| Sungi’s experimental learning reveals that
there exists a general lack of awareness about basic human rights, role
of state, rule of law, local and national power structure, constitution
and the coordination amongst the three pillars of the state as well as lack
of responsibility and responsiveness had badly affected every sphere of
life in the country. Sungi’s all programmatic inputs centers around
the nucleus of social mobilization approach. Sungi’s Good Governance
Program (GGP) enables people to organize for collective action and supporting
right’s holders to demand their rights and hold duty bearers accountable
for their obligations.
The program facilitates in empowering men and women to organize their
own democratically self-governing groups or community organizations The
program builds awareness and enhances capacities of community partners,
government line agencies and elected representatives about democratic
and civic rights.
The program goal is beyond community organization, infact it promotes
harnessing the potential efforts of the government, non-government sector
and citizens to work towards equitable social, economic and political
development. Sungi believes that a better coordination among the community
based platforms, legislature and executive is the only way to bring sustainable
impacts of the state policies on the lives and poor and marginalized.
Pakistan is among those developing countries that have registered upward
trend in their economic growth indicators during 70’s, 80’s
and early 90’s. This economic progress, however, was not accompanied
by socio political betterment of the country’s general masses. The
downward trend of Human Development Infer flew in the face of increase
in per capita income. With one of the lowest literacy rates and one of
the highest maternal mortality rates in the world Pakistan’s development
since its birth leaves much to be desired. A ray of hope, however, is
there as in the age of globalization an increasing number of grass root
movements are flourishing where people are forming alliances by organizing
themselves to advocate their rights. These are the people who have long
been sidelined by their governments. SUNGI believes in the participation
of these neglected masses in mainstream development. And a prerequisite
for such a progressive and tolerant society is redefining and reestablishing
the link between, the government and the governed and the public and policy
makers. This is what SUNGI’s vision of an equitable and just society
includes. It is built upon the principles of ownership and accountability.
And a deep commitment to these principles has translated into the Social
Mobilization and development approach, which is followed by SUNGI.
SUNGI believes that the present state of underdevelopment of Pakistan
is a legacy of our colonial past that persists in our feudal culture.
At the same time there are other socio political and socio economic factors
that are also helping to maintain the control of a small elite group over
large amount of country’s resources. The ultimate result of this
unfair distribution of the nation’s wealth is poverty for teeming
millions. Therefore any attempt at social change must focus on poverty
alleviation. And this goal can only be reached at through changing the
existing power structure. The latter transformation is only possible through
sustained actions both by the state and people. Therefore, SUNGI strongly
believes that all policies, whether state or otherwise, must be people
centred, emphasizing greater participation and a voice for the most marginalized.
SUNGI believes that communities and citizen’ groups should act as
support structures for individuals so as to encourage them to take socially
valuable action as well as to express their concerns. When properly endowed
and informed, communities can contribute to decisions that affect them
and play an invaluable role in creating a sustainable society. With these
specific objectives the Social Mobilization Section of SUNGI attempts
at creating transparent democratic and efficiently managed village organizations,
which are the foundation for all other programmatic interventions. Social
Mobilization is one of the three sub components of Social Mobilization
and Development Program, which is one of the core programs of SUNGI. The
other two components of this program are Civic Rights and Health and Sanitation
sections. |
