seminars/workshops, newsletters/brochures, press statements, website, the lack of transparency and accountability within the system which thwarts the citizens’ attempts to get good governance. In 2007, we used the Freedom of Information Ordinance 2002, including an appeal before the federal ombudsman, and were successful in obtaining relevant information that was successfully used in a high court petition against violations of the town-planning rules. Since then, we have used it where necessary to obtain similar information. To raise awareness about FOI, Article 19-A, encourage people to use it, show its efficiency, show its strength, power and usefulness through various activities. (Just as HRCP has used human rights violations as a violation of our constitution) We want to show that by not complying with Article 19-A, the bureaucracy, politicians, regulatory authorities are in violation of our basic constitutional right i.e. “the Right to Information”

Understanding the concept: Any citizen has the right to access information and record held by public bodies, subject to some restrictions. FOI refers to a situation in which citizens can easily seek and receive information from the government department and public bodies.

In 1946, during the first session, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 59 (1), which stated: “Freedom of Information is a fundamental human right … the touchstone of all the freedoms to which the UN is consecrator”. This was followed by the Universal Declaration on Human Rights in 1948.

Project Title: People and the Land: Empowering Communities for Social Justice Rural Karachi-A Case Study
Year: 2011-12
Funding Agency: Funding for Social Accountability Initiatives: 2nd Grant program (ANSA)

Brief Description: Shehri-Citizens for a Better Environment has recently initiated work on a project focused on sustainable development and preservation of the cultural identity of rural Karachi. The project has the following goals:

Project Title: National Project for Participatory Citizens-Police Interaction & training for improved policing of Human Rights violations and advocating police reforms
Year: 2007 – to 2016

Brief Description: Shehri-Citizens for a Better Environment (Shehri-CBE) in collaboration with NED developed a project to strengthen the capacity of law enforcement to respond to human rights violations and to improve the public accountability of the police through greater citizen-police interaction. In 2007, Shehri-CBE launched the pilot project in Ferozabad Police Station in Jamshed Town, Karachi. Since 2008, Shehri-CBE gradually expanded the project to include all four provinces and the federal capital area. In 2012-13, the Shehri-CBE project worked with police personnel from Islamabad, Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunhwa, and Sindh.

Training and Capacity Building: For each of the target areas, Shehri-CBE conducted a series of four training modules on the practice and methods of policing human rights violations. Each training module lasts two days and involves 30 police officials. The training modules are structured to give law enforcement officials a comprehensive understanding of human rights issues within the local, national, and international context. Shehri-CBE employs a variety of tools and methodologies in the training, including the use of case studies, role-playing, video, and conflict-resolution exercises

The first training module includes a survey and discussion of the relevant policies, rules, and legislation pertaining to human rights violations operative in Pakistan. The second training focus on religion and human rights, with a particular focus on human rights in an Islamic context. The third training module concentrates on human rights issues affecting vulnerable sectors of society. Shehri-CBE uses specific case studies dealing with human rights violations involving women, children, and minorities. The fourth module explores international human rights conventions and norms, such as the UN Declaration on Human Rights. Shehri-CBE hold the trainings in Islamabad, Karachi, Peshawar, and Quetta for a total of 16 workshops overall.

We will also conduct a series of workshops to improve the skills and awareness of police inspectors on criminal investigation techniques that conform to international human rights standards. Ten workshops are held on a regular basis throughout the year at the Police Training College in Saeedabad, Karachi. The trainer, a retired senior police officer who was trained in Human Rights and Law Enforcement in the UK and USA, teaches participants how to conduct search of persons or premises without violating civil rights, how to interview women, how to respect the right of privacy, how to interview suspects within the parameters of human rights norms, and how to treat the accused in a humane and dignified manner. The workshop also encourage police to abstain from activities that are prohibited by law, including torture, wrongful confinement, abuse of authority, and illegal searches.

To promote long-term sustainability and strengthen the capacity of the local police, Shehri-CBE organizes a two-day “Master Trainer Workshop” for 10 to 20 selected law enforcement officials who have completed the four training modules. Selection is based on the performance and interest of the participating law enforcement officials in the preceding training modules. The Master Trainer are held in Islamabad – The selected Master Trainers are flown to Islamabad they meet and interact with others from the cities, they spend half the day sightseeing and getting to know one another, in the 2nd half in the morning session they are given the training on how to become trainers and on the 2nd day it is completed and certificates are given. To date we have trained 101 master trainers.

Shehri-CBE continues a campaign to build support for police reforms that promote accountability and rule of law. Shehri-CBE organizes half-day workshops on the issue of police reforms. The first workshop, entitled, “Trust Deficit – Bridging the Gap,” seeks to address the lack of trust between the police and the community. Shehri-CBE brings together 60-80 people drawn from police personnel, government officials, civil society groups, media, academics, and elected representatives to discuss the causes and possible solutions to this problem. The second workshop, “Police and Community – Face to Face,” brings 30-40 police personnel and academics together to discuss the relationship between the police and community. A third workshop on “Police and Youth” bring together 30-40 police personnel, students, and young professionals to bring forth youth perspectives about the police. The final workshop on “Police Reforms – A Session with Civil Society,” brings 30-40 civil society representatives and police personnel together to discuss police reform issues.

After the four workshops, Shehri-CBE organizes forums bringing together 100-150 participants representing government, civil society, media, academia, and the general public. Representatives from the various sectors who participate in the four previous workshops also participate in the assembly and have an opportunity to air their perspectives about police reform issues and police-citizen interaction.

Shehri-CBE publishes a brochure in both English and Urdu highlighting the key issues related to the debate on police reforms and distributes them to policymakers, elected representatives, government departments, civil society groups, media, and academics. We also conduct a two-month public service campaign by running advertisements in national newspapers. A total of two advertisements are in in English and Urdu dailies.

Finally, Shehri-CBE holds three focus group discussions on police reforms in each target city to discuss the details of policy implementation. Each focus group discussion lasts three to four hours. The first focus group involves 40-60 police personnel, the second includes 60-80 civil society groups and media representatives, and the final focus group targets 30-40 parliamentarians and political party leaders.

Workshops

September 15-16, 2015, Module 1, Hyderabad Range Police held at Police Line, Hyderabad
September 17-18, 2015, Module 2, Hyderabad Range Police, held at Police Line, Hyderabad
January 4-5, 2016, Module 1, Karachi Range Police, held at Police Training School, Garden, Karachi
January 6-7, 2016, Module 2, Karachi Range Police, held at Police Training School, Garden, Karachi
January 25-26, 2016, Module 1, Baluchistan Police, held at Lourdes Hotel, Quetta
January 27-28, 2016, Module 2, Baluchistan Police, held at Lourdes Hotel, Quetta
March 14-15, 2016, Module 3, Hyderabad Range Police, held at Police Auditorium, Hyderabad
March 16-17, 2016, Module 4, Hyderabad Range Police, held at Police Auditorium, Hyderabad
May 3-4, 2016, Module 3, Baluchistan Police, held at Lourdes Hotel, Quetta
May 5-6, 2016, Module 4, Baluchistan Police, held at Lourdes Hotel, Quetta
May 17-18, 2016, Module 3, Karachi Range Police, held at Police Training School, Garden, Karachi
May 19-20, 2016 Module 4, Karachi Range Police, held at Police Training School, Garden, Karachi
June 1-2, 2016 Master Trainer Workshop, held at Islamabad Hotel, Islamabad