Efforts are needed to raise awareness about the importance of youth civic engagement and its benefits to individuals and society. PHOTO: FILE
The engagement and participation of youth is essential to achieve sustainable human development.
This was said by International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Head of Pakistan Delegation Gorkhmaz Huseynov. He was addressing an event marking the International Youth Day under the theme ‘Youth Civic Engagement’ on Wednesday.
Efforts are needed to raise awareness about the importance of youth civic engagement and its benefits to individuals and society, including sustainable development, resilience, and wellbeing, he added.
Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) Secretary General Dr Rizwan Naseer said PRCS will make efforts to channelise youth energies and mobilise them for the betterment of society. The country currently has the largest group of young people in its history, as nearly 80 million of the total population is aged between 10 and 29, he said.
Dr Naseer said PRCS believes in youth as agents of behavioural change. In order to achieve the objective, PRCS is in process of developing a strong volunteer corps.
Presently, the PRCS has a volunteer registration of 1.7 million and aims to increase the number to 500,000 by the end of 2015, he informed.
UNDP representative Akhtarud Din said Pakistan has the best volunteers in the world and there is a need to properly use their energies for development of the country.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 13th, 2015.
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