Citizens’ Voice Project
Request for Applications (RFA)
Cycle-7
Thematic Area:
Thematic Area # 1: Citizens’ Voice for
Improved Legislative Governance
1. Background
An effective and a responsive legislature are essential for improving democratic and
accountable governance. In Pakistan, the performance of legislative bodies has
been relatively weak, partly because of lack of continuity of democratic process
historically as a result of several military interventions. To strengthen democracy,
the legislative bodies have to play the role of a bridge between the executive and
society by performing representative functions and carrying out pro-people
legislation and executive oversight for protecting rights and freedoms as well as for
improved delivery of public services. Functional legislative bodies with requisite
capacities are critical to the consolidation of democracy in Pakistan, as these bodies
empower ordinary people to participate in the decision-making processes that affect
or shape their lives. However, to improve legislative governance, it is important to
effectuate citizens’ voices into meaningful changes and improvements in the
parliamentary processes and procedures to enhance transparency, accountability,
responsiveness and effectiveness.
Civil society organizations can play an important role in terms of articulating
citizens’ voice and public demands, and then engaging legislative bodies for
procedural reforms. Furthermore, civil society organizations can identify or suggest
more effective mechanisms for legislative oversight, law-making, solicitation of
stakeholders’ feedback, policy inputs, budget approval process and accountability of
government institutions. Such initiatives may involve organization of public
dialogues, briefings for legislators, analysis of legislators’ performance, offer of
expertise for specific improvements, analyses of procedures of legislative bodies
and initiatives aimed at public accountability of legislators. A more consistent
interface and engagement between legislators and citizens will also help strengthen
citizens’ voice to influence key decisions of the legislature.
The Citizens’ Voice Project aims to strengthen citizens’ voice and public
accountability in relation to the performance of federal and provincial legislators
and related bodies by:
 Supporting efforts to analyze legislative procedures and systems; identify areas
of improvement and suggest specific steps for reform.
 Developing linkages and partnerships between and among
legislatures/legislators and civil society organizations to advocate and push
forward the cause of improved legislative governance.
 Engaging with relevant standing committees of the legislature for policy input
and public hearings.
2. Objectives
Projects will be funded in support of one or both of the following objectives and
respective sub-objectives:
Objective 1: To strengthen citizens’ voice in public policy through, among others,
analyses of legislative performance and advocacy for reforming
relevant laws, procedures, policies and practices for improved
performance of the legislature.
Objective 2: To improve linkages, between and among Government, political parties
and non-Government actors for improved accountability of the
legislature and the legislators.
3. Results and Intermediate Results Expected
Grants under this theme are being awarded to contribute to the following higher
level results:
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Confidence in political and electoral processes
Improved governance as characterized by accountability, greater inclusivity,
enhanced public participation in decision- making; and stronger legal and policy
frameworks.
The applicants must design their projects with a clear focus in order to achieve
intermediate results contributing to one or more of the following:
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Improved interaction between civil society and legislators/ legislatures.
Increased public accountability of legislatures and legislators.
Broadened citizen participation and inclusiveness in law-making and executive
oversight functions (both at provincial and Federal levels).
Improved and strengthened legislative procedures and rules to, among others,
improve transparency/ information sharing, build integrity systems and
eliminate possibilities of conflict of interest.
Greater transparency in the activities and performance of legislators as well as
legislative bodies.
Improved performance of legislators/ legislatures in terms of law-making and
executive oversight.
Voice and complaints of citizens are more easily heard and responded by both
legislative bodies and legislators.
4. Illustrative Activities
Under Objective 1, some examples of activities are:
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Review of legislative performance and analysis of the underlying causes that
explain the relatively weak legislative governance.
Establishing mechanisms for information exchange between legislatures and civil
society groups or networks of civil society groups.
Developing through a consultative process a Citizens’ Charter of Demands vis-àvis the Federal or a provincial legislature. The charter would include citizens’
demands for greater legislative transparency, suggesting mechanisms for citizen
input into legislative process and streamlining legislator-constituent relationship.
Enhancing civil society participation in the legislative and executive oversight
processes at various stages through available forums or mechanisms at Federal
and provincial levels to convey citizens’ voice and demands, as articulated
through evidence-based and participatory methods.
Briefings or training workshops for legislators, which may preferably be
organized in partnership with the secretariats of legislatures.
Engagement with legislators or legislatures for procedural improvements or
setting good examples for improved legislative governance.
Review and analyze mechanisms of how pro-people legislation can be integrated
into the system. Explore how community level needs can be better represented
in the legislation and identify gaps in the current system.
Develop technology solutions that allow citizens to follow progress and review
legislation in different ways (in Urdu, English, audio/visual) so they can be more
involved in the legislative process.
Under Objective 2, some examples of activities are:
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Engaging with elected representatives to seek commitments for specific steps or
policies for efficient, responsive, honest, accountable and transparent
governance.
Establishing partnerships/linkages with legislators or relevant legislative bodies
at the Federal and provincial levels to establish appropriate forums where
citizens and civil society groups could ask questions, seek answers, raise
concerns about performance of legislators and suggest reforms with the aim of
strengthening legislative transparency and accountability.
Inform and support members of the public about how they could use the
legislative committees to get their complaints vis-à-vis public bodies resolved.
Engaging with elected representatives or other relevant institutions to highlight
complaints of constituents and citizens (including the ones against legislators),
and get the same addressed in a manner to ensure accountability in legislators’
performance.
Engaging with the relevant standing committees of standing committees for
public input and hearings.
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M&E system for monitoring engagement of legislators and effectiveness of
legislation.
General guidance on activities under this grant:
The following are types of activities that may be funded under this solicitation:
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Applied research as required to develop citizens’ demands e.g. Citizens’ Charter
of Demands for more effective and people representative legislatures, and/or
developing ICT to improve citizen involvement and oversight of the legislative
process etc.;
Stakeholder dialogues, seminars, policy forums, roundtables and conferences
etc.;
Reviews of legislative performance through periodic reporting of legislative
business transacted by a legislative body;
Meetings with political leaders, legislators and members of standing committees
both at the Federal and provincial levels;
Briefings/ trainings for legislators;
Activities related to submitting complaints to relevant legislative bodies including
parliamentary committees; and
Any other activities that can efficiently contribute to realization of the given
objectives.
Note: In all above activities wherever applicable, the grantee will focus on
marginalized populations including women, youth, religious minorities and people
with disabilities.
Activity types that will not be supported under this solicitation include:
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Partisan activities or the ones which encourage or support sectarian, linguistic,
religious and racial divides;
Legal fees for court cases against public bodies;
International travel;
Scientific “non-applied” research;
Direct service delivery;
Activities that are in violation of national laws; and
Any other activities, which cannot be justified in view of the selected theme or
project objectives.
5. Preferred Organizations
Civil society groups, academic institutions, networks/ coalitions of civil society
organizations, other professional organizations and NGOs that can work on voice
and accountability issues.
6. Geographical Focus
Applications are invited from all over the country for implementing concrete
projects that could contribute to the results mentioned above. Each applicant must
submit a project for engagement with one legislature including the Senate, National
Assembly, four provincial assemblies, AJK assembly and GB assembly.
7. Number of Grants: Up to 08 (one each for following eight legislative bodies)
Federal level: 2 (One each for National Assembly and Senate of Pakistan)
Punjab: 1
Sindh: 1
Baluchistan: 1
KP: 1
Gilgit - Baltistan Assembly: 1
AJ&K Assembly: 1
8. Grant size: Up to PKR10,000,000 per grant.
9. Duration: Up to 15 months and extendable subject to TDEA’s approval.