Pakistan plans to mobilize one million young people as community volunteers to help tackle low literacy, childhood malnutrition and millions of out-of-school children, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Tuesday.
The initiative aims to use the country’s large youth population to address some of its most persistent human development challenges. Nearly one-third of Pakistan’s estimated 257 million people are aged between 10 and 24, according to the UN Population Fund.
Pakistan also has the world’s second-highest number of out-of-school children, with UNICEF estimating that 25.1 million children aged 5 to 16 are not attending school. The World Bank says around 40% of children under five suffer from stunted growth.
Iqbal said the government is developing a nationwide program under which young Pakistanis will work as social mobilizers in their communities to promote behavioral change and connect national development priorities with people at the grassroots level.
The volunteers will support efforts to get children into school, raise awareness about health and nutrition, discourage drug and tobacco use, and promote healthier lifestyles. They will also take part in environmental campaigns, including plantation drives.
The minister said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to formally launch the program on November 9.
However, the government has not yet shared details on how the one million participants will be recruited or trained, whether they will be paid, how much the program will cost, or how its impact will be measured.
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