Raising citizens’ voice: 13 organisations given grants worth $1.4m

The organisations will work to improve citizens’ participation in governance, accountability.

Thirteen organisations, working to promote citizens’ participation in governance and accountability, were given grants worth $1.4 million on Thursday, said a USAID press release.

The project supports initiatives to promote citizens’ participation, responsive governance and accountability throughout the country.

Themes for which the grants have been awarded are: citizens’ oversight of municipal services, improving water rights, and energy sector reforms.

The recipient organisations include: Dir Area Development Organization, Goth Seengar Foundation, Devcon, Participatory Educational Awareness and Community Empowerment, Akhtar Hameed Khan Resource Centre, Awaz Foundation, Daman, Governance Institutes Network International, Participatory Efforts for Healthy Environment, Consumer Rights Commission of Pakistan, Semiotics Consultants, People Empowerment and Consulting Enterprises and The Network for Consumer Protection.

The organisations were selected through a “transparent and a competitive process”, said the statement issued by the US Agency for International Development’s (USAID).

The $45 million USAID’s Citizens’ Voice Project, which is being implemented by the Trust for Democratic Education and Accountability, will award approximately 500 grants during a period of three years.

These grants are expected to stimulate tangible and a positive change in public policy, government service delivery, government accountability and transparency.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2012.