Parliamentary training: Role of youth in democracy highlighted

Under the programme 95 fresh graduates get exposure of working of both houses

ISLAMABAD:

Parliamentarians and diplomats on Wednesday evening consented that educated and trained youth can play a pivotal role in strengthening democracy and filling the gaps left by civil service and politics.

They were speaking at a certificate award ceremony for third cohort of Young Parliamentary Associates (YPA) at a local hotel.

The event also marked completion of three-year YPA programme funded by the European Union (EU) and supported through a project titled “Improving Parliamentary Performance in Pakistan (IP3).”

Chief guest at the ceremony, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq while appreciating the initiative said that youth has an important role to play in democracy.“YPA programme is a great opportunity for fresh graduates to gain access and experience with the country’s supreme legislative body and to be part of its democratic processes and endeavours,” he said. He further informed that six YPAs have already been hired at research centre of the National Assembly Secretariat.

“The EU is dedicated to fostering democratisation in Pakistan. Therefore the support will continue for parliamentary reforms at federal and provincial levels,” the EU Ambassador Jean-Francois Cautain said. Substantial assistance was also being provided for enhancement of electoral processes with a view to make them more inclusive, transparent and credible, he said.



Senator Muhammad Mohsin Khan Leghari said that the YPAs filled the gaps of research work during their time at the Parliament. “The programme should be expanded,” he said.

“Under the YPA initiative, from 2013 to 2016, 95 talented young people were exposed to the work of Parliament in three groups,” IP3 Team Leader Donna Bugby Smith said while giving an overview of the programme.

They were trained to provide research assistance and support to committees, departments and wings of both houses and individual parliamentarians, she said.

“The whole hearted commitment and great efforts of the parliamentary secretariats and Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Services (PIPS) made the exposure to the parliamentary work a truly unique life experience for the young associates,” Smith added.

PIPS Acting Executive Director Muhammad Rashid Mafzool Zaka recalled the intensive training period of these young associates at the institute and said that the experience will take them to new heights.

Former YPAs were also all praises for the brilliant opportunity to start their career with. “The programme was prodigious revelation to enormous professional atmosphere to realise career goals,” a former YPA Freeha Ihsan said while talking to The Express Tribune.

Rana Muhammad Dilawar, another former YPA regarded the experience to be a confidence builder. “YPA programme has boosted our morale by giving us a chance to work in prime institution of the country” he said.

Ujala Razaq termed her time at the Parliament as a diverse experience. “YPA programme, as a whole and not just career wise, gave me an opportunity to meet and work with people with diverse educational backgrounds that I consider as a lifetime experience,” she said.

The event was well attended by parliamentarians, representatives of the EU member states and officials of parliamentary secretariats.

Given the benefits of the programme for youth as well the Parliament, National Assembly has made a commitment to launch its own internship programme later in 2016. Senate has already launched two comprehensive internship and clerkship programmes that focus on engaging young professionals to provide additional research and administrative support to the Parliament.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 18^th, 2016.