Village Level Awareness Campaign on Devolution and Local Government System

This 32-page report details and assesses the [Canadian International Development Agency] CIDA Devolution Support Project (CDSP), analysing the motivation behind, process of, and lessons learned from the undertaking. The purpose of CDSP, which is being carried out by a consortium of Canadian and Pakistani organisations, is to strengthen local governments in two districts of Punjab Province, Pakistan, by 1) creating an enabling environment for local governments (LGs) and citizen participation; 2) building LGs' capacity to plan, mobilise resources, and make decisions; and 3) ensuring improved, accessible, accountable, and sustainable service delivery at the local level. The key focus of CDSP is on using communication to ensure the full participation of Pakistani women in the political process. The main objectives were to enhance awareness on the part of women and men about roles and responsibilities of LGs, to educate people about the role of Citizen Community Boards (CCBs) in devolution at the grassroots level, and to mobilise groups of women and men to form CCBs for the development of their respective areas.

The report begins by providing a detailed account of the process of developing village-level awareness "melas" - daylong edutainment-type (fair) activities at the village level focusing on LGs and communities and their respective roles in the local area development. Organisers state that the mela format was designed very carefully, keeping in view the capacity and knowledge level of implementing partners and the general public - especially illiterate men and women. Specifically, 11 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) from the Kasur and Lodhran Districts of Punjab Province, Pakistan were selected and trained to conduct awareness campaigns at the village level. The format design for the village mela was carried out through discussions with local groups, and emphasised using communication to provide just a few messages in a simple way. Prior to each campaign, meetings were held with active groups, individuals and union council members in the village to identify volunteers, to disseminate information about the event in the village and to identify logistics needed for the event. That is, engaging full communities in mela participation was a core programme strategy, which was approached through face-to-face contact/gatherings.

Following a description of the organisation and implementation of the melas, basic access details are shared. In short, awareness melas were conducted in 110 villages of 12 union councils of Kasur and Lodhran Districts; 21,311 people (including 10,456 women) participated. Groups from the general community, teachers, and CCBs were the main participants; in addition, councillors, nazims, naib nazims, and secretaries from the concerned union council took part. As an immediate follow-up of these campaigns, 466 mobilisation visits were conducted in the 110 villages to mobilise and motivate community members to form CCBs (especially those of women separately and jointly with men in each village); a total of 9,346 people (including 3,988 women) took part.

Among the results from this process:

• Organisers observed "increased, active and effective participation of women in local government decision-making" - As compared with previous union-council-level campaigns, they say, "there was a substantial increase in women's participation in the awareness melas....Ensuring women's participation was not an easy task - timing for women's groups visits, venue and even in some cases activities in the design of the mela had to be strategically changed to ensure better participation of women. Because of this flexibility throughout the campaign, women remained active participants either individually, as councilors or in organized groups like teachers and lady health visitors. Despite resistance from men, women actively participated in all activities and shared their views and concerns about local governance especially issues faced by women."
• Organisers say that this campaign has been more successful than previous ones; in a previous awareness campaign (2005), 14 women's CCBs were formed, whereas after this series of campaign, 116 women CCBs "were registered in the target union councils as a result of the current awareness campaigns."
• Organisers observed an increased demand from women for a variety of local government services. This is evident, they say, from the increased frequency of visits by women to their respective union council offices. "In addition, women used to visit union council offices for specific purposes e.g. birth and death certificates, Zakat funds for poor etc. Now the interests are various including complaints about different services like education and health, water supply and sanitation, and of course CCB funds."
• As the demand for better service is generated as a result of increased awareness on the part of the general public, organisers contend, some of the union councils have taken some practical steps for the improvement of basic services in their areas. For example, monitoring committees formed by the local government organisation (LGO) are now including women in these committees. One committee is headed by a women councilor. Here is another example: "In Kotli Rai Abu Bakar Village, people especially women were facing the problem of drinking water. During awareness melas, they raised this issue. In response to this, the UC Naib Nazim worked with the Tehsil Naib Nazim and revitalized a turbine that was out of order. Now many households are supplied with drinking water..."
• Organisers believe that the awareness melas have also fostered the increased institutional capacity of local NGOs, including two women's NGOs, to design and deliver gender-sensitive awareness campaigns on devolution and the local government system. CDSP has been working with local NGOs and CCBs, strengthening them as active advocacy groups and sources of information and accountability. Organisers say that these sessions have built participating NGOs' capacity regarding gender sensitivity and responsiveness with respect to the awareness campaign. Having developed good relationships within the union councils in their respective areas - and with the help of the union administration - these NGOs are now motivating union councils to become more transparent, accountable, and gender-responsive institutions by displaying their decisions/budget utilisation etc. and opening their monthly meetings to both women and men.
• Local resources were developed in that - as part of the process of developing the awareness melas - local partner NGOs organised a group or committee in each village, providing complete orientation about the local government system, and its approach, objectives, and methodology. Organisers believe that these people can go on to educate others about democracy and governance issues.
• There has been an increased demand among the community for ID cards, especially among women. (At the melas, women and men were educated about the critical responsibility of the union council in facilitating people obtaining ID card, described here as "a crucial document for women to exercise their economic, political and civil rights.")
• Increased debate on women's rights has reportedly led to action: "In the rural conservative community of UC Faridabad, in District Lodhran, women are not used to wearing shoes....it is believed that women should not wear shoes or any kind of footwear as they do not have equal status to men. During the CDSP awareness campaign, this issue was raised by some groups. As a result, youth of the area is now working on breaking this habit and tradition."
• Women from minority groups were inspired to form CCBs; for instance, after attending awareness melas, small groups of minorities in these areas contacted the local NGO to ask about how to form separate CCBs. Now, 2 minority women's CCBs are registered in Kasur while 1 is in the registration process in Lodhran.
• Organisers cite increased linkages with other organisations, donors, and local governments, which they believe has led to an increased demand for communication materials developed as part of the campaign (e.g., local government officials and elected representatives have showed interest in the illustrated pana-flex poster on roles and responsibilities of local government to paste it in their offices or places where many women and men visit). They also believe that these collaborations have helped foster the formation of 3 women's organisations in Kasur to work on issues such as violence against women and the empowerment of women in the district.

Lessons learned from this process follow. Among them: organising awareness and other developmental activities at the village level enhances women's participation by increasing their access and mobility. Also, involving local partners, especially civil society organisations, in the design and implementation of awareness campaigns ensures continuity and long-term sustainability of these activities in the district. Similarly, involving active groups within the community - particularly, the union council - enhances participation. Finally, melas can be made more attractive by integrating cultural activities.

Among the several appendices is one that offers contact details for local NGOs who are willing to provide more information to those seeking more information about their experiences with this initiative.