Since 2002, ITA has been actively supporting an important strand of work in the area of Citizenship Education, Democracy and Human Rights across schools, both educators and students.

Citizenship Rights and Responsibilities Pakistan (CRRP) Project- 2002=2004

In collaboration with CIDA, CIIAN, Ali Institute of Education, CBIE, AKU-IED and government departments of education, ITA undertook the Citizenship Rights and Responsibilities Pakistan (CRRP) project in 2002. The CRRP, funded by CIDA, working with 20 schools and over 100 educators had aimed to support the processes of:

• Helping students (of 1-X grade) develop attitudes, knowledge and skills required for   the exercise of active citizenship, living and defending human rights and constructive resolution of conflict;
• Creating resource materials like modules, supplementary texts etc. for students and teachers from public and private schools (for 1-X grade).
• Developing a cadre of trained educators in citizenship education, human rights and conflict resolution. Twenty teachers were trained through a six month program designed and certified by the Aga Khan University Institute of Education (six weeks on campus, followed by implementation and evaluation). Another 100 teachers were mobilized from public and private schools to participate in development of curriculum and supplementary materials from Sindh and Punjab.
• Fostering dialogue about citizenship education, human rights and conflict resolution among educators and other sectors of society.  Over 12 dialogue sessions were arranged including two policy dialogues in which eminent human rights/conflict resolution experts, teachers, head teachers, policy makers, curriculum managers, researchers and media participated.  The dialogues culminated in a national conference with 75 stakeholders across Pakistan who developed a plan of action.

Working in collaboration with our partners, ITA developed the following for this project

• Directory of Citizenship Education/ Human Rights Education and Conflict Resolution Education (CE/HRE/CRE) Initiatives in Pakistan
• CE/HRE/CRE supplementary modules including active learning methodologies for educators to use
• Plan of Action for scale up of this Citizenship and Rights Project, Pakistan (CRRP)

Many aspects of the Plan of Action have been put into practice and links with AKU-IED continue to grow.
 
This project became the basis for a new program in ITA’s portfolio on citizenship, democracy and human rights.     

Democracy Small Grants Program – US Embassy 2004-2005

Grantee:                       US Embassy
Area of Work:              Lahore and Nankana

Outputs

1. Community Learning Centres: IT Laboratories. Functional Literacy Program
2. Modules and Posters for SMC/SC Training in Urdu/English
3. Modules developed with the local community and training provided to School Councils according to the materials developed.  

Reclaiming Cultural and Social Diversity:  Mobilizing youth for national harmony and peace - August 2007-August 2008

Target group:   Students of Grade VIII-X, Teachers of high secondary school

Funding Organization: United States Institute of Peace

Goal: Addressing conflict and diversity through dialogues and texts to promote national harmony

Project Objectives:
Immediate Objectives:

• Selected students (grades VIII-X) from 8-10 secondary schools across Pakistan  will  identify and debate issues on identity, diversity and sources of conflict .
• Hold an essay competition, dialogues and online communication exchange with selected youth (gender balanced) from public and private schools in four provinces. 
• Develop learning materials, texts and posters for grades 8 to 10 to engage with cultural diversity; to respect and value living histories and positive cultural practices.
• Disseminate the materials generated to textbook boards, writers, the private examination boards and the national curriculum wing for influencing the writing of the textbooks and/or to be used as supplementary materials for grades VIII-X.
• Develop guidelines/manuals for teachers to use the learning materials and to conduct training workshops for teachers.
• Publish two research papers and at least 10-12 best essays highlighting the sources of conflict and recommendations for respecting diversity, histories for peace and harmony.
• Hold a national round table seminar at the end of the project to share the project experience, outputs,  and outcomes with relevant stake holders

Long term objectives:

• Lend support to an emerging  national youth movement which would focus on valuing cultural diversity and initiate the process of peace, positive engagement  and harmony between provinces, led by the youth themselves
• Extend the work conducted with grades VIII to X across the entire schooling years. 
• The texts and resources generated would serve as an example for education policy makers and curriculum developers on how to acknowledge and educate about cultural diversity,  promoting peace, tolerance, and harmony in the country.
• Form a repository of films/art work/documentaries about all provinces on the themes of cultural and historical diversity .
•  The papers /essays produced will be leveraged to influence various policies: viz.  Education and Youth. All materials produced will be disseminated to the Departments of Education, Culture, Youth Religious Affairs, Particular focus will be extended to Textbooks boards, Examination Boards and the Curriculum Wing backed by the respective secretaries and Ministers of Education and Culture. 

Punjab Youth Awareness Program -September 2007- September 2008

In collaboration with Democratic Commission for Human Development, ITA is facilitating the implementation of Youth Awareness Program –funded by National Endowment for Democracy- in five districts of Punjab. The program is targeted at raising awareness about issues of human rights, democracy and citizenship amongst the school students in these districts in 50 secondary level schools.
Target Group: Secondary School students

Youth in Election-February, 2008

In 2002, the age group for voters was lowered to 18 years, meaning that many college/ university students are now eligible voters. In order to prepare these young people for their role in the general elections, in collaboration with AKU-IED’s CRRP team, ITA held workshops for teachers/faculty from various colleges and universities who were further encouraged to prepare students as informed, responsible and active citizens. Workshops were held for students of 18 years and above. 

Trainings were held in Sheikhupura, Faisalabad, Jhang, Rawalpindi and Islamabad in the month of February, 2008 prior to the elections in the country. Students were also encouraged to fill a perception survey regarding the political literacy and democracy. Over 900 students and 200 teachers were trained during these workshops in 6  districts by ITA in this collaborative effort with AKU-IED’s Department of CRRP.

Plymouth State University (PSU) – New Hampshire USA. Pakistan Education Leadership Institute 2008
20 Educators and Trainers have been trained at Secondary Level at a four week Summer Institute  in the areas of Active Citizenship, Preservation of Cultural Heritage and Environmental Stewardship who have returned with action plans to be implemented in their institutions (www.itacec.org). These educators hail from : Sindh, Punjab, ICT, AJK, FATA and NWFP. Their work will be actively pursued.       
ITA’s Collaborating Partners on Citizenship and Democracy are : 

• AKU –IED
• Citizens ..
• Democratic Commission for Human Development (DCHD) 
• Beaconhouse School System
• Seeds of Peace
• WWF
• Plymouth State University New Hampshire– USA