ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced the formation of the National Youth Council (NYC) to engage the youth, empower them in policymaking, and strengthen their role in institutional development.
The Prime Minister will act as the patron-in-chief of the council, which will be chaired by the Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme. Provincial ministers for youth affairs from all four provinces, as well as representatives from Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), will serve as members.
The council will comprise 113 youth representatives aged between 10 and 29 and will function as an official body representing youth-led civil society organizations from both the public and private sectors across Pakistan.
The NYC’s mandate includes advancing the pro-youth development agenda outlined in the National Youth Development Framework. It aims to advise and facilitate processes for integrating young people into policymaking, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation at all levels of government.
The council will provide a platform for engaging with decision-makers in the public and private sectors and participating in international youth-led development initiatives. It will mobilize youth voices to advocate for their inclusion in decision-making at all levels.
The NYC will identify policy gaps and offer strategic advice on youth development and empowerment. It will assist federal, provincial, and local government institutions in designing youth-focused programs, initiatives, and institutional reforms.
Moreover, the council will monitor the impact of pro-youth schemes and initiatives and work to strengthen its structure and institutionalization.
Members of the council will focus on seven thematic areas, including policy support, media engagement, institutionalizing the NYC, marginalized youth support, employment opportunities, reproductive health, and youth engagement.
The initiative highlights the government’s commitment to youth inclusion in national development and policymaking, ensuring that their concerns are addressed and their potential is harnessed for the progress of the country.
