Karachi, May 28, 2018 (PPI-OT): The Government of Sindh and the United Nations Development Programme signed a Memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Karachi today. The MoU was signed on behalf of the provincial government by Mr. Akhtar Inayat Bhurgari, Secretary Human Rights Department, Government of Sindh and by Mr. Ignacio Artaza Zuriarrian, Country Director, UNDP Pakistan. The proceedings were witnessed by Ms. Rehana Leghari, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Human Rights and Special Education, Mr. Malick Zulfiqar Ahmed, National Technical Advisor UNDP and Ali Dayan Hasan Senior Policy Advisor at UNDP.
Under the MoU, UNDP Pakistan will provide technical support and assistance to support the Human Rights Department in the formulation of a provincial human right policy for Sindh, convening a Provincial Conference on Human Rights, and developing a rights-based data collection mechanism. UNDP Pakistan will develop a capacity building training programme for provincial line departments including Human Rights Department and Sindh Treaty Implementation Cell on basic human rights obligations as well as implementing a pilot initiative for capacity building for responsible staff at the district level. UNDP Pakistan will facilitate the Human Rights Department in establishing and maintaining linkages with relevant provincial and national stakeholders. UNDP Pakistan, through this collaboration, will undertake awareness raising initiatives on existing rights based mechanisms in Sindh.
It is a matter of pride for the Sindh Government that even on its last day in office, it has achieved a major milestone in furthering human rights in the province, said Rehana Leghari. We have signed this MoU to further the dream of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto who believed that a strong democracy was not possible without utmost respect for the human rights of all citizens. I hope the caretaker government and the successor government in Sindh after the elections will act to build on this excellent step and cement human rights protections in the province, the Special Assistant Added. The MoU creates a two year framework agreement for strengthening human rights in Sindh and may be extended subject to agreement between UNDP and the province.
For more information, contact:
Information and Archives Department
Directorate of Press Information
Government of Sindh
95-Sindh Secretariat 4-B, Karachi, Pakistan
Tel: +92-21-99204423, +92-21-99204401
Email: pressinformationzubair@gmail.com
Website: http://sindhinformation.gos.pk