[discussion_vu] Punjab Govt asked to focus on its youth

LAHORE - Plan Pakistan, a non-governmental organisation held a meeting
with key stakeholders to give them a briefing on "Adolescents
Development Policy Framework".
Advisor to Punjab Chief Minister Begum Zakia Shahnawaz chaired the
meeting that was held to share the importance of Plan Pakistan
framework's possible adoption by the Punjab government's Department of
Youth Affairs.
Dr Irfan Ahmad of Plan Pakistan said Pakistan was the sixth most
populous country in the world and currently had one of the largest
cohorts of young people in its history, with approximately 25 million
people between 15-24 years of age. "While those between 9-19 years age
are called 'adolescents' and currently a large portion of Pakistan's
population—39.5 million (2007-8) falls in the 'adolescent' category,"
he added.
He said those young ones were passing through the most vulnerable
years of their lives while maturing physically, sexually, and
psychologically. "How these years are spent, determines the rest of an
individual's life. Therefore if they are not supported and guided we
can lose a vibrant generation that can play a crucial role in future
human development," he said.
Ahmed said if there were an economic and social investment, that age
group would have the maximum potential to produce long-term, positive
benefits for themselves, their parents and their country in the
future. He said there had been government's initiatives in the past
but they always focused on youth beyond 19 years of age and as a
result the adolescents of Pakistan remained neglected.
He said the aim of the policy framework was to create an atmosphere to
help adolescents realise their full potential by assisting them in
their formative years.
"But this work needs a focus and a forum for planning and review, and
proper coordination of the multiplicity of services to meet the needs
of adolescents and finally the proposed Policy Framework will be the
document on which the Policy for Adolescent in Punjab (PAP) will be
built upon," he added. He said the Adolescents Development Policy
Framework covered five major areas including adolescents' rights,
health, education, livelihood and adolescents in crisis.
Advisor to Chief Minister Punjab Begum Zakia Shahnawaz said that
development of this framework was a great contribution of Plan
Pakistan and the Punjab government would make all its efforts to annex
this framework with Punjab Youth Policy 2011. Deputy Secretary
Planning at Youth Affairs Department Maqbool Ahmad Malick said the
Punjab government was going to introduce the draft of Punjab Youth
Policy 2011 soon and that the government was in close contact with
MPAs, different government and the non-governmental organisations in
that regard.
Senior journalist Mujeeb ur Rehman Shami said that it was the
responsibility of the media to make the general public aware about the
importance of the rights of adolescents. He said the government should
adopt a policy framework for the adolescents in Pakistan.
MPA Seemal Kamran, Standing Committee of Youth Affairs Punjab member
Aneela Akhtar Chaudhary, MPA Dr Asma Mamdot also spoke on the occasion

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