Featured Article : Active role of Civil Society in critical times

RDs Times

By: Shamsuddin Muhammad

Volunteering and public welfare centered attitudes are among the major attributes and hallmarks of evolving civil society structure in Gilgit-Baltistan.A general overview of data available from different sources elucidates that about 65 percent out of the total population give their time and knowledge to the individual or integrated humanitarian organizations in need.Of those volunteering their time, despite acute financial obstacles, about 4o percent reportedly give time to religious based, 20% Non Governmental Organizations(NGOs) working for poverty reduction and woman empowerment and Community Support Organizations (CSOs),about 10% to educational institutions with high esteem volunteering as inherited virtue. Volunteering has been an impulse infused by religious and social obligation of helping poor and oppressed. Following fall of colonialism, philanthropists like Aga Khan third and later fourth established charities in the health and education sector to uplift standard of living of masses regardless of creed, colour, origin and affiliation to faith. With the passage of time, the maturity in mental level of individuals in society drew on historical traditions of providing relief to the victim communities in hard times from the platform of Community Support Organizations, though least accountable and lack of internal democratic attitude has had rendered an invaluable services to humanity during last more than sixty years. The term civil society is bit new in Gilgit-Baltistan,though already existed in terms of both formal and informal volunteer organizations and arbitration committees on town and village level and non profit based educational centrals in past. Yet, on state level, the term is meant varies for different segments of the society.In contemporary era, developed discourse, discussions and journalistic writing structures unify many elements under the scope of the emerging term-Civil Society.....Continue







The writer is a freelance writer and researcer. He can be reached at: jaashams@gmail.com