PHOTO: EXPRESS/ FILE
KARACHI: Student unions will be revived and remodelled to promote women-friendly, pro-peace and student-centric activities on campus, said Youth Minister Abid Hussain Bhayo, adding that 5% of the seats will also be reserved for the youth in the local bodies.
The youth will be engaged in decision-making at the municipal and provincial levels while community service and volunteerism will be promoted, he said, speaking at the launch of Sindh’s first youth policy on Friday. “Through youth-led campaigns, interfaith harmony will be encouraged,” said Bhayo.
He added that the government of Sindh is aware of the sheer number of young people in the province and is working towards fundamental changes that will transform their potential into a driver of growth. He announced that under the Sindh Youth Policy, a youth development commission and youth venture capital fund will be established by the government.
The policy drew support from Oxfam, Bargad, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Right Here Right Now (RHRN) and Civil Society Support Programme (CSSP) as well as a number of other civil society and youth organisations.
Youth Affairs Department Secretary Dr Niaz Ali Abbasi announced the establishment of the Sindh Chief Minister’s e-Rozgar scheme, which will provide job opportunities to youth without formal education. “Efforts will be made to encourage youth entrepreneurship through training at incubation centres, market linkages and partnership with educational institutions,” he said.
‘Youth our hope for a brighter future’
According to him, 52% of Sindh is urban and a sizeable number of the population is young. They have very different needs compared to other demographics, he said, adding that Sindh’s youth rightfully demand opportunities for their education, health, personal development, recreation and a prosperous future.
The highlights of the youth policy include the establishment of the development commission, a district structure for the youth affairs department and a centralised information system on youth development. Other aspects include a job database and the establishment of a youth venture capital fund, he explained.
Oxfam Country Director Mohammed Qazilbash said that harnessing the energy and strength of young women and men to become active citizens is the core of Oxfam's goal of transformational change. “Young people in Sindh face multiple forms of inequality and grapple with challenges inherited from previous generations. This policy ensures that the youth will have the necessary skills and opportunities to define the future for themselves, their province and country,” he said.
“The Sindh Youth Policy aims to build youth who are economically sound, socially progressive and politically engaged, who possess appropriate skills and tolerant values of good citizens. The policy is central to systematically integrate, implement and evaluate all youth development work in the province,” he maintained.
‘The youth must stick to books if we are to progress’
Bargad Executive Director Sabiha Shaheen congratulated the youth of Sindh for being given a comprehensive framework aimed at their social, economic and political empowerment. “From 2012 to 2015, over 5,000 young people participated in the consultative process. The policy, devised in light of the suggestions and needs of Sindh’s youth, includes a clear roadmap, time-bound strategies, quantified targets and potential partners,” she said.
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