Community Dialogue in Flood Affected District – Improving Climate Governance Accountability through Communities Participation in Climate Planning and Decision-Making
Venue: District Lasbela, Balochistan
Date: Saturday, September 21, 2024

Transparency International Pakistan in collaboration with Welfare Association for New Generation (WANG) organized a Community Dialogue in Flood Affected District on “Improving Climate Governance Accountability through Communities Participation in Climate Planning and Decision-Making” in District Lasbela, Balochistan. The primary objective of the dialogue was to raise awareness at the grass-root level among the people who are disproportionately affected by climate change about the impacts of climate change, Balochistan Climate Change Policy 2024 to address these impacts, and enhancing their skills on social accountability.

Around 38 people, including 18 women representing communities from the district’ flood prone areas such as Bela City, Notani Village, Rawani Village, Qasimani Village and Gadur Village, youth and civil society attended the event.

The event formally commenced with welcoming remarks from Mr. Khalil Roonjha, Director Programs, Welfare Association for New Generation (WANG). Moving on, Ms. Nasreen Memon, Project Coordinator, TI Pakistan provided an overview of climate change and its far-reaching consequences on District Lasbela. She discussed the vulnerability of Balochistan and District Lasbela and highlighted that Lasbela was one of the most effected districts during the floods 2022, where more than 500 houses, 19 schools and 4,014 acre of land was destroyed, as per the data released by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). To address this pressing issue and fill the awareness gap, TI Pakistan is actively hosting community dialogues aimed at connecting with local government officials and community members. These dialogues facilitate open discussions about climate risks, promote adaptive strategies, and empower residents to engage in resilience and recovery efforts.

Next, Ms. Fariha Fatima, Assistant Project Coordinator, TI Pakistan provided an overview of recently approved Balochistan Climate Change Policy 2024. She informed that TI Pakistan was involved in the formation process of the policy and had recommended the seven integrity pillars to enhance the effectiveness of the policy framework. She highlighted that the policy covers adaptation and resilience building, water resource management, economic viability, green procurement, mitigating Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and the establishment of the climate change fund. She explained that the policy ensures citizen oversight through capacity building, monitoring, climate information dissemination, and an M&E system. This empowers communities to hold the authorities accountable for climate action.

he dialogue also facilitated participants feedback. Ms. Hafsa Qadir mentioned that the frequent climate change events in Lasebla are taking a toll on the mental health of young girls. She highlighted that during 2022 floods, several girls schools in Lasebela were severely damaged restricting an access to education. While, Mr. Zahoorullah, pointed out the economic burden of climate change on poor communities. He shared that they put all their financial resources on building their houses which are then destroyed due to climate events. He also highlighted that at community level, there is an absence of early disaster warning and preparedness so communities are better prepared.

Next, Mr. Khalil Roonjha, Director Programs, Welfare Association for New Generation (WANG) delivered a presentation on “Strengthening Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction (CBDRR)”. He highlighted that CBDRR enhances resilience through proactive planning and community engagement. CBDRR tools include risk assessment frameworks, participatory mapping, early warning systems, community action plans, simulation exercises through local disaster response committees. He said that by prioritizing community participation and local knowledge, CBDRR not only addresses immediate threats but may also build long-term resilience against future climate challenges in Balochistan. He underscored that empowering communities with disaster risk management strategies is crucial for sustainable development and reducing vulnerability to disasters.

Afterwards, Ms. Nasreen Memon, Project Coordinator at TI Pakistan briefed the communities about TI Pakistan’s Advocacy and Legal Advice Center (ALAC). She highlighted that ALAC caters to the environmental concerns including the cases of environmental mismanagement and abuse of resources. On one hand, ALAC provides free legal advice to the communities on how to seek redress for their grievances, on the other hand, ALAC also intervenes with the government bodies to highlight climate governance issues with the relevant bodies.

Participants also learn the skill of writing RTI application under the Balochistan Right To Information Act, 2021. They learns that the Act empowers the communities to seek information including budgetary data, efforts against climate change at the local level and the ways climate related departments are ensuring communities participation.

Towards the end, outlined a roadmap for the communities, emphasizing the need for establishment of local disaster response committees. He highlighted the importance of regular training programs to enhance skills in risk assessment and emergency response, as well as strengthening communication channels to ensure ongoing dialogue between residents and local government for effective climate governance.