The Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC), in collaboration with Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) and UNFPA Pakistan recently held a pivotal consultative session aimed at reviewing the political economy of Youth Departments and the Sindh Youth Policy, 2018. Chaired by Mr. Iqbal Ahmed Detho Chairperson, SHRC, The session focused on identifying gaps and barriers hindering the effective implementation of the Youth Policy, 2018, in Sindh. Key objectives included understanding the challenges faced by provincial youth departments, assessing their political and functional capacity, and exploring barriers to policy implementation while suggesting actionable solutions.
The session brought together representatives from various provincial departments, such as education, labor, health, population welfare, social welfare, STEVTA, CSSP, Pahel Pakistan, and school and college education, as well as civil society organizations.
Through in-depth discussions, several recommendations emerged to enhance youth policy implementation. These included organizing sessions to guide students on career and social life, integrating human rights into the school syllabus, and fostering district-wise collaboration among Sports Officers, the Youth Affairs Department, and the Education Department.
It was recommended that regular coordination meetings between all relevant departments and civil society integrate the labor department into youth policies and create monthly or bi-monthly progress reports on policy implementation. Additionally, the session highlighted the need to focus on improving the overall environment for youth and strengthening human resources and capacity within youth departments.