Toolkit Launched to Support NPOs to Improve Legal Compliances in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Not for profit, Organizations (NPOs) are an important segment of civil society organizations (CSOs) that are crucial for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and help to make sure no- one is left behind by development. However, several laws, policies and regulations are put in place to which NPOs have to show compliance to remain operative and fully functional. Small community-based organizations are particularly facing the challenge to operate because of no/less information about how to remain in compliance.

To support the NPOs the Directorate of Social Welfare Govt of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and a local NGO Blue Veins launched an easy to understand toolkit in popular language, the tool kit provides useful step by step information on how to obtain mandatory registration with KP charity commission, NOC from Home and Tribal Affairs and MOU with Economic Affairs Division (EAD) for receiving foreign funding.

Directorate of Social Welfare is also facilitating the Voluntary organization Blue Veins who has established a Help Desk at the Peshawar District office of Social Welfare to facilitate NPOs help them get register with KP Charity Commission, which was established under the KP Charites Act 2019 to meet the requirements of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global illicit financing watchdog earlier in 2020 a total of 5,931 NGOs operating in different sectors across the province and 3,851 of them were de-registered in light of the government’s NGO mapping efforts to meet certain FATF requirements.

Ms Shaheen Quresh President Blue Veins Said “NPOs cannot operative in isolation, engaging with stakeholders is crucial to create space for dialogue and improve state NGO relationship based on mutual trust” She further said that there is a need to establish joint strategies for the creation of an enabling environment for civil society participation and to jointly establish a strong communication strategy that shows the general public benefits of a strong civil society and helps CSOs bolster their domestic support”.

On the other hand registration authorities has issued a circular that NPOs should submit their annual and audit reports along with registration certificate with charity commission otherwise their renewal certificate will not be issued.