We live in the digital age where social media has transformed connectivity by adding layers to its meaning and global reach. However, its no more just a connective tool for the youth to troll over but the key medium used by all organizations. Its operations are noted to be most effective when they are strategically incorporated as part of an organization’s outreach, program design and implementation, and monitoring and evaluation efforts.

Sadly, Civil Society in Karachi is the greatest and most under-used assets in the struggle to find security, prosperity, and quality of life for its citizens. Currently it faces fragmentation, no ownership, no collective voice, lack of resources, lack of capacity, dependency on donors, limited grassroot engagement. But with the launch of Hum Aawaz, on 22 nd August at Pearl Continental Hotel, Karachi, an excellent opportunity is finally being presented to CSOs here.

Hum Aawaz is a network of civil society organizations working to strengthen our organizations through partnerships, knowledge sharing and capacity building. Its sections and variety of tools builds local capacity to strengthen the ability of entire organizations, their staff, and members to deliver greater impact.

Creating a collective voice among civil society to bring public attention to relevant issues, Hum Aawaz wishes to increase credibility of CSOs in Pakistan, keeping in mind that we live in a country where activists, researchers and such organizations are easily maligned and doubted by the local populace. By having them partner with other prominent organizations and create synergies to disseminate information will help turn them into a pressure group that advocates the people’s issues of Karachi.

Hum Aawaz provides a possible solution at two fronts: one through its digital portal and another via in- person meetings, networking events, capacity building workshops and dialogues because access to information is just one step in the advocacy process. Mobilizing people and communities to use that information and contribute to the knowledge base is critical to a campaign’s success.

The introduction is heartily welcomed and gives rise to many hopes.