Haashar Association

See Also:  Haashar Association in 2024

Haashar Association, established in the year 2000, is a Non-Profit, Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) that originated from a GTZ/KFW-funded Siran Forest Development Project, known for pioneering Joint Forest Management in Pakistan. Initially, Haashar focused on supporting Joint Forest Management Committees and Natural Resource Management interventions. However, in response to the post-earthquake scenario and evolving development paradigms, the organization expanded its program areas to include Community-based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM), Poverty Alleviation through Sustainable Livelihood Approaches (SLA), Food Security, Emergency Relief and Rehabilitation/Reconstruction, Disaster Risk Management/Reduction, Quality Education with a special focus on Girls, and Protection and Rights-based Advocacy.

Across all program areas, Haashar emphasizes Capacity Building, Gender, and Environmental considerations as cross-cutting themes. The organization is committed to ensuring transparency and accountability at all levels through standardized Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Humanitarian Accountability Partnership (HAP) practices.

The governance structure of Haashar involves a Board of Directors (BoD) responsible for formulating policies, while at the management level, it is led by a Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The CEO is supported by a Manager Programs and a Manager Systems. Haashar has dedicated Gender and Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) sections at its Head Office Level to provide technical support to various projects.

The field operations of Haashar are directly managed through the Head Office located in District Abbottabad, with additional field offices established in project implementation areas. The organization operates under a well-established set of policies to ensure transparent and efficient functioning. Annual audits by reputable auditors have been conducted since 2004, and some donor agencies have also carried out post-project auditing and evaluations of their respective projects. Being a non-profit organization, Haashar has been exempted from income tax payments.