Innovation for Change - South Asia

29/03/2026

A space where art becomes healing 🎨

Our youth artwork shop is more than just creativity it’s a safe haven for expression, connection, and mental wellbeing. Every piece tells a story, every color holds emotion and every young artist finds their voice.

Creating. Healing. Growing. Together. 💛

09/03/2026

Women’s rights activists, including organisers of Aurat March, were detained by police in Islamabad ahead of a peaceful rally planned for International Women’s Day.

According to reports, activists including Farzana Bari and Tahira Abdullah were taken into custody near Super Market in Sector F-6 while attempting to reach the National Press Club.

Peaceful assembly is a fundamental democratic right. Ensuring safe civic space for women and human rights defenders is essential for an inclusive and democratic society.

10/02/2026

She became a boy not by choice, but by necessity until survival itself was criminalized. This is what happens when systems deny girls the right to live with dignity.

09/02/2026

Innovation for Change strongly condemns the remarks made by Rana Sanaullah at the Asma Jahangir Conference, where he suggested that individuals labeled as supporters of the Balochistan Liberation Army have “sacrificed their human rights” and can therefore be subjected to enforced disappearance.

This assertion is not only legally indefensible, it is morally alarming. Human rights are not conditional. They do not depend on political allegiance, accusations, or the convenience of the state. Enforced disappearance is a grave crime under international law and a direct assault on the rule of law, due process, and human dignity.

That a senior political figure now advising the Prime Minister would normalize such violence from a public dedicated to Asma Jahangir’s legacy explains why much of the audience chose to walk out. Asma Jahangir stood for precisely the opposite principle: that the state’s power must be constrained by law, especially in moments of conflict.

Normalizing collective punishment and disappearance does not bring peace to Balochistan. It deepens alienation, fuels mistrust, and entrenches cycles of violence. Silencing dissent through fear has never produced stability only deeper fractures.

Innovation for Change South Asia calls on Pakistan’s leadership to unequivocally reject enforced disappearances, uphold constitutional guarantees, and commit to accountability and dialogue. Peace and unity cannot be built on the suspension of rights. They can only be built on justice.

07/02/2026

Innovation for Change stands for pluralism, accountability, and the protection of civic space especially for those whose voices are most at risk of erasure. Suppressing perspectives from oppressed communities is not neutrality; it is complicity.

Journalism must not only document injustice when it is popular to do so. It must also defend the right to speak when it is uncomfortable.

The subsequent removal of the interview from , however, raises serious concerns. Silencing marginalized voices while claiming to champion justice exposes a troubling double standard. Ethical reporting cannot be selective. Advocacy for human rights loses credibility when it is filtered through political convenience.

07/01/2026

Proud to share that Team Synergy secured the win for the Digital Democracy Initiative Rapid Online Hackathon organised by Innovation for Change South Asia in partnership with
The proposed solution of an offline, USB-based Digital Safety Playbook designed for high-risk, low-connectivity environments.

Built for activists, students and community organizers where the internet can’t be trusted or doesn’t exist.

No logins. No tracking. No cloud. Just practical safety, designed to work when it matters most.

30/12/2025

Our Annual Newsletter is now live!

Across South Asia shrinking civic space, digital repression and growing inequalities continue to challenge communities and human rights defenders. Over the past year, Innovation for Change has worked with grassroots groups, activists, researchers and innovators across the region to respond to these challenges through collaboration creativity and solidarity.

From strengthening digital and civic resilience, to supporting women human rights defenders, youth movements and marginalized communities our work has focused on building locally rooted, rights based solutions that can travel across borders. This newsletter captures the stories, partnerships, and collective efforts that shaped our work in South Asia along with lessons learned and the road ahead.

We invite you to explore our initiatives, reflect on the impact we have made together and stay connected as we continue to reimagine civic space and people powered change in the region.

30/12/2025

Our board member from Afghanistan, speaking truth to power on the urgent challenges faced by women human rights defenders in Afghanistan and in exile. Their resilience deserves global solidarity.

25/12/2025

Unbroken Baloch woman Spirit.

10/12/2025

05/12/2025

💡 When Funding Fuels Repression

While civic space is shrinking globally, some international NGOs continue to fund organizations that strengthen capacity of digital surveillance and repression in the region often under the banner of “innovation”. Meanwhile, direct support to grassroots human rights defenders is stagnating, leaving local activists under resourced and exposed to rising risks.

This funding imbalance threatens both freedom of expression and public trust as resources are diverted from protection, advocacy, and empowerment toward mechanisms of control.

It’s time for donors to prioritize civic space, support local actors, and ensure technology strengthens rights, not repression.

04/12/2025

Job Title: Short-Term Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Consultant
Location: Remote
Duration: 3 Months
About the Role:
Innovation for Change (I4C) is seeking a skilled Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Consultant to support the Digital Democracy Initiative (DDI). The consultant will track project performance, capture insights, and contribute to learning and reporting across multiple civic tech pilots.

Key Responsibilities:
-Monitor progress against quantitative and qualitative indicators (e.g., end-users reached, secure civic interactions, user satisfaction).
-Conduct surveys, collect case studies, and synthesize lessons learned.
-Prepare and deliver monthly progress reports, mid-term briefings, and the final evaluation report.
-Provide actionable recommendations to refine future programming.

Qualifications:
-Proven experience in M&E, preferably in digital or civic tech projects.
-Strong skills in quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis.
-Excellent report writing and communication skills.
-Ability to work independently in a fast-paced, remote environment.

Application:
Send your CV and a brief cover letter highlighting relevant M&E experience to southasia{attherate}innovationforchange{dot}net by 05 Dec 2025.