CRSS Public Service Delivery Projects

Public Service Delivery Projects are essential to Pakistan’s development, improving the efficiency, accessibility, and transparency of key public services. They help bridge gaps in infrastructure, healthcare, education, and governance, particularly benefiting underserved areas. By enhancing service delivery, these projects reduce bureaucratic delays, promote accountability, and support the nation’s efforts toward sustainable and inclusive growth. Recognizing the importance of these initiatives, the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) has actively engaged in their implementation, launching several significant projects in this domain.

1. CLEAN DRINKING WATER FOR THE FLOOD AFFECTEES OF CHARSADDA AND NOWSHERA (September 2010 – April 2011)

The CRSS installed 20 Clean Water Points (CWP) at 20 locations in two flood affected districts of Charsadda and Nowshera, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in response to the massive floods in 2010, funded by Royal Embassy of Netherlands. The initiative provided the affected communities with clean drinking water and educated them on the subject of maintenance of basic hygiene and potential dangers of water borne diseases. The project was implemented in two phases.

First, the water pumps were physically installed after consultations with the local community for its maintenance and subsequent ownership to ensure sustainability. Secondly, members of the community were apprised with the simple and home-based techniques to avoid water contamination and prevention of water borne diseases. Various advocacy tools e.g. pamphlets, graphical posters, and interactive sessions were held with the community groups. Prior to the installation of the units, community mobilizers were sent to form citizens groups from within the local community for subsequent smooth operation and ownership by the people.

2. SABAWOON (July 2011 – January 2020)

“Sabawoon” (Dawn) was the flagship radio show by the CRSS, funded by the Australian High Commission, and broadcast across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. The program promoted human rights, good governance, and democratic reforms, encouraging public participation in policymaking through formal and informal channels. It engaged various social groups, including youth, provincial legislatures, and local representatives, fostering dialogue on justice and the rule of law. Aimed at countering extremism, “Sabawoon” also created a “Listener Club” to gauge audience engagement and understanding of the issues discussed.

3. CDSP – SPPS- (DECEMBER 2013- NOVEMBER 2014):

Capacity Development of the Sindh Police (CDSP)

The Capacity Development of the Sindh Police (CDSP) Project, launched in December 2013 and funded by GIZ, aimed to professionalize the Sindh Police’s services in dealing with citizens, the judiciary, and the government. Led by the CRSS, the initiative involved consultative meetings with politicians, police officers, journalists, legal experts, and civil society representatives from across Sindh, as well as TV and radio programs. The project advocated for revising the outdated Police Laws of 1861, addressing Sindh’s worsening security situation by strengthening the police force’s capacity and rebuilding public trust in law enforcement.

Support to the Punjab Prosecution Service (SPPS)

In Punjab, the GIZ-CRSS collaboration through the Support to the Punjab Prosecution Service (SPPS) project focused on enhancing the capacity and organizational development of the Punjab Criminal Prosecution Service (PCPS). The goal was to establish an independent, efficient, and effective prosecution service for the province. This initiative stemmed from the understanding that the public must be aware of its rights and responsibilities as outlined in the Constitution.

4. ULASI POLICE – STRENGTHENING RULE OF LAW IN KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA

(April 2016 to March 2017) The Ulasi Police project, led by CRSS in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, aimed to strengthen the rule of law by promoting significant police reforms and addressing local communities’ policing needs. The project utilized strategic communication tools like radio, TV, and social media to bridge the trust gap between the public and the police, enhance public-police cooperation, and foster partnerships for a crime-free society. Through media campaigns, it highlighted police reforms that improved public services, helping to build trust and promote transparency within the KP police force.

5. PAKISTAN CENTER OF EXCELLENCE (PACE)

(October 2015 – September 2021) The Pakistan Center of Excellence (PACE), a CRSS initiative supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, aimed to counter violent extremism (CVE) by promoting critical thinking and socio-political discourse based on global values like diversity, rule of law, and equal citizenry. Focused on educating young leaders, PACE encourages questioning misperceptions, especially about non-Muslims, and reconnected people with Pakistan’s Constitution and fundamental human rights. Over four years, PACE has trained hundreds of teachers and engaged thousands of students, fostering a narrative of democratic rights and cultural tolerance.

6. ULASI TAROON

(September 2017 – May 2021) Ulasi Taroon (Social Cohesion), a counter-radicalization initiative – that ran from 2017 to 2021 – with youth leadership development and media advocacy at the core. The endeavor aimed to address the challenges of extremism and foster social cohesion – in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province – by promoting a discourse anchored in the core constitutional values of peace and harmony. With over 150 radio shows, over 1000 youth alumni from over 30 public and private sector universities across KP, over 500 print media publications, and over 50 digital videos, the intervention acted as an attempt to refute violent extremist narratives and delegitimize extremist ideologies and messages that incite violence.

7. EMERGING LEADERS ACADEMY

(November 2021 – March 2022) The Emerging Leaders Academy, an initiative by CRSS, aimed to boost youth participation in local government and political engagement in Pakistan. Youth participants from Sindh, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa received intensive training on democratic processes and political involvement. They later interacted with political party representatives, presenting policy recommendations. Over 60 youth benefited from the program, gaining valuable skills for both the democratic process and their professional lives. The political representatives assured the participants that their recommendations would be considered for inclusion in party manifestos, giving youth a voice in policymaking.

8. ASSESSMENT OF HEALTH-SEEKING BEHAVIOR IN PAKISTAN -BILL AND MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION (BMGF)

(March 2021 – April 2022) In partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, CRSS conducted a research initiative from March 2021 to April 2022 to understand why certain communities, especially Pashtun communities, resist mass vaccination programs. Through Hujra meetings and Key Informant Interviews in high polio transmission zones across Pakistan, the study assessed the health-seeking behavior of these communities. The project aimed to provide recommendations for better engagement to overcome vaccine refusal and address environmental and administrative factors contributing to the spread of the poliovirus.

9. PAVING PATHWAYS TO SOCIAL COHESION

(May 2022 – April 2023) Paving Pathways to Social Cohesion, an initiative that the CRSS undertook – leveraging its vast experience in counter-radicalization, youth leadership development, and media advocacy – to explore whether our society is cohesive and inclusive, and fundamental rights of citizens – as envisaged in Articles 8-28 of the Constitution of Pakistan – are protected. The endeavor involved young faculty members in universities across Pakistan for engagement to promote i) critical thinking about the issues key to social cohesion, and ii) positive social discourse anchored in core democratic and constitutional values.