Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction and Asian Development Bank are considering a programme for "Strengthening Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for Development in Pakistan" to bridge the knowledge and awareness gaps relating to CSR in businesses, Corporate Social Organisations (CSOs), and government. This programme will develop CSR frameworks and partnership models for effective linkages between government, business, and civil society.
According to a project report, technical assistance will provide to help and develop best-practice models to strengthen collaboration between government, businesses, and CSOs in the delivery of social services and in poverty reduction. The key development actions that the proposed TA will focus on to develop CSR frameworks and partnership models for effective linkages between government, business, and civil society. To build capacity of key stakeholders to strengthen partnerships; and to establish philanthropy and CSO networks to facilitate sustainable governance structures to contribute to inclusive social sector development and poverty alleviation in Pakistan.
Since independence, project report revealed that Pakistan has experienced periods of strong economic growth. However, the resilience of the economy has been tested by exogenous and endogenous shocks and periods of macroeconomic instability. Sustainable social development and poverty alleviation has lagged behind economic growth. Pakistan ranked 146th out of 186 countries on the Human Development Index (HDI) and progress in HDI and achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is below many peer countries. Pakistan's expenditure on social sector at 0.8 percent on health and 1.8 percent on education is very low by world standards. The result is a large social sector deficit which is a drag on sustainable, inclusive economic growth and poverty alleviation, and creates risks to social stability.
Report mentioned that the magnitude of the social sector service delivery is beyond the fiscal and institutional capacity of the government, thus other alternatives must be considered to help achieve sustainable development. In other countries, efforts are being made to create productive and viable linkages with key stakeholders such as the private sector and the civil society to ensure attainment of development goals. This may be a viable option for Pakistan as well.
To mobilise additional CSR and corporate philanthropy and to enhance its effectiveness, it is essential to identify best CSR practices and models, CSO implementing partners, and to form strong and credible linkages between government, philanthropists and civil society. In order to enhance CSR for inclusive growth in Pakistan, it is crucial to generate relevant knowledge, form synergies, and create an enabling environment where these three segments of society work in partnership.
The ingredients exist to strengthen business and CSO contributions to overall social development and sector service improvement. Pakistan is a giving society, as indicated in several studies. There are over 45,000 active CSOs in Pakistan playing an important role as development partners.
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