CSOs & citizens trained in skills to improve local governance

PESHAWAR: Members of several Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and citizens were trained in leadership and advocacy skills, citizen report card and budget tracking at a capacity building workshop arranged here to improve local governance.

The Center for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) arranged the workshop under a European Union-funded project.

Titled “Democratic Local Governance for Development in Pakistan”, the project is jointly implemented by CPDI and Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF).

CPDI Provincial Coordinator, Shamsul Hadi, said the workshop was aimed at equipping the participants with adequate knowledge about leadership and advocacy.

He said the training laid special focus on health, education and water and sanitation of the government departments.

The coordinator hoped the workshop would help participants with working on local governance and budget-related issues.

Shumaila Anjum, CPDI Project Manager, said the DLG Pakistan was creating awareness among CSOs and citizens in general to improve local governance.

She said an alliance between CSOs and citizens had been formed that could be a driving force for the much needed governance reforms in the local government system to the citizens’ benefit.

The project manager said DLG Pakistan was facilitating CSOs and citizens to work together for raising voice for the much needed governance reforms.

The participants of the training used the occasion to express their views on the subject candidly. They were of the firm opinion that a positive change could be brought about in the local governance only by developing the capacity of human resource.

Aisha, one of the participants of workshop, acknowledged the efforts of the European Union and implementing project partners. She believed such initiatives helped promote volunteerism at the local level.