Annual Work Plan for Peace IQC Pakistan Community Resilience Activity (CRA) Year 3 and 4

The program is implemented by DAI and funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Pakistan. The CRA's geographic scope includes Karachi, Northern Sindh, and Southern Punjab provinces, with the goal of increasing resilience in targeted communities vulnerable to VE. The program's overarching goal is to "Increase Stability in Focus Areas" by increasing resilience in targeted communities vulnerable to VE. To achieve this goal, CRA will identify areas of intervention that will mobilize a cross-section of Pakistani society, encouraging them to actively work together to reduce violence, increase social cohesion, and promote tolerance across sub-groups in communities. The program level objectives are to increase broad-based citizen engagement in community decision-making and enhance tolerance within and across communities. The three main target geographies for CRA intervention are Karachi, Northern Sindh, and Southern Punjab. Each area has distinct VE dynamics, with Karachi experiencing a complex nexus of political, criminal, and religious violence due to rapid urbanization and social and political fragmentation. Northern Sindh shares a porous border with Balochistan, which serves as a major transit route for VE groups, and suffers from sectarianism, feudalism, and tribal rivalries. Southern Punjab is a hotbed for VE recruitment due to its historical links to prominent ethno-religious political parties and established terrorist networks. To address local level VE issues, CRA has identified regional intermediate results (IRs) for each target area. In Karachi and Northern Sindh, CRA aims to increase acceptance of pluralism, increase youth support for positive modes of civic action and social responsibility, and increase targeted school and university engagement on Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) initiatives. In Southern Punjab, CRA aims to increase acceptance of diverse backgrounds, reduce financial support to VE groups, and increase engagement of universities on CVE initiatives. The program strategy focuses on addressing the root causes of VE, including a bulging population of at-risk and disaffected youth, weak state institutions and civilian governance, frustrated citizen expectations and relative deprivation, and sectarian tensions. CRA will work to create a counter narrative that encourages broader acceptance and peaceful interaction, building on USAID/Pakistan's previous efforts to support stability and development in conflict-prone communities. CRA will implement a range of activities to achieve its objectives, including community engagement, capacity building, and CVE initiatives. The program will work with local stakeholders, including civil society organizations, community leaders, and government officials, to develop and implement effective CVE strategies. By strengthening communal resilience to VE influence, CRA aims to contribute to a reduction in violent extremism in strategic areas of Pakistan and promote a more stable and secure environment for all citizens.