The day Pakistan gained its independence from the British Raj, it out looked badly. Likewise, Balochistan since its accession to the new dominion of Pakistan, experienced insurgency, poor governance, lack of infrastructure, and poor human development index. Since, the last government elected in Balochistan, we have witnessed a transformation in the public policy reforms and effective partnership between the communities and the local authorities.

In 2013, the European Union (EU) in collaboration with the Balochistan Rural Support Programs (BRSP) had launched the Balochistan Community Development Programs (BCDP) in 40 Union Councils (UCs), which includes four major districts: Zhob, Loralai, Khuzdar and Jhal Magsi. Besides, BCDP have impacted the positive results through social mobilization, capacity development and enhanced social cohesion. Also, the local government and development sectors played vital role in the entire effort.

The European Union has scaled up the program with the collaboration of RSPN, BRSP, and National Rural Support Program (NRSP). The EU had engaged Hulla & Human Dynamics (H&H) an Austrian company to assure its support for the government of Balochistan to foster and support the environment for strengthening the abilities of local authorities. H&H had further launched the Balochistan Rural Development and Community Empowerment Program (BRDCEP) in June 2017. and extended it to the additional 249 UCs, which includes eight districts: Jhal Magsi, Kech/Turbat, Khuzdar, Killa Abdullah, Loralai, Pishin, Washuk, and Zhob. Furthermore, the Program includes the formation of a Public Finance Management (PFM), which however will assist the government of Balochistan in collaboration with H&H in costing and funding the community-led development policy framework through clearly defined financial and regulatory frameworks, budgetary processes and commitments reflected in a multi-annual budgetary framework and defined institutional arrangements.

Nevertheless, the BRDCEP is a five-year EU-funded rural development program, which has three instigating partners: RSPN, NRSP and BRSP, which operates in 249 Union Councils. The BRDCEP works to empower citizens and communities. Besides, it works to reduce the negative impact of economic deprivation, poverty and social inequality, environmental degradation and climate change, and to empower resilient communities participating actively in identifying and implementing socioeconomic development activities on a sustainable basis in collaboration with the local authorities.

The RSPN’s role is to facilitate the implementation of the programs in collaboration with RSPs by ensuring quality control, standardization in procedures, developing a common M&E framework, baseline approaches, documentation and warranting responsiveness of lessons learnt and providing value-added strategic backing where required These efforts will fast track the developments in the Balochistan.

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