PROJECTS
Gender Research
Gender & Human Rights Analysis (GHRA) - Ghana, Malawi, and Pakistan (2023-2024).
DIS, for the Canadian consortium of Nutrition International, SickKids, and WaterAid, carrying out a Gender and Human Rights Analysis (GHRA) in Ghana, Malawi, and Pakistan (2023-2024). The research gathers vital health system data and assesses healthcare providers' role in overcoming gender barriers to improve healthcare access for women, adolescent girls, and caregivers.
Rapid Assessment
Rapid Assessment Child Labour in Automobile Repair Workshops in Pakistan (2023)
In 2023, our lead researcher, conducted a rapid assessment for the International Labour Organization (ILO) on child labor in Pakistani automobile repair workshops. The assessment updates child labor data, identifies contributing factors, reviews national efforts, and provides policy recommendations for stakeholders to combat child labor in this industry.
Final Evaluation
Evaluation of GBV Project, UNFPA Nigeria - 2023
In 2023, our lead researcher, provided leadership and technical expertise to conduct of End-of-Project Evaluation for the UNFPA Project “Addressing gaps in Sexual/Gender-based Violence and Harmful Traditional Practices in Nigeria”, funded by Global Affairs Canada.
Emergency & Research
Emergency: Gender & Diversity Research
In 2022-23, our lead researcher conducted a Rapid Gender Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Analysis of Floods Affected Communities in Pakistan for International Rescue Committee (IRC). The study finds devastating 2022 floods have further entrenched the discriminatory gender and power dynamics within families and communities across several affected districts.
RESEARCH
Care International: Evaluation of € 2.7 mil Project
CARE International Pakistan commissioned DIS in 2015 to carry out the final evaluation of its project "Enhancing Socio-economic Development through Investing in Human Capital in Punjab and Sindh", funded by the European Union (Euro 2.7 mil) during 2012-2015. The evaluation was carried out in all seven target districts reaching out to project beneficiaries and stakeholders.
RESEARCH
TELENOR/PLAN: Evaluation of Project
Plan International commissioned DIS to conduct the final evaluation for its project, "Telenor Pakistan School Rehabilitation and Improvement Project" in 2016. The main beneficiaries of this project were 10,000 children and 88 teachers in 44 government schools that were affected by floods. These schools were located in districts of Thatta, Vehari, Muzaffargarh, and Nowshera.
INNOVATION
Innovative Decent Work Brick Kiln Framework
DIS developed an innovative Decent Work Brick Kiln (DWBK) Framework FOR Solidarity Center Pakistan in 2015. It also included a rating system to grade participating brick kilns on a decent work compliance grid. The DWBK Framework was developed as technical support to the Department of Labour, Government of Punjab efforts to enable the brick kiln industry to become fully compliant with the labor legislation including those addressing child labor and forced labor.
POLICY REVIEW
Policy and Program Development for Adolescents in Punjab
For the Department of Youth Affairs Government of Punjab/Unicef, in 2014-2015 we developed an Integrated Costing Plan to leverage existing budgetary allocations for the Punjab Adolescent Development Strategy & Strategic Plan 2013-2017 in compliance with the Youth and Adolescent Policy. We ensured ownership of the Costing Plan by several provincial departments including the Department of Literacy, Labour & Manpower, Punjab Vocational Training Council, Punjab Education Fund, Zakat, Social Welfare, Women Development, Human Rights, private sector, and non-government.
Floods & Reconstruction
Environment Friendly & Socially Responsible Brick Kilns in Sindh - 2023
In 2023, our lead researcher, working with the ILO Pakistan, spearheaded a tripartite consultative process to facilitate the Sindh Brick Kiln Industry's transition to low-emission brick-making technology and adherence to decent work standards, supporting the post-flood reconstruction of 2.1 million houses. Workshops in Karachi and Islamabad, held in December 2023, engaged key stakeholders and enabled the formulation of recommendations and a coordinated approach for post-flood house reconstruction efforts. The project concluded with the development of an ILO proposal featuring integrated strategies to foster an environmentally friendly and socially responsible brick kiln industry in Sindh.
Reconstruction & Gender
Gender Assessment of Sindh's Post-Flood Housing Reconstruction - 2023-24
In 2022-23, our lead researcher, carried out gender equality and social inclusion analysis of post flood reconstruction of 2.1 million houses for the UNOPS. The research examined the impact of increased brick demand on gender dynamics, labor regulations in the brick kiln industry, the need for supply chain support for marginalized workers, and the effects of women's empowerment through house reconstruction grants on gender-based violence.
Islam & Gender Equality
Promoting Gender Equality through Islamic Teachings - 2023
In 2023, our lead researcher crafted a culturally sensitive community training manual for gender equality and protection within a conservative Muslim context. By seamlessly blending Islamic teachings with human rights principles and the lived experiences of women, men, girls, and boys, the manual addresses the unique dynamics of the community. Two training manuals were specifically designed for use in resource-constrained and low-literacy communities in the Middle East.
TRAINING & CALL CENTER
Pakistan Tobacco Company 2017-2023
Multiple projects were implemented for the Pakistan Tobacco Company during 2017-2023 including designing an innovative training program to train staff on environmental, social (child labor, forced labor), and health & safety of farmers; research on farm-level labor practices, farmers awareness on rights, and managing a call center using a dynamic database that learns from caller-agent call record and improvised agent responses and productivity. Similar projects are in the pipeline for 2024-2025.
TRAINING & CALL CENTER
Philip Morris Pakistan 2015-2016
Range of services designed and implemented including an innovative call center using a dynamic database that learns from caller-agent call record and improvised agent responses and productivity, reporting, training of farmers on social rights including child labor and forced labor issues, SBCC campaign including mass SMS and radio programs.
CASE STUDIES
ILO: Gender Review of labor Court Decisions
Developed case studies to describe examples of litigation and decision of the labor courts with implications on gender equality at the workplaces for the ILO in 2015). These law-based case studies became part of the ILO’s GE4DE project’s training program that was carried out with the judicial officials and law enforcers.
CONFERENCE
LDK/EU: ‘South Asia Labour Conference 2014’
On behalf of the LDK & European Union provided technical assistance and conference moderation support to the South Asia Labour Conference (24-26 April 2014). The conference had several thematic sessions including child labor, forced labor, Labour Inspection among others. Delegates from Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and the Maldives participated in this Conference.
DIS carried out an innovative gender transformative health project for hard to reach women brick kiln workers in Lahore district for 5,000 beneficiaries in 2016-2019 with funding from DFID & Palladium.
The project was implemented in collaboration with the Punjab Health Department and Brick Kiln Owners Association of Pakistan. The pilot demonstrated a positive impact and changed women workers' MNCH services seeking behavior.
Under scale-up, the project was replicated in four locations in districts of Lahore and Rawalpindi during 2017-2019 reaching out to 30,000 women brick kiln workers and their family members.
Click here to Play the video depicting women brick kilns workers & stakeholders' testimonials about the project's success.
INNOVATION
Health Empowerment of
Women Brick Kiln Workers
CHILD LABOUR PROJECT
Child Labour Project, US $ 50 mil equivalent
On behalf of the ILO Pakistan, in 2014 our senior expert provided technical assistance in the design of the Integration Child Labour Project (the US $ 50 mil equivalent) for the Labour & Human Resource (L&HR) Department Government of Punjab. We also assisted the L&HR Department in technically defending the project during the approval stage. This project aimed at addressing rights related issues of marginalized children and brick kiln workers in all 36 districts of Punjab.
STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT
Employment Strategy & Action Plan
We developed ‘Employment Strategy & Action Plan to Increase Employability of TVET Graduates’ for project beneficiaries of Care International Pakistan’s TVET project “Enhancing socio-economic development through investing in human capital in Punjab and Sindh”.
CASH GRANT MANAGEMENT
Cash Grant Competition in Support of Innovative Projects on Child Labour
For the National Commissioner for Children Office of the Federal Ombudsman & UNICEF Pakistan in 2016, we conceptualized and implemented a Grat Award Competition in June 2016. Under the competition, NGOs were invited to share their on-going innovative projects in support of the elimination of child labor from Pakistan. We developed a nationwide media outreach campaign, designed application requirements, and online submission criteria developed application shortlisting criteria, conducted field review, and presented top candidates for the steering committee’s approval. Three awards were given with the 1st Cash Grant of USD 40,000, the 2nd Cash Grant of USD 25,000, and the 3rd Cash Grant of USD 15,000. We also organized the final conference in Islamabad where Cash Grants were distributed.
TRAINING HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
UNFPA Project - Training of Health Professionals
For the UNFPA Pakistan, DIS carried out the project "Training of Health Care Providers on Reproductive Health Services" in Sindh, KPK, and Punjab provinces in 2015. More than 90 health professionals were trained on Adolescent and Youth Friendly Reproductive Health Services (AYFRHS) to offer the quality of services to young people in UNFPA target districts (Ghotki, Sargodha, and DI Khan).
RESEARCH
Mapping Labour Administration Capacity in Pakistan - 2014
For HRDN/ILO our senior technical expert carried out four studies in 2014: Mapping Labour Administration Capacities: Opportunities and Challenges in the Application of International Labour Standards in the province of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, & Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The major findings of the studies included post 18th Constitutional Amendment, despite the strong political commitment to adhere to the application of International Labour Standards (ILS), the labor administrations’ technical capacity in the four provinces had weakened.
RESEARCH
Case studies of floods affected farmers in Sindh
Our senior technical expert compiled several case studies demonstrating the resilience of farmers’ communities in Sindh province who have braved the devastating floods of 2010 and rebuilt their lives. These success stories of human struggle to ensure food security have come from a One UN project, "Livelihood Restoration, Protection and Sustainable Empowerment of Vulnerable Peasant Communities in Sindh province" (LRP) project implemented by the International Labour Organization ILO, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and UN Women. The LRP project has been funded by the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security (UNTFHS).
POLICY REVIEW
Punjab Resource Management: Scoping Exercise to Rollout Interventions for ILO/GSP Plus
The IFC/World Bank commissioned Development Impact Solutions (DIS) to review the “Punjab Resource Management: Scoping Exercise to Rollout Interventions for ILO/GSP Plus”. As part of this review, the DIS made general and technical observations.