Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formed the National Youth Council to “engage youth, increase their empowerment in policy-making and give them more meaningful role” in strengthening of institutions.

The prime minister would be the patron in chief of the council which would be headed by the Prime Minister Youth Programme Chairman as chairperson and ministers of youth affairs of the provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan would be the members.

The council would have 113 youth members and would work for and represent young people, aged 10 to 29 years, according to a statement. It would act as an “official representative body of youth-led civil society, both from the public and private sectors from across Pakistan.”

It would work to advance the “pro-youth development and empowerment agenda” as outlined in the National Youth Development Framework by advising on and facilitating processes and mechanisms that include and integrate young people into policy-making, implementation, monitoring and evaluation at all levels of government.

“It will provide a sustainable platform for unified engagement with decision-makers in the public and private sectors as well as international youth-led development initiatives. It will mobilise the voice of young people and advocate with all levels of government to meaningfully engage young people,” said the statement.

Moreover, the council would identify policy and institutional gaps and provide strategic advice and direction for youth development and empowerment.

The council would also support federal, provincial and local government institutions in developing youth-focused programmes, initiatives and institutional reforms. “It will monitor and assess the impact of pro-youth schemes and initiatives at all levels of government and will strengthen the structure and institutionalization of the National Youth Council.”

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The council members would work around “seven thematic areas including support in areas of policy, media, institutionalization of National Youth Council, support to marginalised youth, employment, reproductive health and youth engagement.”