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 Introduction
Raising awareness on environmental and social issues is SDPI’s main objective. We undertake advocacy, networking, litigation and education on issues of public interest. The Institute engages in two types of advocacy. The first is reactive and focuses on issues falling within SDPI’s mandate such as human rights, religious tolerance and academic freedom. The second is based on research findings and involves lobbying by the research staff through participation in conferences and workshops, and writing in journals and newspapers. Given the dearth of advocacy in Pakistan, the purpose of SDPI’s efforts is both to support specific causes and be a role model to set a precedent in an attempt to make up for the lack of active advocacy in Pakistan.
The advocacy unit at SDPI engages in public-interest campaigns, some of which are more long-term, and others which tend to be reactionary in nature. Consistent themes include peace, environment, and women's rights. There are also a number of livelihood-related campaigns that the unit is involved in including one on food security for small and landless farmers under the umbrella of a coalition of public-interest organizations and farmers associations named the Sustainable Agriculture Action Group (SAAG).
Much of the unit's networking is accomplished through coalitions and alliances. Some of the coalitions with which SDPI is associated are the Pakistan NGO Forum (PNF) and the Pakistan Peace Coalition (PPC). The unit also publishes a quarterly newsletter Campaigner in which its campaign efforts are described. The unit itself seeks to draw from the research conducted at SDPI and try and effect policy changes that research advocates.
SDPI researchers are invited to deliver numerous talks/presentations at both national and international conferences/seminars to disseminate information and raise awareness on a wide range of sustainable development issues including environmental degradation, peace initiatives, current economic situation, food security, culture, climate change, water management, Pakistan’s political situation, sustainable agriculture and flood mitigation, impact of pesticides, decentralization and devolution of power, participation in education, social capital, restructuring expenditure, agrarian reforms and its relevance to devolution of power, environmental security in Pakistan, the state of formal basic education related to education and human security.
A substantial part of the completed research work is presented at various conferences and seminars at the national and international level. Over the years, SDPI has received favourable feedback and appreciation on many of its research presentations and articles. Furthermore, SDPI assists other research institutions on their research work through comments and advice.
Their research published in the form of articles and interviews in the national newspapers and SDPI’s own English, Urdu and vernacular news bulletins.
Weekly Seminar Series
One of the main goals of SDPI is the creation of broad awareness of, and active support for, sustainable development in government, the private sector, NGOs, academia and the general public. In consonance with that goal, SDPI organizes weekly lectures, seminars panel discussions and conferences as part of its advocacy efforts to educate stakeholder groups on various aspects of sustainable development. These seminars provide valuable public space for open debate and intellectual discussion on various sustainable development issues. These also attract a large and diverse audience and are extensively and regularly covered in the press. In addition to the regular seminar series, a few special seminars are also arranged. View Seminar archive
Conferences
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