ABOUT THE MONITOR

Civil society sector plays significant role in socio-economic development and political empowerment of society at large in Pakistan. CSOs/ NGOs /NPOs also work as forefront institutions in times of need to rescue, relief, recovery, rehabilitation and even reconstruction in case of any manmade or natural catastrophes. In spite of their vital role the CSOs in Pakistan face severe challenges and gradual loss of their development gains including challenges to their own existence, due to restrictive legal environment, financial viability and public image etc.  The situation of civic spaces and human rights remained precarious during the last one and a half decade and now it has become worst of all times. While the civic rights forums and CSOs platforms engage with government and other state institutions to advocate and lobby for creating enabling political environment for civil society at large, they ask for substantial local evidence on such restrictions. Global reports and references are usually considered mala fide and based on certain vested interests. In order to fill the gap of reliable local evidence on dismal ling civic rights and spaces  Pakistan Development Alliance took the lead and initiated a country wide campaign in 2022 to reclaim civic rights and  spaces in Pakistan. The Pakistan Civic Space Monitor (PCSM) is the outcome of this campaign. PCSM is user friendly and one can have an immediate status score of the country  as well as four provinces and special regions of Pakistan including Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJ & K) and Gilgit Baltistan (GB) regarding civic rights & spaces. The PCSM is based on the primary information received from the informed civil society leaders, representatives of local and international NGOs, trade unions, humanitarian organizations, academic institutions and media / journalists associations. Following the elaborated process & methodology, the PCSM is updated every year on December 10th

 

Related Reports & Links

 

Pakistan Civic Space
Human Rights and
Democracy Report-2022
CSOs Charter for
Civic Rights and
Spaces in Pakistan
Civicus Monitor
updates on Pakistan

Sign the Petition – Protect and Strengthen CSOs in Pakistan to Reclaim Civic Spaces

 

 

Pakistan Civic
Space in Peril
Magazine – Minority Concern Pakistan