This newsletter reports on LEAD Pakistan’s interventions in its three key program areas – climate change, environmental management and grassroots social capital development - threaded together through the organization’s five core competencies: capacity devel­opment, networking and partnerships, community empowerment, public policy engagement and knowledge management.

 

In this Issue:

 

· ‘Few’ weigh heavy on ‘many’ at Copenhagen

· LEAD Pakistan joins hands with PSO and the Urban Unit to hold Work­shops on EF Calculator in Karachi and Lahore respectively

· LEAD study redefines ‘civil society’ in Pakistan

· Towards a promising future: Case studies

· Sustainable cities in a changing world - An article by Huma Batool

· 2nd National Training Session – Cohort 14

· Regional Journalist Workshop on Climate Change
Knowledge Management ‘Few’ weigh heavy on ‘many’ at Copenhagen Termed by the British economist Lord Nicholas Stern as the single most important event since the end of WW-II, the COP 15 last month only added to the climate chaos. The US, China, India, Brazil and South Africa reached an accord whose legal status is unclear as all the 193 nations participating in the Conference were not given a chance to approve or disapprove that. All the major decisions are deferred till next year when COP 16 takes place in Mexico. LEAD Pakistan was on Government of Pakistan’s official delegation to the Conference. It being an environmentally conscious civil society organization kept a keen eye on the negotiations proceedings. And to keep all the stakeholders abreast of the vital developments before, during and after the conference, it produced a documentary ‘The Climate Challenge: Voices from Pakistan’ and two policy briefs LEAD study redefines ‘civil society’ in Pakistan Professional associations have the potential to partake in the social development agenda; LEAD Pakistan conducts the first of its kind mapping study on professional associations in Pakistan and in a record three months time ‘Civil Society’ has been the vaguest and most misunderstood term and many have been defining it as the non government and nonprofit organizations that operate through funds from the international donors. This misnomer leaves out the other vital indigenous organizations and associations that have knowledge of and outreach in their respective localities, proven sustainability against all odds and non-reliance on the external resources. LEAD Pakistan ventured out to assess the scale and scope of Barbers Associations in Mansehra, Lodhran and Khairpur districts with the aim to add to the almost non-existent body of research on these valuable indigenous institutions. It also assessed the potential of this association as possible future development partner for the civil society organizations. Talking about the distinctiveness of these associations, Ms Rafia Rauf, Coordinator Research at LEAD Pakistan said that any organized group that owes its existence to intrinsic motivation, comes together to address the felt needs, does not reach out for external support or assistance in any form or shape, possesses the courage to fight for its rights, has the desire and makes the effort to improve its plight and manages to survive against all odds, deserves due credit. This is true in the case of the Barbers Associations in Pakistan.’ In all cultures, barbers have enjoyed a special status. Due to the nature of their work, they remain closely embedded in day to day life of the people and lay claim to having deeper insights and detailed information about their surroundings. ‘In view of the positioning of a barber shop as a communication node and the status enjoyed by barber of that of a reliable informant, this platform can be used for addressing a lot of myths and misconceptions; narrowing the information and knowledge gap in the public and improving the state of people in general by providing access to correct data and information,’ opines Ms Rauf. According to barbers visited during the course of the study, the solution of all problems, big or small, can be found in collective thinking and can be implemented through the mechanism of participatory decision making. It was observed during the study that members of this body are driven not by any external promise but rather by an inner desire to be considered as respectable members of the community and to function as responsible citizens of the country. While recognizing the unmapped nature of professional associations, the study brought forward these bodies as strong and able components of the country’s civil society sector. The study also highlighted that these bodies having knowledge of and outreach in their respective localities, proven sustainability against all odds and non-reliance on the external resources, have the potential to lead the development related work in any area. The study also brought forward the need to invest in improving the structure and functionality of these Associations so as to make them efficient partners for any future collaborative venture. Capacity Development LEAD Pakistan joins hands with PSO and Urban Unit to hold Workshops on EF Calculator in Karachi and Lahore Following the launch of Ecological Footprint Calculator at the Ministry of Environment in Islamabad last month, LEAD partnered with the PSO and the Urban Unit, Local Government Department, Punjab to hold workshops in Karachi and Lahore respectively. Read More Greening Organizations: a video documentary The ten minutes video documents the development, application & utility of the Ecological Footprint Calculator at LEAD House, Islamabad, and tells the ecological and financial benefits realized from greening office practices. View documentary Part –I and Part - II Knowledge Management Towards a promising future: Case studies Towards a Promising Future is a collection of 4 case studies based on the achievements of a successfully completed Democratized Education Management & Ownership Project supported by the Care International in Pakistan. Read more Sustainable cities in a changing world Walking in the brimming lights of a city can be a dream of anyone living in the countryside. The UN reports that the urbanization is booming all over the world, and at much greater pace in Asia and Africa. According to it, “36.5% population of Asia lives particularly in cities and Mega cities are the consequence of urbanization”. UN defines a mega city as “An urban area with a population of more than 10 million people”. Cities in Asia like Bangkok, Beijing, Tokyo, Mumbai, Karachi etc fulfill the definition of a mega city. One can estimate the number of problems created by such thickly populated cities. Serious health hazards are faced by the people living in urban areas due to air pollution, solid waste management, and many other pressures that are posed on the people and governing bodies of such urban areas. The failure of management results in poor services thus exacerbating the situation further. The writer, Huma Batool lectures at a Women University in Quetta and is a LEAD Associate. Read more Forthcoming 2nd National Training Session – Cohort 14 Scenario Building: Shaping the Future Lead Pakistan will be conducting the Second and Final National Training Session for Cohort 14 on February 17-18, 2010, here at the LEAD House in Islamabad. The sessions are expected to focus the basics of scenario making including short and medium term planning, projecting into long range policy analysis. Herein, the concept of Shaping the Future will be introduced. Additionally, a panel of experts will deliberate over the potential Food Security Crises in the near future its implications for Pakistan. Associates will make individual presentations of their feedback and reflections on the International Session held in China from November 8 – 14, 2010. This NTS will also serve as the concluding session for Cohort 14, the Associates graduating and adding to the network of Fellows of LEAD Pakistan. Read More Regional Journalist Workshop on Climate Change Sharing our resources: A vision for addressing cross border water scarcity caused by climate change LEAD plans a regional training workshop for journalists on climate change in March this year. Selected journalists, having interest in environmental reporting, from India and Pakistan will attend the workshop. Read More
Knowledge Management ‘Few’ weigh heavy on ‘many’ at Copenhagen Termed by the British economist Lord Nicholas Stern as the single most important event since the end of WW-II, the COP 15 last month only added to the climate chaos. The US, China, India, Brazil and South Africa reached an accord whose legal status is unclear as all the 193 nations participating in the Conference were not given a chance to approve or disapprove that. All the major decisions are deferred till next year when COP 16 takes place in Mexico. LEAD Pakistan was on Government of Pakistan’s official delegation to the Conference. It being an environmentally conscious civil society organization kept a keen eye on the negotiations proceedings. And to keep all the stakeholders abreast of the vital developments before, during and after the conference, it produced a documentary ‘The Climate Challenge: Voices from Pakistan’ and two policy briefs LEAD study redefines ‘civil society’ in Pakistan Professional associations have the potential to partake in the social development agenda; LEAD Pakistan conducts the first of its kind mapping study on professional associations in Pakistan and in a record three months time ‘Civil Society’ has been the vaguest and most misunderstood term and many have been defining it as the non government and nonprofit organizations that operate through funds from the international donors. This misnomer leaves out the other vital indigenous organizations and associations that have knowledge of and outreach in their respective localities, proven sustainability against all odds and non-reliance on the external resources. LEAD Pakistan ventured out to assess the scale and scope of Barbers Associations in Mansehra, Lodhran and Khairpur districts with the aim to add to the almost non-existent body of research on these valuable indigenous institutions. It also assessed the potential of this association as possible future development partner for the civil society organizations. Talking about the distinctiveness of these associations, Ms Rafia Rauf, Coordinator Research at LEAD Pakistan said that any organized group that owes its existence to intrinsic motivation, comes together to address the felt needs, does not reach out for external support or assistance in any form or shape, possesses the courage to fight for its rights, has the desire and makes the effort to improve its plight and manages to survive against all odds, deserves due credit. This is true in the case of the Barbers Associations in Pakistan.’ In all cultures, barbers have enjoyed a special status. Due to the nature of their work, they remain closely embedded in day to day life of the people and lay claim to having deeper insights and detailed information about their surroundings. ‘In view of the positioning of a barber shop as a communication node and the status enjoyed by barber of that of a reliable informant, this platform can be used for addressing a lot of myths and misconceptions; narrowing the information and knowledge gap in the public and improving the state of people in general by providing access to correct data and information,’ opines Ms Rauf. According to barbers visited during the course of the study, the solution of all problems, big or small, can be found in collective thinking and can be implemented through the mechanism of participatory decision making. It was observed during the study that members of this body are driven not by any external promise but rather by an inner desire to be considered as respectable members of the community and to function as responsible citizens of the country. While recognizing the unmapped nature of professional associations, the study brought forward these bodies as strong and able components of the country’s civil society sector. The study also highlighted that these bodies having knowledge of and outreach in their respective localities, proven sustainability against all odds and non-reliance on the external resources, have the potential to lead the development related work in any area. The study also brought forward the need to invest in improving the structure and functionality of these Associations so as to make them efficient partners for any future collaborative venture. Capacity Development LEAD Pakistan joins hands with PSO and Urban Unit to hold Workshops on EF Calculator in Karachi and Lahore Following the launch of Ecological Footprint Calculator at the Ministry of Environment in Islamabad last month, LEAD partnered with the PSO and the Urban Unit, Local Government Department, Punjab to hold workshops in Karachi and Lahore respectively. Read More Greening Organizations: a video documentary The ten minutes video documents the development, application & utility of the Ecological Footprint Calculator at LEAD House, Islamabad, and tells the ecological and financial benefits realized from greening office practices. View documentary Part –I and Part - II Knowledge Management Towards a promising future: Case studies Towards a Promising Future is a collection of 4 case studies based on the achievements of a successfully completed Democratized Education Management & Ownership Project supported by the Care International in Pakistan. Read more Sustainable cities in a changing world Walking in the brimming lights of a city can be a dream of anyone living in the countryside. The UN reports that the urbanization is booming all over the world, and at much greater pace in Asia and Africa. According to it, “36.5% population of Asia lives particularly in cities and Mega cities are the consequence of urbanization”. UN defines a mega city as “An urban area with a population of more than 10 million people”. Cities in Asia like Bangkok, Beijing, Tokyo, Mumbai, Karachi etc fulfill the definition of a mega city. One can estimate the number of problems created by such thickly populated cities. Serious health hazards are faced by the people living in urban areas due to air pollution, solid waste management, and many other pressures that are posed on the people and governing bodies of such urban areas. The failure of management results in poor services thus exacerbating the situation further. The writer, Huma Batool lectures at a Women University in Quetta and is a LEAD Associate. Read more Forthcoming 2nd National Training Session – Cohort 14 Scenario Building: Shaping the Future Lead Pakistan will be conducting the Second and Final National Training Session for Cohort 14 on February 17-18, 2010, here at the LEAD House in Islamabad. The sessions are expected to focus the basics of scenario making including short and medium term planning, projecting into long range policy analysis. Herein, the concept of Shaping the Future will be introduced. Additionally, a panel of experts will deliberate over the potential Food Security Crises in the near future its implications for Pakistan. Associates will make individual presentations of their feedback and reflections on the International Session held in China from November 8 – 14, 2010. This NTS will also serve as the concluding session for Cohort 14, the Associates graduating and adding to the network of Fellows of LEAD Pakistan. Read More Regional Journalist Workshop on Climate Change Sharing our resources: A vision for addressing cross border water scarcity caused by climate change LEAD plans a regional training workshop for journalists on climate change in March this year. Selected journalists, having interest in environmental reporting, from India and Pakistan will attend the workshop. Read More

Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, CEO, LEAD Pakistan speaking at the workshop held in Lahore

 Knowledge Management ‘Few’ weigh heavy on ‘many’ at Copenhagen Termed by the British economist Lord Nicholas Stern as the single most important event since the end of WW-II, the COP 15 last month only added to the climate chaos. The US, China, India, Brazil and South Africa reached an accord whose legal status is unclear as all the 193 nations participating in the Conference were not given a chance to approve or disapprove that. All the major decisions are deferred till next year when COP 16 takes place in Mexico. LEAD Pakistan was on Government of Pakistan’s official delegation to the Conference. It being an environmentally conscious civil society organization kept a keen eye on the negotiations proceedings. And to keep all the stakeholders abreast of the vital developments before, during and after the conference, it produced a documentary ‘The Climate Challenge: Voices from Pakistan’ and two policy briefs LEAD study redefines ‘civil society’ in Pakistan Professional associations have the potential to partake in the social development agenda; LEAD Pakistan conducts the first of its kind mapping study on professional associations in Pakistan and in a record three months time ‘Civil Society’ has been the vaguest and most misunderstood term and many have been defining it as the non government and nonprofit organizations that operate through funds from the international donors. This misnomer leaves out the other vital indigenous organizations and associations that have knowledge of and outreach in their respective localities, proven sustainability against all odds and non-reliance on the external resources. LEAD Pakistan ventured out to assess the scale and scope of Barbers Associations in Mansehra, Lodhran and Khairpur districts with the aim to add to the almost non-existent body of research on these valuable indigenous institutions. It also assessed the potential of this association as possible future development partner for the civil society organizations. Talking about the distinctiveness of these associations, Ms Rafia Rauf, Coordinator Research at LEAD Pakistan said that any organized group that owes its existence to intrinsic motivation, comes together to address the felt needs, does not reach out for external support or assistance in any form or shape, possesses the courage to fight for its rights, has the desire and makes the effort to improve its plight and manages to survive against all odds, deserves due credit. This is true in the case of the Barbers Associations in Pakistan.’ In all cultures, barbers have enjoyed a special status. Due to the nature of their work, they remain closely embedded in day to day life of the people and lay claim to having deeper insights and detailed information about their surroundings. ‘In view of the positioning of a barber shop as a communication node and the status enjoyed by barber of that of a reliable informant, this platform can be used for addressing a lot of myths and misconceptions; narrowing the information and knowledge gap in the public and improving the state of people in general by providing access to correct data and information,’ opines Ms Rauf. According to barbers visited during the course of the study, the solution of all problems, big or small, can be found in collective thinking and can be implemented through the mechanism of participatory decision making. It was observed during the study that members of this body are driven not by any external promise but rather by an inner desire to be considered as respectable members of the community and to function as responsible citizens of the country. While recognizing the unmapped nature of professional associations, the study brought forward these bodies as strong and able components of the country’s civil society sector. The study also highlighted that these bodies having knowledge of and outreach in their respective localities, proven sustainability against all odds and non-reliance on the external resources, have the potential to lead the development related work in any area. The study also brought forward the need to invest in improving the structure and functionality of these Associations so as to make them efficient partners for any future collaborative venture. Capacity Development LEAD Pakistan joins hands with PSO and Urban Unit to hold Workshops on EF Calculator in Karachi and Lahore Following the launch of Ecological Footprint Calculator at the Ministry of Environment in Islamabad last month, LEAD partnered with the PSO and the Urban Unit, Local Government Department, Punjab to hold workshops in Karachi and Lahore respectively. Read More Greening Organizations: a video documentary The ten minutes video documents the development, application & utility of the Ecological Footprint Calculator at LEAD House, Islamabad, and tells the ecological and financial benefits realized from greening office practices. View documentary Part –I and Part - II Knowledge Management Towards a promising future: Case studies Towards a Promising Future is a collection of 4 case studies based on the achievements of a successfully completed Democratized Education Management & Ownership Project supported by the Care International in Pakistan. Read more Sustainable cities in a changing world Walking in the brimming lights of a city can be a dream of anyone living in the countryside. The UN reports that the urbanization is booming all over the world, and at much greater pace in Asia and Africa. According to it, “36.5% population of Asia lives particularly in cities and Mega cities are the consequence of urbanization”. UN defines a mega city as “An urban area with a population of more than 10 million people”. Cities in Asia like Bangkok, Beijing, Tokyo, Mumbai, Karachi etc fulfill the definition of a mega city. One can estimate the number of problems created by such thickly populated cities. Serious health hazards are faced by the people living in urban areas due to air pollution, solid waste management, and many other pressures that are posed on the people and governing bodies of such urban areas. The failure of management results in poor services thus exacerbating the situation further. The writer, Huma Batool lectures at a Women University in Quetta and is a LEAD Associate. Read more Forthcoming 2nd National Training Session – Cohort 14 Scenario Building: Shaping the Future Lead Pakistan will be conducting the Second and Final National Training Session for Cohort 14 on February 17-18, 2010, here at the LEAD House in Islamabad. The sessions are expected to focus the basics of scenario making including short and medium term planning, projecting into long range policy analysis. Herein, the concept of Shaping the Future will be introduced. Additionally, a panel of experts will deliberate over the potential Food Security Crises in the near future its implications for Pakistan. Associates will make individual presentations of their feedback and reflections on the International Session held in China from November 8 – 14, 2010. This NTS will also serve as the concluding session for Cohort 14, the Associates graduating and adding to the network of Fellows of LEAD Pakistan. Read More Regional Journalist Workshop on Climate Change Sharing our resources: A vision for addressing cross border water scarcity caused by climate change LEAD plans a regional training workshop for journalists on climate change in March this year. Selected journalists, having interest in environmental reporting, from India and Pakistan will attend the workshop. Read More
Knowledge Management ‘Few’ weigh heavy on ‘many’ at Copenhagen Termed by the British economist Lord Nicholas Stern as the single most important event since the end of WW-II, the COP 15 last month only added to the climate chaos. The US, China, India, Brazil and South Africa reached an accord whose legal status is unclear as all the 193 nations participating in the Conference were not given a chance to approve or disapprove that. All the major decisions are deferred till next year when COP 16 takes place in Mexico. LEAD Pakistan was on Government of Pakistan’s official delegation to the Conference. It being an environmentally conscious civil society organization kept a keen eye on the negotiations proceedings. And to keep all the stakeholders abreast of the vital developments before, during and after the conference, it produced a documentary ‘The Climate Challenge: Voices from Pakistan’ and two policy briefs LEAD study redefines ‘civil society’ in Pakistan Professional associations have the potential to partake in the social development agenda; LEAD Pakistan conducts the first of its kind mapping study on professional associations in Pakistan and in a record three months time ‘Civil Society’ has been the vaguest and most misunderstood term and many have been defining it as the non government and nonprofit organizations that operate through funds from the international donors. This misnomer leaves out the other vital indigenous organizations and associations that have knowledge of and outreach in their respective localities, proven sustainability against all odds and non-reliance on the external resources. LEAD Pakistan ventured out to assess the scale and scope of Barbers Associations in Mansehra, Lodhran and Khairpur districts with the aim to add to the almost non-existent body of research on these valuable indigenous institutions. It also assessed the potential of this association as possible future development partner for the civil society organizations. Talking about the distinctiveness of these associations, Ms Rafia Rauf, Coordinator Research at LEAD Pakistan said that any organized group that owes its existence to intrinsic motivation, comes together to address the felt needs, does not reach out for external support or assistance in any form or shape, possesses the courage to fight for its rights, has the desire and makes the effort to improve its plight and manages to survive against all odds, deserves due credit. This is true in the case of the Barbers Associations in Pakistan.’ In all cultures, barbers have enjoyed a special status. Due to the nature of their work, they remain closely embedded in day to day life of the people and lay claim to having deeper insights and detailed information about their surroundings. ‘In view of the positioning of a barber shop as a communication node and the status enjoyed by barber of that of a reliable informant, this platform can be used for addressing a lot of myths and misconceptions; narrowing the information and knowledge gap in the public and improving the state of people in general by providing access to correct data and information,’ opines Ms Rauf. According to barbers visited during the course of the study, the solution of all problems, big or small, can be found in collective thinking and can be implemented through the mechanism of participatory decision making. It was observed during the study that members of this body are driven not by any external promise but rather by an inner desire to be considered as respectable members of the community and to function as responsible citizens of the country. While recognizing the unmapped nature of professional associations, the study brought forward these bodies as strong and able components of the country’s civil society sector. The study also highlighted that these bodies having knowledge of and outreach in their respective localities, proven sustainability against all odds and non-reliance on the external resources, have the potential to lead the development related work in any area. The study also brought forward the need to invest in improving the structure and functionality of these Associations so as to make them efficient partners for any future collaborative venture. Capacity Development LEAD Pakistan joins hands with PSO and Urban Unit to hold Workshops on EF Calculator in Karachi and Lahore Following the launch of Ecological Footprint Calculator at the Ministry of Environment in Islamabad last month, LEAD partnered with the PSO and the Urban Unit, Local Government Department, Punjab to hold workshops in Karachi and Lahore respectively. Read More Greening Organizations: a video documentary The ten minutes video documents the development, application & utility of the Ecological Footprint Calculator at LEAD House, Islamabad, and tells the ecological and financial benefits realized from greening office practices. View documentary Part –I and Part - II Knowledge Management Towards a promising future: Case studies Towards a Promising Future is a collection of 4 case studies based on the achievements of a successfully completed Democratized Education Management & Ownership Project supported by the Care International in Pakistan. Read more Sustainable cities in a changing world Walking in the brimming lights of a city can be a dream of anyone living in the countryside. The UN reports that the urbanization is booming all over the world, and at much greater pace in Asia and Africa. According to it, “36.5% population of Asia lives particularly in cities and Mega cities are the consequence of urbanization”. UN defines a mega city as “An urban area with a population of more than 10 million people”. Cities in Asia like Bangkok, Beijing, Tokyo, Mumbai, Karachi etc fulfill the definition of a mega city. One can estimate the number of problems created by such thickly populated cities. Serious health hazards are faced by the people living in urban areas due to air pollution, solid waste management, and many other pressures that are posed on the people and governing bodies of such urban areas. The failure of management results in poor services thus exacerbating the situation further. The writer, Huma Batool lectures at a Women University in Quetta and is a LEAD Associate. Read more Forthcoming 2nd National Training Session – Cohort 14 Scenario Building: Shaping the Future Lead Pakistan will be conducting the Second and Final National Training Session for Cohort 14 on February 17-18, 2010, here at the LEAD House in Islamabad. The sessions are expected to focus the basics of scenario making including short and medium term planning, projecting into long range policy analysis. Herein, the concept of Shaping the Future will be introduced. Additionally, a panel of experts will deliberate over the potential Food Security Crises in the near future its implications for Pakistan. Associates will make individual presentations of their feedback and reflections on the International Session held in China from November 8 – 14, 2010. This NTS will also serve as the concluding session for Cohort 14, the Associates graduating and adding to the network of Fellows of LEAD Pakistan. Read More Regional Journalist Workshop on Climate Change Sharing our resources: A vision for addressing cross border water scarcity caused by climate change LEAD plans a regional training workshop for journalists on climate change in March this year. Selected journalists, having interest in environmental reporting, from India and Pakistan will attend the workshop. Read More
Knowledge Management ‘Few’ weigh heavy on ‘many’ at Copenhagen Termed by the British economist Lord Nicholas Stern as the single most important event since the end of WW-II, the COP 15 last month only added to the climate chaos. The US, China, India, Brazil and South Africa reached an accord whose legal status is unclear as all the 193 nations participating in the Conference were not given a chance to approve or disapprove that. All the major decisions are deferred till next year when COP 16 takes place in Mexico. LEAD Pakistan was on Government of Pakistan’s official delegation to the Conference. It being an environmentally conscious civil society organization kept a keen eye on the negotiations proceedings. And to keep all the stakeholders abreast of the vital developments before, during and after the conference, it produced a documentary ‘The Climate Challenge: Voices from Pakistan’ and two policy briefs LEAD study redefines ‘civil society’ in Pakistan Professional associations have the potential to partake in the social development agenda; LEAD Pakistan conducts the first of its kind mapping study on professional associations in Pakistan and in a record three months time ‘Civil Society’ has been the vaguest and most misunderstood term and many have been defining it as the non government and nonprofit organizations that operate through funds from the international donors. This misnomer leaves out the other vital indigenous organizations and associations that have knowledge of and outreach in their respective localities, proven sustainability against all odds and non-reliance on the external resources. LEAD Pakistan ventured out to assess the scale and scope of Barbers Associations in Mansehra, Lodhran and Khairpur districts with the aim to add to the almost non-existent body of research on these valuable indigenous institutions. It also assessed the potential of this association as possible future development partner for the civil society organizations. Talking about the distinctiveness of these associations, Ms Rafia Rauf, Coordinator Research at LEAD Pakistan said that any organized group that owes its existence to intrinsic motivation, comes together to address the felt needs, does not reach out for external support or assistance in any form or shape, possesses the courage to fight for its rights, has the desire and makes the effort to improve its plight and manages to survive against all odds, deserves due credit. This is true in the case of the Barbers Associations in Pakistan.’ In all cultures, barbers have enjoyed a special status. Due to the nature of their work, they remain closely embedded in day to day life of the people and lay claim to having deeper insights and detailed information about their surroundings. ‘In view of the positioning of a barber shop as a communication node and the status enjoyed by barber of that of a reliable informant, this platform can be used for addressing a lot of myths and misconceptions; narrowing the information and knowledge gap in the public and improving the state of people in general by providing access to correct data and information,’ opines Ms Rauf. According to barbers visited during the course of the study, the solution of all problems, big or small, can be found in collective thinking and can be implemented through the mechanism of participatory decision making. It was observed during the study that members of this body are driven not by any external promise but rather by an inner desire to be considered as respectable members of the community and to function as responsible citizens of the country. While recognizing the unmapped nature of professional associations, the study brought forward these bodies as strong and able components of the country’s civil society sector. The study also highlighted that these bodies having knowledge of and outreach in their respective localities, proven sustainability against all odds and non-reliance on the external resources, have the potential to lead the development related work in any area. The study also brought forward the need to invest in improving the structure and functionality of these Associations so as to make them efficient partners for any future collaborative venture. Capacity Development LEAD Pakistan joins hands with PSO and Urban Unit to hold Workshops on EF Calculator in Karachi and Lahore Following the launch of Ecological Footprint Calculator at the Ministry of Environment in Islamabad last month, LEAD partnered with the PSO and the Urban Unit, Local Government Department, Punjab to hold workshops in Karachi and Lahore respectively. Read More Greening Organizations: a video documentary The ten minutes video documents the development, application & utility of the Ecological Footprint Calculator at LEAD House, Islamabad, and tells the ecological and financial benefits realized from greening office practices. View documentary Part –I and Part - II Knowledge Management Towards a promising future: Case studies Towards a Promising Future is a collection of 4 case studies based on the achievements of a successfully completed Democratized Education Management & Ownership Project supported by the Care International in Pakistan. Read more Sustainable cities in a changing world Walking in the brimming lights of a city can be a dream of anyone living in the countryside. The UN reports that the urbanization is booming all over the world, and at much greater pace in Asia and Africa. According to it, “36.5% population of Asia lives particularly in cities and Mega cities are the consequence of urbanization”. UN defines a mega city as “An urban area with a population of more than 10 million people”. Cities in Asia like Bangkok, Beijing, Tokyo, Mumbai, Karachi etc fulfill the definition of a mega city. One can estimate the number of problems created by such thickly populated cities. Serious health hazards are faced by the people living in urban areas due to air pollution, solid waste management, and many other pressures that are posed on the people and governing bodies of such urban areas. The failure of management results in poor services thus exacerbating the situation further. The writer, Huma Batool lectures at a Women University in Quetta and is a LEAD Associate. Read more Forthcoming 2nd National Training Session – Cohort 14 Scenario Building: Shaping the Future Lead Pakistan will be conducting the Second and Final National Training Session for Cohort 14 on February 17-18, 2010, here at the LEAD House in Islamabad. The sessions are expected to focus the basics of scenario making including short and medium term planning, projecting into long range policy analysis. Herein, the concept of Shaping the Future will be introduced. Additionally, a panel of experts will deliberate over the potential Food Security Crises in the near future its implications for Pakistan. Associates will make individual presentations of their feedback and reflections on the International Session held in China from November 8 – 14, 2010. This NTS will also serve as the concluding session for Cohort 14, the Associates graduating and adding to the network of Fellows of LEAD Pakistan. Read More Regional Journalist Workshop on Climate Change Sharing our resources: A vision for addressing cross border water scarcity caused by climate change LEAD plans a regional training workshop for journalists on climate change in March this year. Selected journalists, having interest in environmental reporting, from India and Pakistan will attend the workshop. Read More