ISLAMABAD: Rana Mashood, Head of the Prime Minister’s Youth Program, delivered a keynote speech saying, “Supporting youth and engaging them in making policies to combat climate change is not only important, it is essential. Their innovative ideas and unique perspectives are powerful and inclusive. to form a sustainable future.” important in developing consumer climate policies.”
Empowering youth to create inclusive climate policies through policy learning challenges;
The Youth Policy Laboratory (YPL) platform emerged in collaboration with UN agencies – UNICEF, UNFPA, UNDP and the Prime Minister’s Youth Program (PMYP) School of Leadership (SoLF) in the framework of Generation Unlimited. ). The coalition launched the 2023 Policy Learning Challenge (HHR), an important step to engage young people at the policy level. Through HHR, YPL gives young people a platform to make their voices heard in policy decisions, ensuring that their unique needs are considered at critical development stages.
The Policy Learning Challenge is carefully designed to enable young people to evaluate and contribute to climate change policy. This initiative supports the views of young people in climate adaptation policy making, respects research opportunities and encourages active community participation. This initiative enables young people to make a significant contribution to building a more just, sustainable and promising future for society.
HHR 2023-24 not only reviews climate change mitigation policies, but also supports inclusion by identifying gaps, optimizing institutional arrangements, strengthening capacity and mobilizing support from various stakeholders, including the private sector.
To mark the peak of policy research, a major roundtable was held to foster dialogue between policymakers from various ministries, private stakeholders and young researchers. The event also aims to answer misunderstandings that support the inclusion of youth in research and policy making. Young researchers take a holistic approach to climate adaptation in districts such as Lahore, Johi, Skardu, Swat, Lasbela, Hub, Bahawalpur and Karachi, studying issues related to water, education, health, smog, agriculture and community sustainability. This approach highlights the importance of climate adaptation for human capital development in Pakistan.
Representatives of UNICEF, UNDP and UNFPA attended the event and highlighted the strategic importance of youth empowerment and the importance of evidence-based policy making to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
UNFPA Assistant Representative Dr. Rubina Ali said: “Tackling climate change requires innovative and community-based solutions. It requires a new perspective, and this solution can only be offered better by young people who know the world is struggling with its consequences.”
Inoussa Kabore. Deputy Representative (Goals), UNICEF Pakistan, said that researchers have taken a comprehensive approach to climate adaptation and have studied the challenges faced by communities and communities in water, education, health, climate, agriculture and social sustainability.
The highlight of the roundtable was the comparison of Policy and State Interface, where teenagers and youth researchers are directly involved with representatives of the ministry, to make a constructive dialogue to align teenagers and youth research with government policies, ensuring inclusiveness, accountability and effectiveness. different communities of Pakistan.
Dr. Muhammad Muktaar, Professor of WC National University of Excellence, concluded the event: “The active participation of young researchers in the Policy Research Competition shows their great potential to bring about meaningful change. By aligning innovative research with government policy, we hope that the voice youth will not only be heard, but also included in our national strategy, and more ensure that it paves the way for an inclusive and resilient future.
The Policy Learning Challenge is a testament to the transformative power of adolescents and youth in building a sustainable world, and their contribution will influence future policies. In the future, these young researchers will work with the government to contribute to policy issues to inspire positive change and incorporate youth perspectives into national policies to build a more just and sustainable future.
