ISLAMABAD, Sep 23 :Policymakers, development practitioners, and civil society experts convened at Forman Christian College University (FCCU) for a high-level Data for Development (D4D) policy dialogue titled \u201cHarnessing the Demographic Dividend:
\nForging an Action Plan for Punjab.\u201d<\/p>\n
The dialogue was jointly organized by UNFPA, the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), FCCU, with support from the Government of the Netherlands, said a press release on Tuesday.
\nThe gathering brought together key stakeholders from the public sector, policymaking bodies, development partners, and academia. Its objective was to foster collaboration and gather critical input on UNFPA\u2019s proposed Action Plan, ensuring its efficiency and local relevance.<\/p>\n
The participants also discussed a road-map to align Punjab\u2019s development strategies with this plan, aiming to fully capture the province\u2019s demographic dividend and create a sustainable framework for long-term economic growth.<\/p>\n
The meeting further encouraged multi-sector partnerships to accelerate policy reforms, underscoring the importance of collective ownership and shared responsibility in achieving lasting progress.
\nNearly 60 percent of Pakistan\u2019s population is under the age of 30, offering a rare window to boost economic prosperity. Yet, persistent gaps in health, education, and job training threaten to turn this potential advantage into a challenge. Punjab, home to the nation\u2019s largest working-age population at 58.3 percent, stands at the heart of this opportunity.
\nExperts at the dialogue emphasized that without decisive action, the demographic window \u2014 expected to close by 2050\u2014could transform into a missed chance for national progress and sustainable development.
\nMasood Anwar, Chief Economist, Planning and Development Board, identified population growth, low literacy, unemployment, and inadequate infrastructure as core challenges. \u201cResults of planning do not come overnight. We must develop strong, long-term policies to control population growth and improve literacy. More schools, colleges, universities, and jobs are urgently needed,\u201d he stressed.
\nMahwish Sultana, MPA, highlighted the Punjab government\u2019s commitment to youth welfare, noting that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has launched several projects to uplift young people, including the Honahar Scholarship. \u201cQuality education, women\u2019s welfare, and economic stability remain top priorities,\u201d she said, citing new initiatives and legislation
\nfor youth and women\u2019s empowerment.
\nSpeaking on the occasion, Tania Durrani of UNFPA emphasized the urgency of investing in youth. \u201cNearly 60 percent of Pakistan\u2019s population is under 30, and Punjab holds the largest working-age share of its 127 million people. Without stronger investments in health, education, skills, and jobs, this opportunity could quickly become a demographic burden,\u201d she said.
\nHighlighting UNFPA\u2019s five-decade commitment to Pakistan, she detailed initiatives such as the Data for Development program, which strengthens data governance and supports Population Research Centers. \u201cReliable data is the backbone of smart decisions and accountability. But the clock is ticking,\u201d she warned, urging progress toward Punjab\u2019s population targets and expanded vocational training.
\nDr. Durre Nayab, Lead author of Action Plan speaking at the event, highlighted the rapid rise in population, noting that Punjab\u2019s population now makes up nearly half of Pakistan\u2019s total. She emphasized that while the people of Pakistan possess immense potential, it must be nurtured especially among the youth to unlock national progress.
\nShe stressed that the country\u2019s fast-growing population demands the development of income opportunities and the expansion of essential resources. Quality education, robust health infrastructure, and access to clean drinking water, she added, are critical priorities.
\nDr. Nayaab further underscored the importance of protecting labor rights, ensuring decent work conditions, allocating budgets fairly, and strengthening governance to meet future challenges.
\nDr. Nizamuddin, Former Chairman HEC Punjab, urged the introduction of skill-based education, particularly in public universities, and the improvement of infrastructure in remote areas to make schools more accessible. Dr. Sajid, Deputy Executive Director at SDPI and Lead for the D4D Initiative, stressed the need for a comprehensive strategy to address youth issues and called for stronger support from parliamentarians and policymakers.
\nDuring an interactive question-and-answer session, participants discussed challenges facing Punjab\u2019s youth and explored future strategies, receiving appreciation from attendees for their constructive insights.
\nThe dialogue concluded with a strong consensus that Punjab\u2019s demographic advantage can drive inclusive growth only through coordinated action in education, health, skill development, and employment generation. Stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to work collectively with government institutions, development agencies, and academia to translate today\u2019s discussions into measurable progress for the province and the nation, ensuring that the aspirations of young people are not only recognized but actively supported through concrete policies and well-funded programs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD, Sep 23 :Policymakers, development practitioners, and civil society experts convened at Forman Christian College University (FCCU) for a high-level Data for Development (D4D) policy dialogue titled \u201cHarnessing the Demographic Dividend: Forging an Action Plan for Punjab.\u201d The dialogue was jointly organized by UNFPA, the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), FCCU, with support from the …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":87165,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-87149","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/87149","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=87149"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/87149\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":87167,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/87149\/revisions\/87167"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/87165"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=87149"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=87149"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nabanews.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=87149"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}