| Posted: April 13 2005,09:29 |
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PROGRESS: Has your organization seen
progress toward a culture of peace and nonviolence in your domain of
action and in your constituency during the first half of the Decade? |
PROGRESS:
CARAVAN
is a sub National NGO working in the North West Frontier Province in
Northern Pakistan in the field of human development,
peoples'empowerment and participatory democracy through ensured system
of Social auditing. The organization is progressing towards a culture
of peace and hormony in this extremely closed society dominated by
tribal traditions, enemities and religious intolerance.NGOs are
considered agents of west and threats to the religious beliefs.With the
work of CARAVAN, local communities have now starting trusting theses
civil society initiatives and a gradual behaviourial change is
coming.The local community organizations are making their own decisios
and are discussing issues in a common forum, thus hearing the opinion
of all and then make decisions in a peaceful manner.
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OBSTACLES: What are the most important obstacles that have prevented progress?
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The
concept about NGOs as foreign agents and some thing threatining the
religious beliefs(mis trust) has been the major obstacle. Even to date,
the environment to bring women population into the main stream
development and political process is still a dream to come true. A lot
of resistence is seen today .CARAVAN with its; building trust has been
able to break the ice.Women staff is recruited to work with women to
continue its' journey towards the goal of women empowerment.
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ACTIONS: What actions have been
undertaken by your organization to promote a culture of peace and
nonviolence during the first half of the Decade?
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*Community
mobilization and organization; This givesa common forum to discuss
issues and disputes. Many such grass roots organizations are now
networked into bigger entities working for peace and development. They
are becoming sensitised that development can not occur with out peace.
*Village peace and conflict resolution committees are formed at grassroots level .
*To
avoid clashes between different religious groups, common peace
committees are meeting on the occasions of religious events to ensure
peace and harmony, like Muharram etc.
*The disputes bewteen owners and non-owners of forest resources are resolved through theses village forums.
*In
some areas of the NGO jurisdiction, local enemities use to cause losses
of many lives in the upper tribal belts. In Utror communities, for
example, theese CBOs have banned carrying deadly weapons in public
places out side their houses.this has reduced killing of human lives
tremendously in that area.
*The religious groups belong to different
sects like Deobandi, Baralvi and Ahle Hadith etc, are brought to
together to pecefully resolve their idelogical differences with
out bringing it out to the streets resulting iinto human losses many
times.
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ADVICE: What advice would you like to
give to the Secretary-General and the General Assembly to promote a
culture of peace and nonviolence during the second half of the Decade? |
*To
support the international community by stressing countries through
their governments to make poverty reduction as top most priority which
is the main hinderance in the ensuring culture of peace in the poor
nations, specially.
*Help resolve some of the major issues between different countries, like India and Pakistan.
*Support civil society initiatives for promoting culture of peace through education.
*Support voices of civil society organizations in combating poverty and ensuring social justice.
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PARTNERSHIPS: What partnerships and
networks does your organization participate in, thus strengthening the
global movement for a culture of peace? |
CARAVAN
is member of few strong partnership networks at National level.We are
member of the Provincial NGO network, the IDEALS working for
development, peace and prosperity.At very local caravan is member of
district NGOs network in Swat.
Organization is presently registered with WANGO while it is an affiliated member of ONEworld.
The NGO has partnership with;
1.UNDP Pakistan for protrction , development and conservation of Forest resources in upper Swat .
2.National commission for Human development Pakistan , to promote Education.
3. Devolution Trust for Community Empowerment Pakistan (DTCE) as part of IDEALS consortium in promotion of Good Governance.
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PLANS: What new engagements are
planned by your organization to promote a culture of peace and
nonviolence in the second half of the Decade (2005-2010)? |
Having
very good results of our previous intereventions, we are planning
dialogues and seminars to promote peace in the area with religious
tolerance and freedom. We are also planning to more expedite the work
of establishing dispute resolution forums at very grass roots level to
resolve local disputes and issues.
We also plan for political
education to make people aware about their role and participation in
the political process and tolernace and rights and obligations in this
regard.
*Education about discriminatory practices like honour killing, swara etc.
*celebration fo peace days, conferences and seminars etc.
*Publications about peace and development.
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Postal address of organization
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CARAVAN, P.O. Box# 18, Saidu Sharif Swat, Pakistan
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E-mail address of organization
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caravannwfp@yahoo.com, director@caravan-swat.org
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Website address of organization
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www.caravan-swat.org
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Highest priority action domain of a culture of peace
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Sustainable development
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Second priority action domain of a culture of peace
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Democratic participation
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Highest priority country of action (or international)
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Pakistan
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Second priority country of action (or international)
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Afghanistan
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