This monitor is meant to identify major developments in Pakistan’s youth-related issues and policies. This study will help in identifying key trends and topics of interest among the youth of Pakistan and may also contribute to removing certain hurdles that exist in the way of bringing forth pro-youth reforms.
International Youth Day – August 12, 2022
International Youth Day is celebrated throughout the world on August 12. This year Mr. António Guterres, Secretary General United Nations in his message on the occasion highlighted this year’s theme “Intergenerational Solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages said:
Today, we celebrate International Youth Day and the power of partnerships across generations. This year’s theme — “Intergenerational Solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages” — reminds us of a basic truth: we need people of all ages, young and old alike, to join forces to build a better world for all. Too often, ageism, bias, and discrimination prevent this essential collaboration. When young people are shut out of the decisions being made about their lives, or when older people are denied a chance to be heard, we all lose. Solidarity and collaboration are more essential than ever, as our world faces a series of challenges that threaten our collective future. From COVID-19 to climate change, to conflicts, poverty, inequality, and discrimination, we need all hands on deck to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and build the better, more peaceful future we all seek. We need to support young people with massive educational and skills—building investments, including next month’s Transforming Education Summit. We also need to support gender equality and expanded opportunities for young people to participate in civic and political life.
It’s not enough to listen to young people — we need to integrate them into decision-making mechanisms at the local, national and international levels. This is at the heart of our proposal to establish a new Youth Office at the United Nations. And we need to ensure that older generations have access to social protection and opportunities to give back to their communities and share their decades of experience. On this important day, let’s join hands across generations to break down barriers, and work as one to achieve a more equitable, just, and inclusive world for all people[1].
Youth Convention August 12, 2022
On the occasion of International Youth Day 2022, Prime Minister’s Youth Programme held Pakistan Youth convention. Federal Minister for Education & Professional Training Rana Tanveer Hussain, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Minister of Information & Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb, Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarrar, Senators, Representatives of different organisations and Youngsters from all across Pakistan attended the event.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Youth Affairs Ms. Shiza Fatima while addressing the Youth Convention held in Islamabad, on August 12, 2022; said that the government would launch the first-ever national youth employment policy to address the biggest challenge of unemployment in the country.
“Unemployment is the biggest challenge facing by the country for which a comprehensive policy has been formulated and will be launched soon,” she said while addressing the Pakistan Youth Convention. Highlighting the vision of the prime minister for youth empowerment, she said 100,000 skill scholarships were being awarded to the youth to boost the skilled workforce, which would eventually uplift the industry by bridging the demand-supply gap of human resources[2].
Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif also addressed the youth convention and in his address called for a national pledge to further strengthen the country as the nation is going to mark diamond jubilee 75th Independence Day celebrations with zeal and fervor. He further said that the youth bulge was around 65% of the total population of Pakistan which was an asset. “It is our future. We have spent our lives and seen Pakistan progressing for 75 years and pray for its further stability and progress. Our youth is leading different sectors like politics, military, bureaucracy, media, business, etc.[3]”
Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Minister for Education & Professional Training Rana Tanveer Hussain inaugurating the initiatives under Prime Minister’s Youth Programme
At the International Youth Day commemorative event, which took place in the E-Library Lahore, on August 17, 2022, Ayesha Faheem 13 from Lahore Grammar School and a girl guide expressed her views on building bridges between generations in line with this year’s International Youth Day theme, Intergenerational Solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages.”
Ayesha explained that intergenerational solidarity is about the different generations of old and young working together and supporting one another. “But that support is sometimes very hard to gain. We usually take our elderly for granted and don’t give them the attention and support they deserve in the same stance; our youth are also not taken seriously by the adults most of the time; it is believed that sometimes their opinion just doesn’t matter and that their ideas aren’t worth listening to,” said Ayesha.
UNFPA Pakistan in collaboration with the Punjab Youth Department and Pakistan Girls Guide Association organized the event. Malik Taimoor Masood, Provincial Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs presided over the event and was also attended by the Director General sports and youth affairs Punjab. Speaking on the occasion Deputy Representative Ms. Latika Maskey Pradhan also addressed the ceremony and said UNFPA has been supporting the Government of Pakistan to further its vision for a better, healthier, more equitable, and sustainable future. “We believe sustainable and equitable development can be achieved if young people in Pakistan are healthy, educated, and empowered to make informed decisions and resilient in the face of change. The well-being of the older generations depends upon the contributions of young people during their working lives. Fully engaged, educated, healthy, and productive adolescents and youth are resilient in the face of personal and societal challenges. As skilled and informed citizens, they can contribute effectively to strengthening their communities and the nation as a whole,” she said.
She said UNFPA Pakistan is recommitting to strengthening collaboration with the Government of Pakistan and other partners to foster successful and equitable intergenerational relations and partnerships to ensure “no one is left behind.”
“This International Youth Day, let us all be reminded that every generation has a key role in addressing global challenges. Let us all stand up for intergenerational solidarity and a world for all ages,” said Ms. Maskey Pradhan[4].
Punjab Minister for Youth Affairs Malik Taimoor Masood while delivering his speech on the occasion announced the official launch of the Punjab Youth Helpline and Co-Working Space Desk for Young Entrepreneurs.
The minister also appointed promising sports stars world amateur snooker champion Ahsan Ramzan and young female sprinter Sahib-e-Asra as Goodwill Ambassadors of Sports and Youth Affairs Department Punjab.DG Sports Punjab Tariq Qureshi, Director Admin Syed Omair Hasan and a large number of young boys and girls attended the mega event. Addressing the event, Punjab Minister for Youth Affairs said Youth Affairs Department Punjab is taking important steps to guide the youth. The helpline has been established to engage youth and resolve their issues if any. In addition, the potential youth can share their fresh business ideas at Co-Working Desk and Youth Affairs will provide every possible help in executing these ideas, he added.
Pakistan can achieve a respectable status in the world by utlising the large force of youth properly. “Pakistan has been blessed with more than 60 percent of youth and Youth Affairs Department is utilizing all resources to transform this large force into useful citizens of the country”. He said Youth Affairs and Sports Department Punjab is extending every kind of facilities to youth for their prosperous future. “My doors are open for every talented youngster.In his address, Tariq Qureshi said Youth Affairs Department is adding more disciplines for the youth in E-Rozgaar Programme. 40 E-Rozgaar Centres are working in 40 universities of the province where more than 40,000 talented boys and girls are earning billions of rupees in a respectable manner[5]”.
Children Parliament
The Children’s Parliament in a unanimously adopted resolution on Friday (August 12, 2022) committed to creating equal opportunities for all to acquire quality and cost-effective education in true letter and spirit as enshrined in Article 25-A of the Constitution of Pakistan. The convention was organized by National Assembly Secretariat here at National Assembly Hall, in connection with the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the first Constituent Assembly. The resolution committed to taking all meaningful measures to minimize the number of out-of-school children at the earliest so that no child is left behind. The representatives of the Children’s Parliament of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan pledged to provide more opportunities for children’s civic engagement and political participation which are pivotal to the future of democracy. It reaffirmed their commitment to prioritize children’s issues in all agendas including planning and budgeting[6].
Independence Day Celebrations by Directorate of Youth Affairs – Balochistan
Directorate of Youth Affairs Balochistan Celebrated 75th Anniversary of Independence. The ceremony commenced with the recitation of the Holy Quran. The recitation was followed by the playing of the national anthem; the audience joined to sing the anthem with great zeal and fervor. On the occasion, the students of elementary girls college Jinnah town Quetta presented several performances of national songs.
Earlier, on the eve of Independence Day, the Directorate arranged an all-Quetta Debate Declamation Competition attended by all Quetta College students in large numbers[7].
17th Youth Parliament Pakistan met for its Third Session Virtually
The 17th batch of Youth Parliament Pakistan met for its third session of the year virtually via Zoom from August 26-28, 2022. Previous sessions were held in February and March, 2022. Members representing all 272 constituencies of National Assembly of Pakistan along with 28 representatives from Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and Overseas Pakistanis came together as young parliamentarians to have engaging and thought-provoking conversations with our distinguished set of speakers.
Leading scholar, Allama Javed Ahmad Ghamidi, had been invited to jumpstart the session and give a special address on My Vision of Pakistan: Youth, Pakistan and Challenges of the 21st Century. The second sitting consisted of a panel discussion on A Comparative Analysis of Youth Political and Electoral Participation in India & Pakistan with acclaimed panelists: Dr. S.Y. Qureshi, Former Chief Election Commissioner, India and Mr. Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, President PILDAT, followed by an interactive briefing session on How can long-term economic viability of Pakistan be ensured? by Mr. Musadaq Zulqarnain, Founder & Chairman of Interloop Ltd. The last day of the session began with an interactive briefing session by Mr. Khurshid Ahmad Nadeem, scholar, author, media person & social activist, on Ideology of Pakistan & how it impacts our domestic cohesion & International relations and the session was eventually closed by the inspiring Mr. Zafar Masud, President & CEO of Bank of Punjab who will address the members on What it takes to be a CEO of a leading bank of Pakistan?
References
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UN Website https://www.un.org/en/observances/youth-day/messages accessed on September 08, 2022 ↑
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APP website https://www.app.com.pk/national/first-ever-youth-employment-policy-on-cards-sapm/ accessed on September 08, 2022 ↑
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Pakistan Today https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2022/08/12/kh-asif-for-national-pledge-to-further-strengthen-country/ accessed on September 08, 2022 ↑
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UNFPA website https://pakistan.unfpa.org/en/news/young-people-forefront-creating-world-all-ages accessed on September 08, 2022 ↑
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The News https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/981856-punjab-youth-helpline-launched accessed on September 8, 2022 ↑
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APP Website https://www.app.com.pk/national/children-parliament-pledges-creating-equal-opportunities-for-acquiring-quality-knowledge/ accessed on September 08, 2022 ↑
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Face Bool Page of Directorate of Youth Affairs Balochistan https://www.facebook.com/DOYABQ/posts/pfbid0tP8nEJ1n9fkS81Ye3qp3TaCS595zH8nQ991cTMdJAWBSY83BsHTyGTXYyfJNitsZl accessed on September 08, 2022 ↑
