“Strengthening Institutional Response to Protect Rights of Religious Minorities in Pakistan”
Human Friends Organization (HFO) has successfully implemented a project titled “Strengthening Institutional Response to Protect Rights of Religious Minorities in Pakistan” in working partnership with the Netherlands Embassy Islamabad from 2016 to 2020. This project resulted.
Objectives:
I. To strengthen the role and legal standing of National Commission on Minorities (NCM) for working towards the promotion and protection of the rights of religious minorities.
II. To enhance the role of Parliamentary Committee to ‘Protect Minorities from Forced Conversions’ for addressing the challenge of forced conversions.
III. To engage with relevant provincial departments and provincial assembly committees in Punjab and Sindh provinces for improving legal and policy framework on forced conversions.
IV. To improve the capacity and engagement of Human Rights Network Pakistan (HRNP) for advocacy and lobbying with key stakeholders for promotion and protection of the rights of religious minorities.
PARLIAMENTARIAN CAUCUS (FEDERAL)
- Gian Chand
- Nafisa Shah
- Lal Chand Malhi
- Shunila Ruth
- Naveed Aamir Jeeva
- Maher Irshad Ahmed Sial
- Zulifkar Ali Behan
- Anwar Lal Dean
- James Iqbal
- Jaiparkash
- Kheel Das Kohistani
- Mahesh Kumar Malani
- Shazia Sobia Aslam
PARLIAMENTARIAN CAUCUS (PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLY, PUNJAB)
- Ijaz Alam Augstine (Provincial Minister)
- Sadia Sohail Rana
- Bushra Butt
- Sumaira Ahmed
- Mahinder Pall Singh
- Rahila Khadim Hussain
- Shazia Abid
- Uswa Aftab
- Hassan Murtaza
PARLIAMENTARIAN CAUCUS (PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLY, KHYBER PAKHTUNKHUWA)
- Madiha Nasir
- Ravi Kumar
- Samuel Robert
- Wazir Zada
- Rabia Basri
- Somi Falak Naiz
- Humayun Khan
- Abdul Saleem
PARLIAMENTARIAN CAUCUS (PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLY, BALUCHISTAN)
- Ahmad Nawaz Baloch
- Nasullah Khan Zayrsi
- Sana Ullah Baloch
- Zakir Khan Achkazai
PROJECT RESULTS & OUTCOMES
Outcome I. Improved capacity and legal standing of the National Commission for Minorities to perform effective role in fostering the promotion and protection of the rights of religious minorities in Pakistan.
Output-I.I. 75 key relevant stakeholders consulted for recommendations on draft bill on National Commission for Minorities.
Output-I.II. 16 members of NCM receive key knowledge, information & skills on protection of rights of religious minorities.
Output-I.III. A draft bill on National Commission for Minorities is made available and submitted to national assembly secretariat for further processing.
Outcome II. Enhanced role and capacity of the Parliamentary Committee to ‘Protect Minorities from Forced Conversions’ to improve legislation and action.
Output II.I. 22 members of the Parliamentary Committee to ‘Protect Minorities from Forced Conversions’ receive comprehensive knowledge and skills in order to engage for improving legislation on forced conversions.
Output II.II. 75 representatives of key stakeholder groups at federal and provincial level engaged through stakeholder consultations on forced conversions.
Output II.III. A draft bill on Forced Conversions made available and submitted to national assembly secretariat for further processing.
Output II.IV. An Interactive Database developed and installed for reporting on the cases of forced conversions to the Parliamentary Committee to Protect Minorities from Forced Conversions.
Output II.V. 200 representatives of key stakeholder groups are engaged through linkages and coordination meetings” taking stock of the situation of forced conversions.
Outcome III. Improved provincial policies on forced conversions in Punjab & Sindh with active engagement of Provincial Minority Rights Departments & Provincial Assembly Committees.
Output III.I. A primary research study conducted in Punjab & Sindh to identify, document and analyse challenges & opportunities related to tackling the issue of forced conversions.
Output III.II. A key set of draft recommendations compiled for developing policy paper on forced conversions for Punjab & Sindh.
Output III.III. Two policy papers” developed on forced conversions through inclusive and consultative process separately for Punjab and Sindh.
Outcome IV. Enhanced capacity of member civil society organization, human rights defenders/activists of HRNP working securely and collaboratively to promote the rights of religious minorities.
Output IV.I. 25 members of Human Rights Network, Pakistan (HRNP) (40%female members) receive knowledge, information, and skills on evidence-based advocacy.
Output IV. II. 03 Advocacy Plans developed and finalized – one each for two provinces and one for national level with gender as cross cutting focus.
