RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: Punjab youth policy should be thoroughly reviewed and redrafted so as to addressing the issues and challenges being faced by uneducated and rural youth as the current version of the policy focuses more on educated and urban youth. The issues of transgender/differently-able youth must also be more effectively addressed in Punjab Youth Policy.

This is one out of many recommendations put forth by the participants of a policy dialogue forum on Punjab youth policy and youth employability. The event was jointly organized here on Thursday by Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) International and Indus Consortium under UKAID-funded project ‘Empowering Youth for Employment and Entrepreneurship’.

Members of Punjab Assembly, academia, corporate executives, university students, youth representatives from various districts across the province and members of civil society participated in three different panel discussions probing roles of policy makers, private sector and academia pertaining to issues, challenges and pathways of youth employability. Participants had a consensus that the Punjab Youth Policy should encourage youth volunteerism as a mandatory requirement through private and public initiatives. They said youth policy should be a part of the curriculum, and be taught at all levels. Policy should suggest maximum percentage of GDP for the youth budget in the next five years. Right to employment and right to seek admission in all the educational institutions within Punjab should be ensured.

Speaking on the occasion, ruling PML-N’s provincial legislator Ramesh Singh Arora assured that recommendations formulated and submitted by the participants of this dialogue forum will be seriously considered by his party and issues highlighted would be inculcated in PML-N’s election manifesto along with durable solutions.

Hashim Bilal, country director of VSO, said that a multi sectoral approach towards the growing employability concerns in Pakistan is the need of the hour. “VSO, therefore, envision to provide a platform where the government, corporate giants, CSOs and the media can join hands and come up with their valuable inputs to address this issue. This policy dialogue will prove to be a stepping stone in providing direction to the largest demographic segment of our society,” Bilal anticipated.

While praising the role of civil society organizations in highlighting the social issues, Faiza Malik, an MPA of PPP, termed the lack of career counselling opportunities a serious concern. “Almost every parent in Pakistan wants his kids to become doctor or engineer. This is a worrying trend and must be discouraged. Every child should be allowed and encouraged to join the profession that matches their aptitude,” Faiza added.