Afghan delegates advised on formulating indigenous framework to develop their civil-society sector
A nine-member delegation from Afghanistan Institute of Civil Society (AICS) visiting Pakistan in a bid to learn about the development of civil society sector in Afghanistan was advised to formulate indigenous framework in line with their local context and native values if they were to establish a vigorous and sturdy network of civilian institutions and organizations in the country.
The advice was offered in a session held at Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), Islamabad, on April 25, 2018. The visit was organized by Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy (PCP) – a government authorized organization that evaluates NGOs in Pakistan – with a view to capacitate the delegates from the neighboring country by providing them an insight over structuring, functioning, criterion and evaluation mechanisms that were needed to nurture and foster a robust civil society structure in a country.
The delegation, which was addressed by DG-IPS Khalid Rahman along with two members from PCP, was told that it was easy to get influenced by and incline towards the Western model while trying to weave the civil-society fabric, this however should be kept in view that the Western model was designed as per the demands of a Western society whereas in an Asian-Muslim country, the formulation of a civil society sector may pose a starkly different set of questions and challenges.
The viewpoint was elaborated with an example of gender equality which is significantly stressed in the Western development model. The idea however, despite not being disputed at any length in a Muslim society, may offer a different shade of color when seen with the lens of the native social, cultural and religious values. The induction of a female teacher, for instance, may not be much suited for a religious institution offering education only for male children, whereas the same will remain true if a male instructor teaches in an institution of female students.
It is pertinent to mention here that the viewpoint presented before Afghan delegates in the sitting was in line with IPS’ initiative of ‘Indigenizing Policy Research’ which stresses on identifying and adopting indigenous solutions for the problems faced locally instead of following alien models which were actually designed to cater for their own native environment.
