ABOUT US
About YAD
The Youth Association for Development (YAD) is a youth lead, peacebuilding, civil society initiative based in Quetta whose roots with a core of volunteers in different districts of Baluchistan. YAD is a human rights-based approach with a multi-sector development organization working on a participatory development approach to bring long-term change & sustainable development to society. The idea of a civil society organization evolved in 2002 when a group of likeminded people working in the social, political, democratic, freedoms, justice, climate, gender, feminists, human rights, and development sector in Baluchistan and having enough local, sub-national, national and international exposure and experience got together and initiated the dialogue among themselves on issues of humanism, peace, democracy, human rights, gender, right to information, transparency, accountability, data, environment, water, climate, sanitation, hygiene, health, education & other social issues in the province and country. The group concluded the need for an organization which can address the above mentioned issues through a holistic approach promote the value of humanism, feminism, pluralism, peace, justice, tolerance, equality, equity, basic human rights, women rights, minorities rights, child rights, adolescents rights, address democratic and governance issues, conduct research and analysis, initiate dialogues among different segments of society, take steps toward a peaceful, tolerant, and democratic society, conservation of environment, climate actions, generating citizens based data, open data, monitoring, evaluation, tracing, tracking, transparency, accountability, primary health care, quality education, increasing literacy, increasing enrolment, decreasing dropout, youth activism, youth empowerment, youth development, civic spaces, safe abortion, natural resources management, agriculture development, forest & bio diversity conservation, sanitation improvement & hygiene education, WASH, WATSAN, working for IWRM, advocacy and lobbying for SDGs achievements, SDGs achievement process monitoring at Pakistan level, enforcement of SDGs and 2030 agenda in Pakistan, law, legislations, policy reforms, policy actions, strategies, actions plans, and enforcement of laws and policies, creating public and private partnership with engagement of business communities, entrepreneurships, mentorships as well as provide an enabling environment to civil society of Baluchistan. YAD believes in diversity and inclusion and does not discriminate against any person or group based on race, color, sex, language, religion, political or another opinion, national or social origin, property, disability, birth, age, refugee, or another status.
YAD’s Vision
“Changing the world, upgrading the societies, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals through impact, innovation, influence, and integration”
Our vision is based on our experience that we can target human rights, youth empowerment & reduce early & forced marriages as well as HIV/AIDS & SRHR most effectively in four interconnected ways: Impact, Innovation, Influence, and Integration
Through the scale and quality of our own and our partners’ program work which currently impacts, directly and indirectly, the lives of someone millions of people in the province.
Through pioneering innovative and bold development approaches which can be replicated by communities, local institutions (civil society and government), other aid agencies, and donors
Through influencing pro-poor policies at the sub-national. national and international level
Of our efforts, from our work in the influencing at a policy level, is central to our effectiveness.
YAD’s Mission
“Upbringing human rights, women & youth empowerment, targeting gender discrimination, building peace and interfaith harmony, reducing barriers to access quality health & life, HIV/AIDS, raising SRHR, ending early & forced marriages and other stigmatized issues effectively through impact, innovation, influence, and integration.”
YAD’s Key Parameters to Achieve its Mission:
Targeting youth activism & empowerment as our core value. YAD continues to implement both awareness & legislative programs, with advocacy and development education an integral part of our work. In each of our operational districts, YAD continues to have an on-the-ground presence to monitor and learn from our programs and to engage with our partners. We do not intend to become a grant-giving organization from afar. YAD seeks opportunities for greater engagement with communities and civil society in our program. YAD’s overall program fits within the international effort to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. This involves ensuring that our organizational programs contribute to the attainment of the indicators set out in the SDGs. Through our advocacy, we seek to ensure that the country meets its SDGs obligations to increase investment in human rights, health, education, economic development, etc.
YAD’s Organizational Strategic Objectives
- We aim to grow the scale and quality of our programs while remaining in the current number of districts & will gradually expand to other districts as well as provinces over time.
- We commit to focus on the four sectors adopted as core organizational programs; youth activism & empowerment, gender discrimination, minorities’ rights, SRHR, and HIV/AIDS, which will be delivered in both emergency and development contexts. We strive to attain the highest possible program standards in each of these sectors and will specialize in aspects of each, based on evidence of what works best and has the greatest impact on community empowerment.
- YAD is currently acknowledged as achieving human rights (youth empowerment & activism, gender discrimination & women empowerment) Minorities rights, early & forced marriages, and health (SRHR & HIV/AIDS). We are committed to investing in and further developing our capacity in these areas to retain our leadership position.
- YAD strives for greater integration and coherence between its program work in the field and its fundraising, advocacy, communications, and development education.
- YAD seeks to use the opportunities which information and communications technology and the digital revolution provide, both in our program work and in communicating that work to our public and policymakers.
- YAD develops an Active Coordination & Communication program with its partner organizations & donor agencies to build long-term support and collaboration.
YAD’s Thematic Areas
- End Early and Forced Marriages
- Child and Adolescent Protection
- DRR & Emergency and Humanitarian Actions
- Livelihood Security
- Formal and Non-Formal Education
- Access to Quality Health and Life Including People Affected and Vulnerable to HIV/AIDS
- Maternal New-born & child health care (MNCH)
- Malnutrition
- Economic Empowerment and Development
- Technical Education & Vocational Training (TEVT)
- Competency-Based Training (CBT)
- Youth Activism, Empowerment, and Development
- Peace Justice and Strong Institutions
- Human Rights, Women Rights, and Minority Rights
- Poverty Alleviation
- Clean Water, WASH, and WATSAN
- Women Empowerment, Gender Equality, and Equity
- Access to Quality Education, Increasing Literacy & Enrollment
- Good Health, SRHR, and Safe Abortion
- Democracy, Freedoms and Good Governance
- Interfaith & Social Harmony
- Gender, Social Justice and Reducing Inequalities
- Right to Information and Rule of Law
- Transparency, Accountability and Open Data
- Affordable, Clean and Alternate Energy
- Climate Action, Life Below Water and Life on Land
YAD’s Strategies
- Legislations, Laws, Policies, and Action plan
- Visualizations, Digital Technologies Integrations
- Enforcement of Laws and Policies
- Advocacy, Research, Ownership and Stakeholders Engagement
- Awareness Raising & Campaigning
- Networking Coalition Building and Lobbying
- Enhancing Accountability, Transparency, Citizens Generate Data & Open Data
- Adopting Conservation, Protection, Prevention, and Promotion
- Social Mobilization, Collaboration & Capacity Building
- Analysis, Innovations, Planning, Development, and Practices
YAD’s Values:
Democracy:
We work for democracy and we are democratic within the organization as well
Accountability:
We are accountable to our constituents, partners, and communities we are working with.
Transparency:
We are committed to maintaining transparency in all our programs/ activities with open data and citizens based generated data
Participatory:
We are participatory and encourage a human rights-based approach, participatory approach & active participation of all stakeholders in our programs/ activities
Cooperation:
We are committed to collaborating with those dedicated to advancing democracy, freedom, civic spaces, equality, equity, and human right.
YAD’s Norms:
- A set of norms is relevant to the work of YAD. YAD reflects and is consistent with existing international human rights.
- Intergenerational leadership of youth, minorities, women, girls, excluded groups, and marginalized groups is well established within all YAD projects and programs
- Placing minorities, women, youth, and children at the center of our work
- Human Rights Principles
- Diversity and Inclusiveness
- Equal Participation and Non-Discrimination
- Social Innovation
- Evaluation, Monitoring, and Learning