Capacity Building Workshop: Youth Engagement, Leadership and Participation for
Transparent and Inclusive Governance
Capacity Building Workshop: Youth Engagement, Leadership and Participation for Transparent and Inclusive Governance
Venue: Thar Nursing Institute Umerkot, Sindh
Date: 15th May 2023
Transparency International Pakistan in collaboration with Sukaar Welfare Organization organized Capacity Building workshop on the topic: “Youth Engagement, Leadership and Participation for Transparent and Inclusive Governance” on May 15th, 2023 at Thar Nursing Institute, Umerkot. The objective of the workshop was to raise awareness and enhance capacity of young people on the role they can play for the promotion of transparent and inclusive governance in their communities and at the sub-national level.
The workshop was attended by 65 participants including the government stakeholders from social welfare department, information department, education department, district government office, district disaster management authority, social activists, and students from Thar Nursing Institute.
The workshop began with the recitation of the Holy Quran. Afterwards, Advocate Muhammad Bux Kumbhar, Executive Director Sukaar Welfare Organization, Umerkot welcomed the participants and gave overview of his organization.
Next Mr. Kashif Ali, Executive Director, Transparency International Pakistan gave a brief introduction of Transparency International work in Pakistan and provided a synopsis into the projects currently being implemented by TI-Pakistan. In his speech, he highlighted the importance of youth involvement, particularly during this critical period when the country requires the active participation of young people both politically and economically.
He went on to state that Transparency International Pakistan remains deeply dedicated to its anti-corruption mission and regards the youth as crucial to achieving transparent governance. He emphasized that the majority of Pakistan’s population is comprised of young people and without their active participation; the decision-making process in the country would be incomplete
Next, Advocate Muhammad Bux Kumbar, ED Sukaar Welfare Organization spoke on the topic “Leadership Skills and Role of Youth in Transparent & Inclusive Governance”. He shared different types of leadership skills which students need to become better leaders tomorrow. He emphasized on integrity, moral values and ethics and encouraged students to empower themselves to become influential and impactful individuals in their respective spheres.
Mr. Bux discussed in detail Sindh Youth Policy 2018 and highlighted that the idea behind youth policy was to encourage active involvement of young people particularly on the issues that affect them. He insisted that youth participation is important to enhance the democratic process so that the society can listen to the voices of the young people. He also identified various gaps in Sindh Youth Policy 2018 such as lack of implementation of the key reforms that the policy envision.
Moving forward, Mr. Kashif Ali, ED TI Pakistan gave a compressive presentation on the topic “Sustainable Development Goals and Right to Information”. He highlighted that young people have crucial role in the implementation of SGDS in Pakistan. He briefed the students that SGDs were adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015 and these include 17 goals which are at the heart of sustainable development and prosperity of any country. However, this inspiring vision is challenged by risks, the most serious of which is that all 17 unanimously adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) could be severely undermined by corruption.
Mr. Kashif Ali also spoke in detail about Right to Information (RTI) and how citizens can access information from public departments under RTI. He gave brief introduction of the RTI Laws in Pakistan and the process of using right to information. He highlighted that under Article 19-A of the Constitution, any citizen of Pakistan can request information from the government department by submitting a written request to the Public Information Officer (PIO) of the concerned department on plain paper. According to the law, every department is required to designate Public Information Officer (PIO) and provide the required information in writing to the citizen within 14 to 28 days.
Later on, participants resumed for a short tea break.
Following a brief tea break, the session resumed with breakout group sessions. The participants were divided into six groups, allowing for more focused discussions. After a productive brainstorming session, the students were tasked to share their recommendations on the Sindh Youth Policy 2018. This exercise aimed to harness the shared wisdom and innovative thinking of the students, ensuring their voices were heard and their insights were captured in shaping the youth policy effectively. The students gave various recommendations including enhancing youth representations among political parties, recruitments on merit, establishment of skills development centers, and better job opportunities for young people.
The next speaker was Mr. Muhammad Khan Memon from Social Welfare Department Sindh. He highlighted the work related to Sindh Youth Policy 2018. Mr. Memon said that the vision of the Youth Policy is to create an enabling environment for the youth, by providing those equitable opportunities to realize their full potential in a safe, secure, conducive and friendly environment. He also highlighted provincial government commitment towards resolving issues of young people in Sindh Province.
Moving on, Ghulam Raza Khoso, Deputy Director of the Information Department in Umerkot addressed the audience and expressed his thoughts on the significance of information in the present era. He highlighted how the youth can harness the abundance of information available to them in a meaningful manner. Recognizing the digitalization era we live in, he urged the youth to maximize their potential and create opportunities for self-improvement while also actively contributing to uplifting society as a whole.
Next speaker was Mr. Fareed Ahmed Kumbar, Taluka Education Officer, Union Council Pithoro, District Umerkot. He emphasized that Education is a powerful tool that has the potential to transform and uplift the whole society. He stressed that collective efforts are to be made to combat corruption in education sector and to promote merit based recruitment which is crucial for building a fair and just society. He shared that district education department has strict policy based on merit through which all recent recruitments have been made in the department. He emphasized that transparent implementation of the policies and accountability on systems for hiring and promoting educators can help reduce corruption.
Moving on, next speaker was Mr. Saroopchand Malhi, Member District Disaster Management Authority DDMA. He highlighted the commendable efforts of his department in responding to the floods that ravaged Pakistan, particularly Sindh. He informed the students that the DDMA had not only worked tirelessly during floods but also during the rehabilitation phase. He encouraged students to volunteer with DDMA and become part of their team to support their ongoing work.
The next speaker was Mr. Mushtaque Ali Kumbhar, Public Relations Officer to Deputy Commissioner Umerkot. He highlighted that different avenues are available for youth to mobilize and contribute through youth led community projects and emphasized that such initiatives will also help the stakeholders in implementing the Sindh Youth Policy 2018. He advised students to pursue volunteerism and practice integrity which is key to their success as future leaders.
Next speaker was Mr. Munesh Kumar who shared his inspiring journey, determination and resilience despite facing special needs. He encouraged the students to always believe that their aspirations can be achieved regardless of any limitations. Munesh Kumar passionately encouraged the youth, and motivated them that with strong intentions and ambitions, nothing can hinder their path to success.
At the conclusion of the workshop, participants expressed their gratitude for the informative session conducted at their institute by Transparency International Pakistan. They acknowledged the value of the knowledge shared and the insights gained throughout the session. The event was followed by certificate distribution and lunch.
