The Ittehad Foundation (IF) is a prominent non-governmental, non-political, and non-profit organization headquartered in Kasur, Punjab, Pakistan. Established in 1998 and formally registered in 2001 under the Voluntary Social Welfare Agencies (Registration & Control) Ordinance, 1961, with the Directorate of Social Welfare, Punjab, IF operates as a grassroots initiative focused on uplifting marginalized communities. Over the past 27 years, IF has built a strong reputation for volunteer-driven human services, emphasizing community empowerment and socio-economic development in rural Punjab.
IF’s vision is to advocate for the basic rights, progress, and well-being of the most vulnerable populations, particularly addressing gender inequality, social exclusion, and systemic vulnerabilities. The mission centers on combating these issues through inclusive participation in sustainable development, with a strong focus on literacy, education, and resource mobilization.
Key objectives include promoting basic education as a fundamental right, strengthening educational institutions across public, private, and community sectors, and aligning information systems with global trends to enhance access to quality learning. The organization tackles broader societal challenges in Pakistan, such as low literacy rates, gender biases, child labor, and limited access to health and legal services, especially in underserved rural areas. Core values guiding IF’s operations include gender sensitivity, transparency and accountability, team spirit, participatory decision-making, justice and human dignity, and fostering self-reliance among beneficiaries. The organizational structure features a Board of Governors and a Chief Executive Officer (CEO), supported by specialized teams in projects, administration and accounts, human resources, technical expertise, supervision, and field facilitation. This setup ensures efficient project execution and strong community engagement.
IF’s programs span multiple domains, including child and women’s rights advocacy, vocational skills training, reproductive health education, youth mobilization, environmental awareness, and legal aid for vulnerable groups. Notable initiatives involve disaster relief, such as flood response efforts in Kasur since 2001, with recent activities addressing the 2025 Punjab flood affected 3.8 million people.
In September 2025, IF collaborated with the Pothohar Organization for Development Advocacy (PODA) to establish child and women-friendly spaces in areas like Raji Wala, providing psychosocial support, aid distribution, and climate-resilient strategies in partnership with UNO-CRC. Other key areas include disability support, social theater for community development, campaigns against child marriage and under-age unions, and sex education programs inspired by cases like the 2016 Zainab incident.
The foundation has completed 17 major projects and maintains partnerships with donors like the Government of Punjab, National Education Foundation (NEF), Asian Development Bank (ADB), Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), European Union, and Trust for Volunteer Organization (TVO). Collaborations extend to organizations such as Sahil, UNICEF-supported PPSEAN, Church World Services Pakistan, Shirkat Gah, CHANAN, CAMP, AWAAZ Foundation, PODA, Coalition for Inclusive Pakistan (CIP), Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC), HomeNet Pakistan, Action Aid Pakistan, and Pakistan Tobacco Company (PTC). Recent expansions include climate change advocacy, aligning with global frameworks like the Paris Agreement, through campaigns on environmental impacts, waste management, and eco-friendly practices.
Achievements highlight IF’s impact on education (e.g., camp schools in 45 flood-affected villages), women’s empowerment (legal aid, entrepreneurship, and health support), and child protection (spaces for psychological aid and rights education). With a focus on bridging gaps between communities and essential services, IF continues to drive equitable change in Kasur and beyond, relying on community partnerships and a commitment to sustainability
An even handed and right based social system linked with resources and opportunities for uninterrupted development of human prospective
Launch tireless efforts against gender inequality and social exclusion of vulnerable human groups and ensure participation of all social segments in sustainable development of socioeconomic arrangements