SHARP, Society for Human Rights and Prisoners Aid, is a Non-Profitable, Non-Political and Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) registered with the Voluntary Social Welfare Agencies, Islamabad Capital Territory under Registration and Control Ordinance 1961 (XLVI of 1961) . It got Registration No. VSWA/ICT/300 on 11 March 1999. Its Headquarters is based at Islamabad while it has branches in Lahore, Peshawar, Mianwali, Rawalpindi and Karachi.
SHARP owes its existence to the concerted efforts by a group of dedicated Lawyers having strong conviction in Human Rights standards set forth in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These Lawyers laid down the foundation of SHARP in 1998 under the dynamic leadership of Syed Liaqat Banori - a renowned Advocate and acclaimed Human Rights activist. It is a team of committed Lawyers and dedicated social workers, working for the help of downtrodden classes of our society. It is actively engaged in promoting awareness and advocating about Human Rights to secure the well being, freedom and dignity of the people. Under this domain, it has been rendering its services particularly to women, children, and prisoners and to the problems related to the refugees.
SHARP believes that without the respect of human rights, the prosperous liberation of the mind is not possible which gives rise to the insecurity and indignity in humans thereby resulting in a hampered development. Therefore, without the respect of human rights we can not move progressively towards our future and achieve our goals. SHARP believes to create the spirit of activism, identify core intervention and mutual beneficial complementary role brings us closer to other groups working towards a friendly Pakistan, however, within this similarity; there is a unique distinction to our work, primarily attributable to our philosophy and approach. As an NGO, SHARP is working for the rights of the vulnerable segments of the society and envisages a Human Rights friendly Pakistan in the coming years.
SHARP recognizes the current Human Rights state in Pakistan has developed a three pronged strategy to deal with the adverse social and legal situation in Pakistan, such as: (1) providing direct legal services to the less fortunate members of the society; (2) developing a strong chain of liaison with various organizations; (3) arranging workshops and seminars as to spread awareness about the Human Rights violations which are going in silence due to non-availability of correct channels to address the issue. SHARP believes to solve the problems of the common man and lacunas in our procedural laws have always focused on the provisions of free legal aid to vulnerable groups of people. SHARP believes to control the human trafficking, social evils such as the migrant smuggling, trafficking of narcotics, and arms exploitive process starting with the recruitment and transpiration process.
MISSION Statement: “To strive for a Human Rights Friendly Pakistan”
Vision: the spirit of activism identifies core interventions and mutual beneficial complementary roles bring us closer to other major groups working towards a friendly Pakistan. However within this similarity there is a unique distinction to our work, primarily attributable to our philosophy and approach. As an NGO SHARP works for the rights of vulnerable segments of the society and envisage a human rights friendly Pakistan.
OBJECTIVES
(1)To eradicate injustice from the society and provide measures of justice through legal advices and counsels. To work for legal empowerment of general masses and particularly the impoverished segments of society like women, children, refugees, prisoners and labours/workers and general public affected by natural disasters, i.e. earthquake, floods and accidents, etc.
(2)To establish child care centres in order to provide formal, informal and technical education to the neglected and poor children. To provide moral support to the plight of juvenile prisoners detained at various jails throughout the country.
(3)To create awareness about the basic fundamental human rights guided by the UN Resolutions for upholding human rights and bring awareness to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948.
(4)To establish a network of NGOs on “Sensitization of Social Organization on Human Rights”. The network will share their knowledge, practices, trainings and review of literature. To create awareness among the educated, intellectuals, academia, judiciary, administration and law enforcement about the international legal instruments governing human rights, rights of refugees and internally displaced persons. To organize training workshops on “Streamlining Civil Society Participation to Promote Works Rights and insurance their security.
(5)To establish a proper network of technically trained Human Rights Lawyers and Police officials as “Attorneys of Human Rights” who can support the disadvantaged groups through legal assistance. To work for law reforms where any law is found to be unfair or discriminatory. To augment advocacy campaign for legislation in the areas where there is lack of laws to deal with the issues relating to human rights.
(6)In collaboration/cooperation with international organizations work for the reduction and ultimately elimination of evil practice of human trafficking. To routinely visit jails throughout Pakistan and asses the facilities provided to the prisoners and provide them free legal aid. To provide “free legal aid” services to the refugees and “asylum seekers” in different courts in Pakistan.
(7)To suggest preventive measures, safety purposes and policy recommendation against HIV, AIDS and hepatitis through awareness by print and mass media campaign.
(8)To organize teams of volunteers in order to deal with any unforeseen catastrophe and develop a mechanism to provide relief and rehabilitation services to the communities. To empower community at grass root level through participatory approach and open discussions.
(9)In accordance with the "Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)" of 1996, create empowerment awareness among the women through seminars, workshops, symposium, print and mass media. In light of international conventions and protocols, create awareness about Gender Discrimination & Sexual Harassment among the general public.
(10) To manage the crisis centres established by the Government and provide human life facilities to the residents.
PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER ORGANISATIONS
•UNHCR: Provinding legal assistance as part of international protection to the refugees and asylum seekers in Pakistan.
•ISCOS-CISL: Strengthening Civil Society Participation to Promote and Defend Workers’ Rights.
•EC: Reducing Street / Child labour from the country.
•UNICEF: Polio campaign in Islamabad.
•DFID / World Bank: Elimination of the HIV / AIDS epidemic.
•ActionAid Pakistan: Attorneys of Human Rights.
•American Center for International Labor Solidarity (ACILS): Promoting Safe Migration to prevent Human Trafficking.
•Ministry of Women Development: SHARP has the honour to Chair (2006–2007) the Management Committee for Crisis Centre for Women in Distress.
•MERLIN / HELPAGE: Promoting the rights of senior citizens and role of humanitarian response towards the elderly during emergencies.
•Ministry of Social Welfare: organizing relief camps in Islamabad, Lahore and Mianwali as well as distributing relief items including medical materials and medicines to the affected areas.
•Islamic Development Bank: Capacity building / vocational training project for widows and women focusing towards economic and social empowerment of women.