Minority Youth Group

Pakistan

Dates: 2019 - 2020

Civic Education for an Under-Priveleged Minority

A team of young Christians provided their peers with a civic education that they very rarely have access to, as a religious minority which is often ignored.

Minority Youth Group, a team from the predominantly Christian, underprivileged neighbourhood of 66th Quarter of Islamabad, aimed to raise awareness among youth in their neighbourhood about their civic rights, duties and the services available to them as citizens.

Many of those from 66th Quarter lack basic education and awareness of the state-run services available to youth. Following our Youth Innovation Lab in Islamabad in 2019, they organised two workshops in the community – one for men and one for women – for their peers, aged between 18 and 24.

The workshops taught the participants some basic principles of human rights law in Pakistan, instilled a sense of civic duty to their community – which is often neglected by its members, because of a lack of community ownership – and provided participants a list and description of various education or employment services available to them locally. The workshops were co-facilitated by a local representative from UNICEF.

Participants

Increased Knowledge of Human Rights

88%

Improving Civic Understanding and Civic Duty.

The workshops resulted in huge increases in knowledge, understanding and awareness of civic duties, rights and services.

The workshops were attended by 37 men and 28 women from 66^th Quarter. The team conducted pre- and post- workshop surveys to gauge the impact they had on raising civic awareness among their participants. 100% of the 65 participants showed an increase in knowledge of the 3 pillars of the state (Executive, Judiciary and Legislative), a 75% increase in awareness of basic civic facilities, a 66% increase in understanding of civic duties, and an 88% increase in knowledge of basic human rights.

Following the workshops, the team organised painting workshops and activities for 32 youth participants from the workshops. The participants spent the day beautifying their community, painting walls and helping to clean up the neighbourhood. The activity served to consolidate the awareness they had gained of civic duty, instilled a sense of community ownership among the participants and those that benefitted from the beautification, and provided participants a rare opportunity to strengthen connections with one another.

Find Out More

Find out more about the impact of the project in Islamabad.

Testimonials

“It has helped me expand my network of friends who I can reach out to when I am planning an event or activity for youth. It has given me confidence to take on bigger tasks.”

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