Current Projects
Need for Gender Inclusive TDAP Figured Prominently during Dialogue on Gender Focused Economic Reforms
Pakistan has a women population of around 49% and just less than 10% of entrepreneurs are women in the country. Government of Pakistan is making all out efforts to pass legislations for the betterment of women folk, yet no specific, sustainable and beneficial facilitation is being carried out to help women earn their own living, to bring them at par with men, to start and run their own businesses and to help them export their products. Fault also lies with the women as they have not been going in the right direction. Moreover, no coordinated research has been carried out to find the reasons and circumstances till now for resolving the issue. The result of this apathy is that 70% of women businesses die down the very first year, as they cannot survive due to lack of support. The remarks were made by Ms. Roubina Toufiq Shah, former Director General, Ministry of Commerce (MoC) while presenting her keynote during a public-private dialogue on Gender Focused Economic Reforms (GFER), organized by Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), Islamabad. Commenting on TDAP, she stated that over the years, TDAP has organized more than 50 women specific local exhibitions, sent many women entrepreneurs on international exhibitions and delegations, sponsored many solo women exhibitions internationally and also held multiple seminars and conferences with women participations. Though, these can be termed as practices not a defined policy. This is the very reason that efforts towards gender empowerment in economic domain are not sustainable and fade away eventually. She opined that TDAP policy document needs to revive the specific clauses for gender inclusion. TDAP should allocate 25% budget quota for women exporters to ensure their participation in TDAP sponsored trade delegations and exhibitions. It should also allocate budget for capacity building programs each year for women start-ups and exporters in all major cities of Pakistan. Women entrepreneurs require handholding,...
November 2-3, 2020, Islamabad
The Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) conducted the sixteenth round of two-day PACE Collaborative workshops and debates for university students, on November 2 - 3, 2020, in Islamabad. The workshop was conducted under the umbrella of the Pakistan Center of Excellence (PACE), a counter-radicalization, pluralistic values focused project, in collaboration with the Dutch Government. Participants included students from COMSATs, Quid-e-Azam University, Arid Agriculture University, National University of Modern Languages (NUML), International Islamic University, and Bahria University, Islamabad. `A total of 70 students participated in the workshop of which 48 were male participants and 22 were female participants. Program Director, Mr. Zeeshan Salahuddin opened the session with a welcome note and introductory remarks. He said that PACE is put together by CRSS to counter radicalization, inculcate critical thinking, question preconceived notions and narratives, and embed the national discourse in constitutionalism and the rule of law. He explained that PACE intends to promote the ideals of equal citizenry enshrined within the Constitution of Pakistan. He elaborated the importance of equal citizenry and its implementation within Pakistani culture. For Pakistan to present itself as a progressive rational state at the global level, it is essential to adopt and implement the framework of equal citizenship. Mr. Salahuddin conducted an activity with the participants on importance of finding your ‘why’ in life. He said that the questions of ‘what’ and ‘how’ are secondary and do not depict the purpose of life; however, finding your ‘why’ gives you the drive to move, grow and prosper in life. The first formal session of the event was kicked off by Mr. Saddam Hussein who spoke on ‘Leadership and Motivation’. He shared slides on different styles of leadership including autocratic, visionary, affiliative, democratic, pace-setting and coaching. Mr. Hussein stressed that...
Discrimination Thrives on Ignorance of Rights: DPO Kohat
Young minds have an immense critical thinking potential and their curiosity should be channelized into dialogue for social cohesion and other development objectives. Humans cannot live in isolation and must cooperate with each other to coexist peaceful. In the contemporary times, the societies across the world are quite diverse; rich in linguistic, cultural and religious diversity and rule of law is an essentiality to regulate peaceful coexistence of the members of these societies with diverse backgrounds. Rule of law is also a prerequisite to maintain order and avoid chaos, hold everyone accountable and cultivate equal citizenry through an institutionalized mechanism. These views were expressed by Mr. Javed Iqbal, District Police Officer (DPO), Kohat during the 29th round of Ulasi Taroon Youth Capacity Building Workshops, organized by the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) at and in collaboration with the Kohat University of Science and Technology. DPO Kohat further noted that we are all born equal, fundamentally, we are all equal and equally subject to and accountable before the law regardless of our social, political or economic backgrounds. Only across the board application of law upholds rule of law and social cohesion. Discrimination thrives on the citizens’ ignorance of their fundamental human rights as enshrined in the constitution. Therefore, constitutional, rights based social education is critical to strengthen rule of law. Besides, it is also upheld by the cultivation of the habit of self-accountability and law-abiding citizenship. The change starts from each one of us, by becoming a good, responsible human being, who also self-reflects on the justification of one’s own attitude and behavior. Only then can we set out for the journey that marks the beginning of that change and realize our responsibility towards our society, country and humanity. Its very important for youth to be positive to cultivate a result-oriented action and course of...
Women economic empowerment requires a holistic focus, not efforts in bits and pieces, stated Shanda Gulzar
The issue of women’s financial inclusion is not related to a single ministry or a department only. In fact, a holistic focus is required to economically empower women across Pakistan. Now the problem being faced at present is that post 18th amendment, the matters of women development fall under the provincial domain. Unfortunately, the provinces treat women issues as a matter of social welfare. This is the core of the problem; issues of almost half of the population cannot be regarded merely as welfare issues, they must be a part of the national agenda and regrettably we do not have one, stated Shandana Gulzar Khan, Member National Assembly (MNA), who was invited as a Chief Guest. She was speaking at the virtual eighth round of public-private dialogue series on Gender Focused Economic Reforms (GFER), spearheaded by Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), Islamabad. She further added that the national budget has no specific focus on women, let alone women entrepreneurs. However, the Ehsas Emergency Cash Program – empowering women and putting them into formal banking network – is a silver lining in the cloud. Efforts from the government and its different ministries and departments are underway, many things are in pipeline; though there still is a long road ahead to empower women economically. Fatima Javaid, Joint Director, Infrastructure, Housing and SME Finance Department, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) noted that improving financial inclusion of women is one of the key priority areas of National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS) – adopted by the Government of Pakistan in 2015 – aimed to enhance formal financial access to 50% of the adult population and envisions that 25% of adult females should have a formal bank account by the end of 2020. The SBP is working to have a gender mainstreaming policy framework to encourage women employment in financial institutions. Another issue is the reluctance female entrepreneurs exhibit in consulting financial...
Parliamentary Networking Meeting with Af-Pak Parliamentarians To Discuss Bilateral Issues And Accentuate Women’s Voices
The Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) along with its Afghan counterpart, Organization for Economic Studies and Peace (OESP), hosted a sideline meeting over a networking dinner on October 26, 2020, for a group of parliamentarians from Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Afghan delegation included, Mr. Umar Daudzai, Afghan President’s Special Representative for Pakistan; Mr. Nisar Ahmad Ghoriyani, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Afghanistan; Ms. Malai Ishaqzee , member of the Wolesi Jirga; Mr. Hashmatullah Ghafoori, Deputy Minister for Irrigation and Natural Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, Afghanistan; Mr. Mir Afghan Safi, member of the Wolesi Jirga; Haji Ajmal Rehmani, member of the Wolesi Jirga; Mr. Najib Nasar, member of the Wolesi Jirga; Mr. Afzal Haidri, member of the Wolesi Jirga; Mr. Zia ul Haq Wazirzai, Advisor to Afghan President and Mr. Younas Momand, Former President ACCI. From Pakistan side, the event was attended by Member National Assembly, Ms. Munaza Hassan, Secretary Women Parliamentary Caucus, Pakistan; Ms. Shandana Gulzar; Ms. Mehnaz Akbar Aziz; Ms. Naureen Ibrahim; Ms. Nafeesa Khattak, Ms. Rubina Irfan and Ms. Ammara Durrani, public policy and human security expert. The idea behind this event was to engage parliamentarians across Pakistan and Afghanistan vis-à-vis strengthening the role of women in improving bilateral relations and further accentuate their voices in both parliaments. It is worth mentioning here that this was the only sideline meeting during the Pak-Afghan Joint Trade and Investment Forum where direct engagement between the parliamentarians took place. In his inaugural keynote address, Mr. Imtiaz Gul, the Executive Director CRSS, welcomed all honorable guests. He acknowledged the recent initiatives took by the Government of Pakistan through Pak-Afghan Friendship Group in mitigating the challenges that were hampering the bilateral relations. He further suggested that as women in both...
PARLIAMENTARY NETWORKING MEETING WITH AF-PAK PARLIAMENTARIANS TO DISCUSS BILATERAL ISSUES AND ACCENTUATE WOMEN’S VOICES
The Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) along with its Afghan counterpart, Organization for Economic Studies and Peace (OESP), hosted a sideline meeting over a networking dinner on October 26, 2020, for a group of parliamentarians from Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Afghan delegation included, Mr. Umar Daudzai, Afghan President’s Special Representative for Pakistan; Mr. Nisar Ahmad Ghoriyani, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Afghanistan; Ms. Malai Ishaqzee , member of the Wolesi Jirga; Mr. Hashmatullah Ghafoori, Deputy Minister for Irrigation and Natural Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, Afghanistan; Mr. Mir Afghan Safi, member of the Wolesi Jirga; Haji Ajmal Rehmani, member of the Wolesi Jirga; Mr. Najib Nasar, member of the Wolesi Jirga; Mr. Afzal Haidri, member of the Wolesi Jirga; Mr. Zia ul Haq Wazirzai, Advisor to Afghan President and Mr. Younas Momand, Former President ACCI. From Pakistan side, the event was attended by Member National Assembly, Ms. Munaza Hassan, Secretary Women Parliamentary Caucus, Pakistan; Ms. Shandana Gulzar; Ms. Mehnaz Akbar Aziz; Ms. Naureen Ibrahim; Ms. Nafeesa Khattak, Ms. Rubina Irfan and Ms. Ammara Durrani, public policy and human security expert. The idea behind this event was to engage parliamentarians across Pakistan and Afghanistan vis-à-vis strengthening the role of women in improving bilateral relations and further accentuate their voices in both parliaments. It is worth mentioning here that this was the only sideline meeting during the Pak-Afghan Joint Trade and Investment Forum where direct engagement between the parliamentarians took place. In his inaugural keynote address, Mr. Imtiaz Gul, the Executive Director CRSS, welcomed all honorable guests. He acknowledged the recent initiatives took by the Government of Pakistan through Pak-Afghan Friendship Group in mitigating the challenges that were hampering the bilateral relations. He further suggested that as women in both...
Ulasi Taroon Showcase: Social Cohesion and Role of Social Media
The 123rd radio program as part of the Center for Research and Security Studies’ (CRSS) counter-radicalization initiative Ulasi Taroon (Social Cohesion) aired on the subject theme. The program discussed the role of social media in cultivating social cohesion among the communities, given how it has proved to be a game changer in terms of public outreach and dissemination of all sorts of information. The first guest on show, Mr. Riaz Ghafoor, Assistant Director Information, Local government Department, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, noted that freedom of media is an essentially for the development and growth of democracy. It helps holding the system of governance accountable and resultantly improves critical public services delivery. Rampant social media misuse and information available without credible sources calls for citizen’s critical evaluation through the course of their social media usage. Social media literacy is need of the hour where the users should be sensitized on its exceptional potential for positive purposes given the incredible outreach and user base of the platform. It should also be used to promote tolerance perspectives and mobilization for the other objectives of communal concern. It is the responsibility of media houses to provide news and information to the citizens in a dispassionate and impartial way, while also being conscious of the sensitivities living in the society. Ms. Muska Safi, CRSS’s Ulasi Taroon alumna shared that the role of media has expanded to assist the government by highlighting the gaps in the core services delivery and other issues of public concern. The youth - as a major user of social media - should utilize this platform for social development purposes and disseminate positive messages, to delegitimize extremism; both online and offline. Participation in CRSS’s Ulasi Taroon workshop familiarized me with the ideals of social cohesion and virtues of acceptance and coexistence. Especially, I learned that despite differences, how...
Pakistan’s Fight Against COVID-19 – Lessons to be learned
Author: Saddam Hussein, Editors: Zeeshan Salahuddin & Saad Gul Pakistan has, against all forecasts and odds, bent the COVID-19 curve in its favor. A sluggish rise, a premature peak, and a sharp decline through September presents Pakistan as a remarkable case. What is at work and how has the country been able to achieve this feat? This short study maps out the methodology and factors that went into Pakistan’s response to the global pandemic between the start of the year and early October, 2020. Pakistan’s Fight against COVID-19 October 21, 2020 Saddam Hussein Download
Collaborative Workshops and Debates October 13-14, 2020, Chitral
The Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) conducted the ninth two-day PACE Collaborative workshops and debates for university students, on October 13-14, 2020, in Chitral. The workshop was held at University of Chitral, Chitral. This was the first physical event that was organized after the reopening of educational institutions in Pakistan. The event was organized under the umbrella of the Pakistan Center of Excellence (PACE), a counter-radicalization and pluralistic values’ focused project, in collaboration with the Dutch Government. The participants included the students of the University of Chitral with a total participation of 130 students. The Project Director, Prof. Dr. Badshah Munir Bukhari opened the session with a thank you note to PACE team and welcomed them in Chitral. He said that it is a great opportunity for the students to come together on a platform like this and take part in learning new things and unlearning preconceived notions. The program provides for an environment suitable for critical thinking and being a student you should be confident enough to question your teachers and elders instead of accepting whatever they pass on to you. A total of four sessions were conducted on different thematic areas. On day 1, Ms. Shagufta Gul spoke on ‘Fundamental of Human Rights’; Ms. Sameena Imtiaz shared her views on ‘Encouraging Tolerance and Social Cohesion'; and Mr. Saddam Hussein delivered a session on ‘Leadership and Motivation’. On day 2, Ms. Shagufta Gul had another session on ‘Peace Building and Conflict Resolution. The students attended all the session and appreciated the knowledge imparted during the sessions. They were of the view that such sessions should be considered more often because it encourages them to come up with the questions they cannot ask or inquire about in normal routine. A case study video of Ms. Uzma Sher (a former PACE participant) was also recorded in which she shared her experience of attending the workshops...
With the right efforts today we won’t see a “pandemic winter”: SAPM on Health
There is already a slight but definitive rise in COVID-19 cases, but the second wave, the so-called “winter pandemic”, can be avoided with the right efforts and precautions. The threat of COVID is ever-present, and with respiratory diseases traditionally gaining momentum in the winter, caution is ever more necessary. These remarks were made by Dr. Faisal Sultan, the Special Advisor to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health while speaking at the research launch of the report “Pakistan’s Fight against COVID-19” by the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) in Islamabad. He added that the initial polar public perception has now been transformed into unipolar perception in favor of smart lockdowns. He further remarked that countries with similar socio-economic infrastructure have not fared well, in addition to countries where federal structures have been devolved. Regarding the vaccine, he said that if and when available, Pakistan will prioritize subsets of the population first, such as those at high risk and frontline workers. We have to carefully allocate resources for vaccination as Pakistan does not have the sufficient resources to invest in all the global vaccination efforts. The advantage Pakistan has is that our polio vaccination teams can quickly and efficiently inoculate the population, though unlike polio, it will not be a simultaneous, mass effort. The CRSS report states that Pakistan has, against all forecasts and odds, bent the COVID-19 curve in its favor. Broadly speaking, the creation of a central mechanism for all coordination, collation, decision-making and implementation in the form of the NCOC, piggybacking on the polio surveillance network, and dramatically ramping up healthcare infrastructure resulted in Pakistan’s strong response to the pandemic. Despite the demonstrable success of the curbing mechanisms, this is no time to celebrate or drop our collective guard, said the SAPM. The threat of the COVID-19 pandemic is very real and...
TOP STORIES
TESTIMONIALS
“
I am also a member of National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting. Recently, we held a meeting with the Director General of Radio Pakistan and we told them to initiate such local programs (like Constituency Hour) in regional languages to educate and inform people. Even Indian Radio can be heard in FATA which is being used for propaganda purposes and must be closed. Therefore, we should launch some standard and quality programs like CRSS that will change the taste of the listeners.