Duration  : January 2017 - December 2020

Budget : € 1.3 million

Location: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Peshawar, Buner, Swabi, Charsadda, Hangu

Balochistan: Quetta, Sibi, Bolan, Ziarat, Jafarabad    

Sindh: Karachi-South, Hyderabad, Khairpur, Ghotki, Sukkur     

Implementing Partners: Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI)

The EU is working to improve citizens' quality of life in 15 target districts of Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh Provinces by strengthening democratic local governance.

The challenge

Although citizens elect their local district level governments, they are unable to provide input on priorities or engage with politicians and government officers to improve their standards of living.

How do we address the challenge?

The Democratic Local Governance for Development in Pakistan (DLG Pakistan) Project aims to organize citizens in the 15 target districts so they can become involved in the local political process. The project aims to improve the quality of interaction between citizens, local elected councilors and government officials for provision of basic facilities. The DLG Pakistan project will lead to an improved level of trust between all three groups which should result in quick and efficient resolution of issues at the local level.

Support to policy

With the DLG Project, the EU supports good governance, transparency and accountability of public officials towards their citizens.

What can we learn from this project?

Pre-budget consultations held every year are among the important activities of the DLG Pakistan project. Based on the experience of the first three years, this activity along with regular meetings of citizens and with Government Officials and Local Councillors, if replicated in other districts, can bear fruitful results. This process allows government officials to engage in a meaningful dialogue with citizens, which brings transparency to their work and citizens feel empowered to be able to hold local government accountable.

EU in Pakistan

The European Union (EU) funds projects and programmes around the world in order to help addressing global and local challenges. The reduction of poverty and the respect of fundamental rights and freedoms are key objectives in this context.

In Pakistan, the EU is committed to a stable, democratic and pluralistic country that respects human rights and benefits from its full economic potential by supporting sustainable and inclusive development for all its citizens. The EU provides Pakistan with about €100 million annually in grants for development and cooperation. Among other issues, the EU supports Pakistan in its efforts to tackle poverty, increase education, promote good governance, human rights, rule of law and ensure sustainable management of natural resources. EU-funded projects are covering all of Pakistan with a special focus on Sindh and Balochistan.

The collaboration between the European Union and Pakistan is grounded in the Strategic Engagement Plan (SEP) signed in 2019. Areas of cooperation under the SEP include peace and security, democracy, rule of law, human rights, and migration but also sectors such as energy, climate change and science and technology.

The EU is one of Pakistan’s largest trading partners. The EU supports Pakistan’s integration into the world economy and its sustainable economic development, namely by granting it preferential access to the European single market under the GSP+ system since 2014. Under this scheme almost 80% of Pakistan’s exports enter the EU duty and quota free. In 2018, Pakistani exports to the EU were worth €6.9 billion.

In order to enjoy the trade preferences under GSP+, Pakistan needs to demonstrate progress on the implementation of 27 international conventions on human rights, good governance, labour rights and environmental protection.

Delegation of the European Union to Pakistan,

House 9, Street 88, G-6/3, Islamabad

Phone: +92 51 227 1828, Fax: +92 51 282 2604

Email: Delegation-Pakistan@eeas.europa.eu

To report any irregularities contact us on DELEGATION-PAKISTAN-IRREGULARITIES@eeas.europa.eu

See Also

• Democratic Local Governance for Development in Pakistan (DLG Pakistan) Project