Punjab MPAs to get capacity building training on human rights reforms

Islamabad: Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO) on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Provincial Assembly of Punjab to build the capacity of Members of Punjab Assembly on legislative oversight and reforms on human rights, peace building, rule of law and climate change.

The MOU was signed by Secretary Provincial Assembly of Punjab Muhammad Khan Bhatti and Director SSDO Syed Kausar Abbas). As a first step SSDO will provide a research assistance and technical support to the members of Punjab Assembly on National Action Plan to counter violent extremism in Punjab.

Syed Kausar Abbas Director of Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO) said that there is a dire need to provide technical support to the members of Punjab Assembly to strengthen the legislative governance at provincial level. He said that the members have the right to oversee the performance of the public institutions and ensure implementation of laws at all levels in the province through legislative oversight.

He said that all stakeholders including citizens’ needs to play active role in implementation of National Action Plan at local level. “The National Action Plan to counter violent extremism was made with the consent of political stakeholders in 2014 and the laws were made by provincial and the federal government on temporary residents, hate speech, wall chalking and vigilance committees, but still there is a need to reform these laws and devise a way forward for better implementation at all levels.” As a first step SSDO would conduct a research on the laws made under National Action Plan to see the issues and challenges in its implementation and way forward for its implementation through legislative oversight in Punjab.

The capacity building sessions with the members will be organised to share the research findings and way forward for its implementation at local and provincial level. SSDO will also provide regular technical support to members of Punjab Assembly to address the issues of legislative oversight and reforms on human rights, National Action Plan on countering violent extremism and peace building, countering human trafficking and bonded labour, youth development, child protection, rule of law, legislative governance, environment and climate change and Sustainable Development Goals at large.