During a recent meeting of selected Members of Parliament (MP), CRSS radio shows on public accountability of MPs and their engagement with their constituents figured prominently. The occasion was a gathering on August 26, 2015 of members of Young Democrats Academy (YDA), an initiative by the International Republican Institute (IRI), a partner of the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS).

The consultation with the members of the YDA was held in Islamabad to collect their feedback vis-à-vis challenges and successes in the project so far. All the YDA MPs unanimously endorsed reinforcing electronic social media while appreciating the efficacy of CRSS radio programs in strengthening citizens’ engagement and enhancing dialogue and linkages amidst them to ensure accountable, responsive and transparent system of governance.

The CRSS has so far aired 21 syndicated radio programs covering a wide range of local issues and governance challenges being faced by the citizens of the five selected districts. The endeavors aim to connect the constituents of the target areas with their MPs through a dialogue on their issues and ensure citizen’s active political participation as a measure of enhancing standards of democratic governance at the constituency level.

Supported by the IRI, the CRSS radio campaign includes five live radio programs per month; one each in Mardan, Chardsadda, Sargodha, Bahawalpur and Karachi with the respective MPs as guests.

CRSS has thus far produced and aired more than 3,500 live/recorded radio shows on issues such as counter-radicalisation, rule of law, fundamental rights, public accountability of the MPs and the government from a broad network of radio stations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, FATA, Punjab, Balochistan and Sindh.