The project is being executed by the not-for-profit organization, Shehri-Citizens for a Better Environment (www.shehri.org) and is sponsored by the National Endowment for Democracy (www.ned.org). This effort is a drive to acknowledge, enhance and promote youth social activism for societal change, working within the democratic space and contributing to nurturing an inclusive and equitable society. The youth after knowledge enhancement beyond the classroom learning space would be mobilized, pro-actively engaged in the policy arena, as informed rational thinking citizens, capable of evaluating the social contract with citizens and the state.
The project aims to educate and develop the understanding of youth in the principles and objectives of fundamental rights as enshrined in the constitution, promotion of civic education, create awareness about civic responsibilities and an appreciation of their rights and obligations as citizens of Pakistan. This would enable them to become rational informed citizens and to play their role as future leaders and decision makers and better understand the social contract between the citizens and state.
Research and documentation of project knowledge products, trainings, capacity building sessions, learning and findings would provide the architecture of this model. This model would be developed with the engagement with students of selected higher education in the city of Karachi, province of Sindh.
Interactive workshops would evaluate the knowledge and understanding of the youth on matters of their social contract, the National and Provincial electoral, governance structures, fundamental rights. Examining legislation on climate change, land, gender and governance would play a pivotal role in their understanding.
Based on the engagement with youth and after extensive review of relevant secondary research and consultations with relevant experts and stakeholders, specific knowledge products would be prepared. Knowledge products would be shared with three (3) participating higher learning institutes and educative training sessions held to capacitate them as informed and activated citizenry. In addition, special sessions will be held with youth, elected representatives, civil servants, and civil societies. A comprehensive course curriculum will be developed, aimed at structuring the framework and model for expanding the project footprint at a nation-wide scale thus contributing informed youth mobilization in the public policy arena and governance realm as agents of change.
An online space with evolving content will be created to act as a resource bank for students, activists, researchers etc. that will also act as a post project sustainability intervention. Awareness raising brochures will also be developed.
