I was associated with European Union’s Technical Assistance Team to Local Government Department, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on its flagship Community-Driven Local Development (CDLD) Policy & Program (a portfolio of around PKR. 11 billion, 2014-20) as “Senior Policy Advisor”.
Supported GoKP in the development, review, and operationalization of its CDLD policy framework and implementation procedures.
Contributed to the formation, capacity building, and operationalization of 5,600 community-based organizations (CBOs) for the execution of more than 5,600 community infrastructure projects costing over PKR. 6.5 billion, benefitting 7.5 million rural population.
Developed guidelines for and supervised the preparation of more than 1,549 participatory (VC/NC) village council development plans across 13 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Contributed to the development and utilization of the CDLD Management Information System to capture this massive number of activities and replicated it as part of the Government’s e-governance strategy.
The capacity of the Local Government Department, GoKP and implementation partner (Sarhad Rural Support Programme), and other Programme stakeholders was built and on-job technical assistance was provided to enable them successfully accomplish the Programme outcomes.
 The above enormous number of activities was completed by managing 78 direct staff and 293 indirect staff members in 13 Programme offices.
1,155 women-specific/ livelihood projects worth PKR.1,272 Million were successfully implemented through mobilization & capacity building of women community organization which benefitted 4.7million rural women.

Served CIDA/AusAID funded Citizen Engagement for Social Service Delivery (CESSD) Programme ($19.3 million AUS, 2012-16) as “Provincial Program Manager, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa”, “Senior Communication Officer”, and “Programme Coordinator”.
Contributed to the improvement of public services by government institutes achieved through the formation and strengthening of more than 3,000 government-mandated community participation committees (PTCs, PCMCs, and WUCs). Managed the development and implementation of 3,001 participatory facility improvement plans resulting in a total of PKR. 496.2 million in funding to schools, hospitals, and water supply schemes with executing departments including the Elementary and Secondary Education Department, Health Department, and Public Health Engineering Department across 11 districts of KP.

These efforts around participatory social services committees resulted in an increase of enrollment from 59% to 74%. Functional literacy training provided to 2,564 women. 174 master trainers, in collaboration with the Provincial Institute of Teacher Education, trained 1,361 PTCs and 10,888 members. Monthly child immunization increased from 453 to 2,803.

Supported water schemes benefitted 1,250,970 people. Provided technical assistance during the development of KP’s Water Policy which was formally approved by Cabinet. WUCs capable of undertaking small repairs increased from 37% to 94%. 10,873 (6,410 men and 4,463 women) WUC members trained. A tailored version of Google Earth Mapper introduced and adopted by PHED.  

Implementation of the “Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010” was supported through trainings. Adult Learning Centres were established for 6,800 women and 45 men who learned how to read and write. Gender mainstreaming modules in 31 out of 43 mandatory courses were included at the Pakistan Academy for Rural Development. 12 new modules on gender mainstreaming were developed at the Pakistan Institute for Teacher Education.

Responsibilities and Contributions: • Extended technical support to the Project on the identification of gender-responsive communication needs, and developed communication material, including gender equality as a cross-cutting theme; • Developed a gender-sensitive communication strategy to increase project impact with a wider scope, and facilitated its implementation using media and other relevant and creative approaches and tools; • Drafted, designed, and developed products to respond to the information needs and absorptive capacity of the relevant project stakeholders; • Designed and managed the production, piloting, pre-testing, and final production of training/information materials on gender, social accountability, education, health, and water sector; • Created awareness on governance and gender issues among stakeholders and media through consultation workshops, and other events at provincial & district levels; • Established and maintained close liaison with relevant organizations; • Provided advice on media contacts and, and set up programs to incorporate the use of print and electronic media in gender sensitive ways; • Maintained a record of all relevant news stories, audio and video films, documentary, and photographs; • Developed communication material that contributed to creating awareness and institutionalization in government processes of a successful project; • Highlighted the achievements of Social Service Committees, including women’s participation and gender equality at the local level through various products and channels.
 

Responsibilities and Contributions: • Contributed to the achievement of outputs 1&2 of the CESSD II Workplan; • Managed the CESSD Offices in accordance with CESSD policy & procedures, including the CESSD staff gender policy; • Ensured compliance with the project Gender Equality Strategy, policies, and guidelines; • Coordinated project related activities with elected & appointed officials of the district and tehsil, including in gender-responsive governance; • Prepared joint work plans at district/tehsil/UC levels with district stakeholders/implementing partner to ensure achievement of outputs 1 and 2 of the CESSD II Workplan; • Led & provided technical assistance to the implementation of plans and activities of respective implementation partner(s), including in gender equality; • Represented CESSD work at various provincial and national levels coordination fora e.g. social accountability, gender-responsive governance & overall capacity building of elected and appointed officials; • Maintained close relationships with both elected & appointed local government officials and other projects/ NGOs working on community development at the provincial level; • Supervised field teams in gathering baseline data needed for monitoring & evaluation, in close coordination with the M&E team; • Ensure the effective implementation of the CESSD gender equality strategy at the field level.
 

With the Ministry of Climate Change, Government of Pakistan, Programme for Mountain Areas Conservation (PMAC), contributed to the effective time-bound delivery of the GOP PSDP-funded PMAC Project work plan outputs and outcomes for conservation of rich global biodiversity through communities in northern Pakistan, with Forests and Wildlife Departments of Gilgit Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Azad Jammu & Kashmir. 
With the support of partners (UNDP, IUCN, WWF, and GEF) assisted the International Cooperation Wing of the Ministry of Climate Change, provincial Forests and Wildlife Departments in the development of action plans to meet targets in compliance to the international agreements/ conventions/ agendas (Convention on Climate Change, Kyoto Protocol, Paris Climate Change (CC) Agreement).
Contributed to the development and management of more than 50 ecosystem-based sustainable use enterprises e.g. community-based trophy hunting, non-timber forest products (NTFPs) etc. in selected conservancy areas to conserve biodiversity, manage natural resources, and curb deforestation by supporting livelihood in Gilgit Baltistan, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.  
Contributed to the Programme efforts to preserve biological diversity and ecosystem integrity by fostering viable conservation enterprises that are well integrated with national and international markets. Provided technical backstopping to Forest & Wildlife Departments during the Integrated Forest Management Plans development which helped preserve protected areas which has now increased to 11% of the mountains, a further 12% are conservation areas co-managed by communities. Community access rights were secured through a collaborative forest and natural resource management arrangements.
Facilitated regional teams in 47 valleys of Northern Areas, where 36 new Valley Conservation Committees (VCCs) and 32 Women Conservation Committees were formed. Three Conservancy Management Committees were also formed in Astore, Skardu, and Gojal to provide long-term self-reliance support to VCCs & Conservancies. Participatory conservancy management plans were formulated to leave a framework for VCCs and CMCs to run conservancies.
 As a result of team efforts in KP, VCCs in Kalam and Chitral applied regulations and received fine for poaching. Joint forest management plans are being implemented in Madaklasht and Golain valleys. Also, community anti-smuggling check posts have been erected in three places in Kalam. Prepared participatory pasture management plans for 8 valleys which zoned the pastures and prescribed the grazing periods. Management plans for medicinal plants harvest limits have been formulated for three valleys in Kalam along with the capacity building of the collectors.
 Strengthened the Mountain Areas Conservancy Fund (MACF), registered under Section 42 of the Companies Act, 2017 to support the sustainable management of natural resources especially forests and biodiversity in Northern Areas and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

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Management of field activities including community mobilization, the formation of community organizations, and their networks
Capacity building of targeted communities in leadership and project management skills, gender mainstreaming, and social accountability
Improvement of frontline public services by the respective departments through the implementation of classic social accountability tools including citizen score card, public information boards, budget tracking, complaint management systems, etc.

Formation of community organization & their networks, linkages creation with donors and Health Department. Capacity building & and technical assistance for preparation & implementation of village development plans