L A C I P

SMALL F O N MOTIO O R P D RT AN O P P U OOD S H I L OJECT E R P LIV E UCTUR R T S A R Y INF T I N U COMM

DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT FORUM

Published by Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund Editors: Sana Zeeshan Shirazi and Zeeshan Azam Design layout and Photography: Zeeshan Azam

2013 Content of this publication cannot be reproduced without due acknowledgement to PPAF.

ABOUT
The program Livelihood Support & Promotion of Small Community Infrastructure Project (LACIP) is Co-financed by the Federal Republic of Germany through KfW. The total Project cost is 31.5 Million Euros and is being executed by Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) from April 2012 to December 2015. LACIP targets 60 Union Councils in 7 target Districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa i.e. Buner, Charsadda, DI Khan, Swabi, Chitral, Haripur and Nowshera. The main aim is to contribute to the improvement of the general living conditions and quality of life of the poor population in the selected Project Districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; while focusing on the poorest populations which amount to approximately 600,000 people. The Project is mandated to work in Institutional Development as a foundation and create an integrated approach towards development using the components of Small and Medium Infrastructure, Livelihood Enhancement & Protection (LEP), Health & Education (H&E) and Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation (DPM) in the 7 selected Districts. There are 4 funding phases for the Project and a total of 22 Partner Organizations are working in 60 Union Councils. All interventions under the Project are implemented in close coordination with the government line departments in the respective Districts. Moreover , the work is carried out jointly with the Community Organizations (COs), Village Organizations (VOs), and Local Support Organizations (LSOs) at the Union Council level.

WHAT IS THE DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT FORUM?

01 Context and Background
The purpose of introducing District Development Forum (DDF) is to create a sense of ownership amongst the communities and to ensure sustainability of all the small community projects undertaken by the community organizations. The forum will provide a District-wide coordination among all development stakeholders and meetings will be held on a quarterly basis and will be hosted at the District Secretariat of their respective District. The stakeholders of DDF comprise of the Local Government, Line Departments and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) including Local Support Organizations (LSO)/ Partner Organizations (POs) of PPAF. The education institutions will be offered partnerships in the forum and representatives of these institutions will be made a part of the DDF. Their involvement in the DDF will assist in developing the trust of the local communities in the DDF activities.

02 Key features
The concept of DDF will be institutionalized in all Districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through an order of the Provincial Government; hence, each succeeding Deputy Commissioner will be the head of the forum. The forum chaired by the Deputy Commissioner will support and facilitate (at the District level) in the implementation of development projects/initiatives carried out by PPAFs partner organizations. If there comes the Local Government System in place, the head of District Government will chair the forum. Quarterly meetings of the DDF will be held and chaired by Deputy Commissioner of the concerned District. Every meeting of DDF will have a secretary from amongst the Partner Organizations (POs) on rotation basis. The decisions taken in the meeting will be followed up by the secretary of the forum. PPAF (LACIP) will participate in every meeting regarding the District Development Forum.

03 Outputs and Outcomes

The establishment of District Development Forum will enormously benefit community based organizations, civil society organizations and the local Government through enhanced ownership. The increased information sharing and dissemination between stakeholders of Government, private institutions and civil society organizations will promote good governance and facilitate integration with the line departments. The increased dissemination of information with the other partners working in the same district will develop synergies, There will be increased insight in terms of overall District planning and development and prioritization of the actual needs of the communities. Coordination will increase between Partner Organization working in the same District. DDF will lay down a strong foundation for voice the poor segment of society for direct communication with the local Government.

FOUNDATIONS OF THE DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT FORUM

01 Transparency and Participation
The Forum will be ensure a platform for Government organizations, Non-Government organizations, development based projects and other bodies working in the District for sharing of ideas, experiences, best practices, solutions, endeavors for effective utilization of their resources for the improvement of the project Districts.

02 Alliances with departments

The Forum will provide an opportunity for different stakeholders to create strategic alliances with various departments related to the Government, local District departments, NGOs, PPAF Partner Organizations and Community based organizations, benefit from each others experience and knowledge and pool their minds and resources for effective service delivery.

03 Conflict management
The Forum will create facilities and provide tools for resolving conict situations between stakeholders or between organizations and communities if the need arises.

04 Strengthening public/private partnership

The Forum will assist in establishing a coordination mechanism among the stakeholders at the District level to strengthen the public/private partnership for the betterment of the District.

05 Coordination at District level

The Forum will result in better coordination, communication and facilitation at the District level with all the concerned stakeholders.

06 Citizen and State relationship

The Forum will foster the citizen relationship with the state and strengthen ties for dialogue and facilitation. This will ensure a closely knit relationship between the two.

DISTRICT GOVERNMENT COMMITMENT TO DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT FORUM INITIATIVE

The Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Planning and Development (P&D) Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, all the Deputy Commissioners of the 7 Districts attended the workshop arranged by LACIP in Peshawar on 16th September, 2013, and endorsed the idea of the establishment of District Development Forum. On behalf of the District Government, the Additional Chief Secretary Mr . Khalid Pervaiz ensured full support and corporation for the initiative of in the respective Districts where LACIP operations are being carried out by the partner organizations of PPAF . Th e ment the the D ep uty Co m missio ners e xten de d th eir co m mitto resolve the issues of their Districts and steer resource allocation and development priorities of Government towards the betterment of the people.

WORKING MECHANISM OF DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT FORUM

Quarterly meetings of the DDF will be held and chaired by Deputy Commissioner of the concerned District Every meeting of DDF will have a secretary from amongst the Partner Organizations (POs) on rotation basis The decisions taken in the meetings will be followed up by the secretary of the forum PPAF (LACIP) will participate in every meeting regarding the district development forum

The proposed District Development Forum will be headed by the respective Deputy Commissioner and the local line departments, civil society organizations as well as other donor projects will form partners to the DDF . The concept of DDF will be institutionalized in all districts in KPK through an order of the Provincial government. Hence each succeeding DC will automatically become the head of the forum. In case the deputy commission has prior commitments at the time of the meeting, then he can nominate someone else to chair the meeting on his behalf.

L A C I P

Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund 1 Hill View Road, Banigala, Islamabad. UAN +92-51-111-000-102 Fax +92-51-261-3931-33 www.ppaf.org.pk