About GDP 

Group Development Pakistan (GDP) is a Civil Society Organization registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 working on protecting and promoting child rights and strengthening child protection and justice with children across Pakistan. GDP believes in a democratic and humanistic society in which the most important stakeholders-children- are acknowledged, respected and protected from all forms of violence and discrimination. GDP follows a holistic, creative, participatory, eco-friendly, child-focused and human rights-based approach.

Vision

Pakistan is a country in which children are free from violence and discrimination, where they are able to fully avail and exercise their fundamental rights to a life of dignity, safety and self-fulfilment as described in the UNCRC and other international treaties/agreements ratified by Pakistan.

Mission

GDP aims to:

• Promote creative and evidence-based policy and legal reform to enforce child rights in Pakistan at a cross-sectoral level;
• Develop youth & state-led eco-friendly and sustainable systems and build local capacities to enforce child rights and address violence against children (prevention and response) as per international safeguarding standards, at structural, institutional and socio-cultural levels;
• Facilitate networking and synergies between state actors and civil society to enforce child rights, promote gender justice, and justice for children and counter GBV and VAWG in particular;
• Improve the body of evidence and knowledge management related to child rights, child protection, justice with children[1] and GESI through intersectional lenses;
• Promote and enforce safe, inclusive and meaningful child participation and positive citizenry in Pakistan.

GDP’s work relies on five core values:

Best Interest of the Child

GDP ensures that children are treated with dignity at each stage of its programmatic activities and enforces zero-tolerance towards violence and discrimination.

Participation

Participation is safe, meaningful and when children are affected by a decision, they have a fundamental right to be involved in the decision-making process as well. GDP believes in the motto "Nothing about us, without us".

Inclusion

GDP works towards an inclusive and welcoming environment, embraces differences, and offers respect in words and actions to all those who are part of the process.

Accountability and Transparency

GDP follows a non-bribery and anti-fraud policy and is open to sharing public information that allows citizens to assess GDP’s governance. All the information is shared as per national and international safeguarding standards.

Innovation

GDP values youth-led creative thinking, a passion to overcome challenges with a positive outlook and innovative strategies.

Thematic Areas

• Child Protection (Countering Violence against Children) & Gender-Based Violence (GBV)
  • Countering Child Sexual Abuse (CSA)
  • Countering Child Marriage
  • Countering worst forms of Child Labour with focus on Child Domestic Labour (CDL)
  • Child Trafficking
  • Safe Learning
  • Digital Safety
  • Countering Violence against Women (VAW)
  • Gender Equality & Social Inclusion
• Justice with Children
• Mental Health
• Environment
• COVID-19

Programmes

Tabdili: GDP believes in creative and synergic stakeholders' engagement which is peaceful, beneficiary-centered, inclusive, creative and cognitive. Situational analysis, researches and evaluations are conducted to support GDP’s actions. This basis of evidence is essential to understand contexts, patterns of issues, their diversity, extent and impact. Tabdili provides information that is critical to design relevant reforms, establish multi-stakeholders mechanisms/structures and conduct catalytic interventions.

Ujagar: GDP has established a unique institutional strengthening and capacity-building department aiming to transfer and improve knowledge and skills to empower partner organizations/institutions and individuals to effectively enforce child rights, promote child protection and justice with children.

Meri Awaz Suno (Listen to My Voice):  This programme focuses on promoting and protecting the enforcement of Article 12 of the UNCRC: children's right to safe, meaningful and inclusive participation.

Imtizaj (The Network): This programme connects state and civil society actors with each other to promote and protect children’s rights, strengthen child protection and justice with children via healthy and transparent partnerships and collaborations. This component also aims to share knowledge and experiences that make actions more effective. GDP is a member of Girls Not Brides, Ending Violence Against Women & Girls (EVAWG) alliance, Child Rights Coalition Asia (CRC Asia) and COVIDUNDER19.