Islamabad, February 25: PILDAT has undertaken the initiative to prepare a Directory and an Electronic Database of Civil-Society Organisations (CSOs) and Parliamentary Committees as a part of an effort to bring Parliament and the Civil Society Organisations closer. Linkages of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) including the professional bodies, research and advocacy organisations with the Parliament and Parliamentary Committees are essential to get an independent view from the society about the issues under consideration. This is even more essential in Pakistan as the Parliament and Parliamentary Committees have limited in-house research capacity. This linkage will also help the Civil Society Organisations to put across their point of views to the Parliamentary committees and thus further the cause they are working for.

PILDAT has invited all civil society and research organisations including professional bodies to fill the Directory-Data Collection form and send the completed forms to PILDAT. Last date for form submission is March 15, 2010.

In the case of Pakistan, the linkage between Civil Society Organizations and the Parliamentary Committees is also important as the CSOs constitute a much-needed but often-forgotten resource for the Parliamentary Committees. Unfortunately, the tradition of interaction between the CSOs and the Parliamentary Committees has been non-existent or, at best, weak in Pakistan. The proposed directory of CSOs and Parliamentary Committees is expected to enhance the prospects of CSOs to engage with the Parliament and help Parliamentary Committees and Parliamentarians in locating potential sources of information relevant to their needs.

The initiative of compiling the Directory and Electronic Database of Civil-Society Organisations and Parliamentary Committees is part of the �Electoral and Parliamentary Process and Civil Society in Pakistan� project being implemented by PILDAT in partnership with the East-West Centre, Hawaii and supported by the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF). The Directory and Database will match each Parliamentary Committee with all the CSOs, professional bodies, trade organizations, research institutes and workers� organizations active in the areas directly relevant to the scope of the committees.

PILDAT Directory-Data Collection Form can be downloaded in Printable PDF version here.