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Citizens’ right to know is a vital tool for making the government accountable and governance system transparent, said Syed Nayyer Hussain Bokhari, Leader of the House in the Senate, at a “Stakeholders Dialogue on Freedom of Information” arranged by the Centre for Civic Education Pakistan (CCEP).He said the Freedom of Information makes democracy more inclusive by facilitating citizens’ access to public records and the government was working on improving the FOI law by expanding the scope of the present FOI Ordinance.Readmore

The Centre for Civic Education Pakistan (CCEP) with support from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED)  arranged a three-day youth leadership development course tilted “Youth must reclaim Pakistan” from 25^th to 27^th June, 2009, in Islamabad.Twenty-one selected young people, including ten females, from Pukhtoonkhwa (NWFP), Punjab, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and the federal capital Islamabad participated in the course. The participants were told that young people (15-30) constitute 27% of the country population and should work for reclaiming Pakistan back from the extremists.Readmore

Forty-five students of various universities have pledged to become ambassadors of peaceful change and work for the rule of law and good governance. At a graduation ceremony upon completion of course on “Youth Capacities for the Rule of Law and Good Governance” by Centre for Civic Education Pakistan they vowed to actively engaged in their community concerns and create a tolerant society. Noor Amna Malik, Director General, Learning Innovation Division of the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, was the chief guest on the occasion and distributed certificates among the students from eleven public and private universities from Islamabad, NWFP, Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The program is supported by the British High Commission, Islamabad.Readmore

The Centre for Civic Education Pakistan (CCEP) arranged an art exhibition at a local hotel on Friday where paintings and calligraphy works of university and madrassah students went on display. The exhibition was part of the CCEP’s program “Youth for Peaceful and Tolerant Society” under which a countrywide art contest among students from different educational institutions was arranged. The aim of the art contest was to promote the culture of pluralism that can harbinger a tolerant Pakistan. Readmore

Participants of a three-day Youth Leadership Course observed that the draft youth policy shows that the Ministry of Youth Affairs considers youth a cosmetic category rather than real future of the country. Analyzing the draft youth policy, they said that the draft policy is full of rhetoric and does not offer much to the vast majority of youth, particularly young women, living in the rural areas of the country. More

Participation is key to the success of democracy and it is important for Pakistan’s future, said Ray Kyles, Deputy High Commissioner of United Kingdom. Addressing as chief guest at the Showcase ceremony of Project Citizen Pakistan, arranged by Centre for Civic Education Pakistan (CCE), he said democracy will only get stronger in Pakistan if the individual stands up to be counted. “We are ready to help you build the democracy you want and deserve, but it is up to the people to make it a success,”  More

It is the responsibility of the media to ensure that the people had a chance to have their voices heard, said Aidan Liddle, Head of Press and Public Affairs Section of British High Commission.  Addressing at the concluding session of a two-day workshop on Civic Journalism for Effective Citizenship arranged by Centre for Civic Education, he said the media should provide a platform for the individuals to voice their concerns. Aidan-Liddle argued that democracy means participation of the people. More

Carl Gershman, President of the National Endowment for Democracy, has said that spotlight of global democratic experience is on Pakistan today because there is an opportunity for democratic growth by virtue of the situation being created. Speaking at a roundtable “Challenges and Chances for Democracy in Pakistan”, arranged by the Centre for Civic Education, he said that Pakistan stood at a critical moment with transition and chaos as two possible outcomes which would have a global effect.  More

Enlisting three vital steps to reclaim civic society in Pakistan, renowned political scientist, Dr. Rasul Buksh Rais stressed to redefine civil-military relationship, reconsider relationship of religion with the state and evolve democratic mechanism to deal with ethnic and religious minorities. Addressing at a panel discussion on “Public Sphere for Civic Action? Squeezing, Expanding or Changing?,” on the second day of the National Conference on Active Citizenship by the Center for Civic Education Pakistan,.” More

Renowned human rights activist, I. A. Rehman has said that the civil society’s ability to constructively participate in the affairs of the country is increasingly squeezing. “Citizen’s are alienated and are losing their trust in their ability to bring about meaningful change” he added.

Delivering keynote address on Civic Courage in Pakistan at National Conference on Active Citizenship arranged by the Centre for Civic Education Pakistan with support from National Endowment for Democracy, I. A. Rehman said, “finally the 160 million citizens of Pakistan will be successful in the endeavours to realize dream of people-centered Pakistan.  More

Lord Malloch-Brown, Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth office of the UK government, said that civic education has the answers to community problems. 
Speaking at the conclusion of a two days teachers’ training workshop of Project Citizen Pakistan, arranged by the Centre for Civic Education Pakistan with support from the Global Opportunities Fund, Foreign and Commonwealth office of the UK government, he admired the concept of Project Citizen Pakistan that links. More

Citizens need information to follow and scrutinize the actions of the government. Accurate and timely information enables them to have a meaningful say in decision-making processes and enhances their ability to hold the government accountable. 

Globally the idea of citizens’ right to know is gaining grounds as a proactive concern and today more than 57 countries of the world, including Pakistan have formally acknowledged it by adopting Freedom of Information laws. Resultantly the culture of openness is replacing the centuries old practices of secrecy in the arena of governance. More

Centre for Civic Education Pakistan (CCE) with support from National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) has launched Leadership Development Course for Youth. Twenty young leaders from diverse fields like academia, business, journalism, law and civic sector hailing from different parts of Pakistan have been selected through a competitive process to participate in the course. More

The first training workshop of Leadership  Development Course for Youth was held in Islamabad from May 25-27, 2007. Mr. Zafarullah Khan, executive director of CCE, facilitated the course. The sessions were designed to discuss democracy as a system of governance, participatory culture and pluralist mindset. Political system (polity, parties, the Parliament and public policies) in Pakistan and imperatives of active citizenship were also part of the course contents. Special sessions on effective communication skills,

and research methodology for conducting survey/opinion  polls were embedded in the program. The participants of the course will be conducting survey to study the causes of non-engagement among Pakistani Youth. Mr. Emil Atanasovski, Youth Program Manager, of National Democratic Institute of International Affairs on this occasion talked about the role of youth in promoting participation in political processes.

Renowned social scientist Dr. Saeed Shafqat delivered a lecture on “Role of Youth in a Democratic Society” at Leadership Development Course for Youth. Dr. Shafqat said Pakistani society is a belief driven society where beliefs are dominant and research is not given much importance. Pakistani society is a non-democratic but an open society where people very frankly give their views about issues, he added. More

The participants of Leadership Development Course for Youth visited central secretariats of Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League in Islamabad. At the PPP central secretariat, Senators Safdar Abbasi and Dr. Babar Awan and staff of the secretariat welcomed them. The PPP Senators briefed them about their party structure, functioning and PPP policies and stand on different issues. More

Students of five selected schools presented their project portfolios, highlighting their problems and solution through charts. The project was implemented by Centre for Civic Education Pakistan in 58 selected public and private schools of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore and Peshawar, involving about 8000 students More

Since 2004 Centre for Civic Education Pakistan has been campaigning for funding reforms for political parties and strongly advocating for checks on abuse of money in politics. The CCE has prepared a Civic Brief to portray the financial health of major political parties during 2005-2006. The next General Elections constitutionally due in 2008 are a timely occasion to introduce funding reforms so that Pakistani democracy evolves to a point where the participation of political parties does not depend on the size of their resources. 

Mian Imran Masood, Minister of Education Punjab addressing at the inaugural ceremony of Project Citizen Pakistan exhorted the need of community participation in improving the affairs of educational institutions. “We are open to new ideas, innovative initiatives and are willing to support reputable and serious non-governmental organizations,” he added. More

In Peshawar Project Citizen Pakistan was launched by Mr. Shafiullah Khan, Secretary, NWFP government for Schools and Literacy Department who viewed the project as a step in the right direction to create civic awareness among students. Nazim City District Government, Haji Ghulam Ali, was the chief guest at the concluding ceremony of the teachers’ training workshop. He said that every citizen can play his/her role in development of the country.He regretted that citizens talk about corruption in governance and complaint about lack of civic amenities but do not come

forward to put in their share in correcting the wrongs being done. He said the system of governance cannot be reformed without active participation of all citizens.

Brig. (retd) Maqsudul Hassan, Director General, Federal Directorate of Education inaugurated Teachers’ Training Workshop for Project Citizen Pakistan in Islamabad. On this occasion he said that the aim of education should be to prepare good and responsible citizens for future.“Education should not be confined to groom grade seekers rather it should strive to develop holistic personality equipped with vision, More

“Without cooperation of the people, government alone cannot improve civic management of the district,” said District Nazim Rawalpindi, Raja Javed Ikhlas while addressing as chief guest at the concluding ceremony of a Teachers’ Training Workshop on Project Citizen Pakistan.He said school children could best spread civic awareness. A student, well aware of his/her civic duties, More

Centre for Civic Education Pakistan, with support from National Endowment for Democracy arranged a roundtable on “Voters Registration in Pakistan: a vital step towards democratic participation.” Speakers included; Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad, Secretary Election Commission of Pakistan, Brig (retd) Saleem Ahmad Moeen, Chairman National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), Ahsan Iqbal, information secretay-PML-N, Dr. Shehzad Wasim, former minister of state for interior and leader of ruling PML, More

Centre for Civic Education Pakistan, with support from the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI), arranged Multi-party roundtables on Internal Party Communication in Karachi and Quetta. Mr. Ian Reid, a Canadian communication consultant, was the guest speaker. Activists of the Pakistan Muslim League, Pakistan Muslim League (N), Muttahida Quami Movement, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) and Pakistan Peoples Party attended the roundtable in Karachi. More

Centre for Civic Education Pakistan arranged a National Conference on “Political Parties and Challenges of Democratic Development” in Islamabad. In their separate messages for the inaugural session of the conference leaders of five mainstream political parties, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, President Pakistan Muslim League, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Ameer Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Qazi Hussain Ahmad, Ameer Jama’at-i-Islami, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Quaid Pakistan Muslim League-N and Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto,  More

Centre for Civic Education Pakistan has initiated “Civic Link Lectures Series” to provide forum for discussion on vital civic concerns. First lecture of the series on, “NGOs and Political Parties: Can they be complementary Players?” was delivered by Mr. Ivan Doherty, Director of Political Party Programs at the National Democratic Institute (NDI). More

Zafarullah Khan, Executive Director, Centre for Civic Education, had an opportunity to emphasize the need of ‘normative parties based democracy in Pakistan with chances of free and fair political competition’ along with highlighting the work of the centre especially, Pakistani Project Citizen, Political Party Development Program, Civic Education Campaign and Political Funding Reforms Campaign in a meeting with President George W. Bush, Secretary Condalisa Rice and Ambassador, Ryan C. Crocker.  More

Centre for Civic Education Pakistan has joined World Movement for Democracy-a network of democrats who are struggling to open closed societies, challenge dictatorships, democratize semi-authoritarian systems, consolidate emerging democracies, and strengthen established democracies. More

To promote the concept of active citizenship and educate people about their rights, Centre for Civic Education Pakistan has established a Civic Education Network in ten districts of the country. With support from National Endowment for Democracy the Civic Education Network has embarked on a Voters Registration Campaign to persuade and guide people, particularly youth above 18 years and women, to get their names registered in the electoral rolls.  More

Centre for Civic Education Pakistan, has produced a series of public service radio programs titled “Civic Link”, on topics of citizen’s interest including; Safe Cities, Safe Schools (in the backdrop of devastating earthquake), Freedom of Information, Voter Registration, Local Government, Good Governance, Political Parties, Civic Education, Civil Society, and Free Market Economy. Prominent media anchor, Tauseeq Haider hosted these programs. More