Lotus Social Welfare Trust International

Membership International Federation Ageing (IFA) CANADA

Non-Governmental (NGOs)

Head Offic:B-11/374 Indus Mehran Houseing Society Malir Karaci No.37 Postal Code 75080 Pakistan

Tel: 009221-4503493
Fax: 009221-2418954

Email no lotustrust@hotmail.com / lotustrust@yahoo.com

National Youth Council of Pakistan (NYCOP)
P.O. Box 15015
Karachi, Pakistan
Tel: 92 21 612 896
Fax: 92 21 454 9354

Statistics on Youth

Demographic Indicators:

Total Population 1995:

136,257,000

Projected Population 2030:

286,736,000

Youth Population (15-24) 1995:

18.9%

Projected Youth Population 2030:

19.0%

Male Population (15-24) 1995:

11,883,000

Female Population (15-24) 1995:

10,904,000

Median Age 1995 (years):

18.6

Urban Population (15-24) 1995:

n/a

Rural Population (15-24) 1995:

n/a

Educational Indicators:

Education Compulsory Age (years):

n/a

Illiterate Total (15+) 1995:

62.2% (Total:74.3%; Urban:52.6%; Rural:83.2%~1981)

Illiterate Males (15+) 1995:

50% (Total:64.6%; Urban:43.1%; Rural:73.9%; ~1981)

Illiterate Females (15+) 1995:

75.6% (Total:85.2%; Urban:64.1%; Rural:93.4%~1981)

Gross Enrolment 1994:

Secondary % of relevant age:

M:33; F:17 (1991)

Tertiary % of relevant age:

M:3.7; F:2 (1990)

Public Expenditure on Education:

As % of Current Government Expenditures:

5.2% (1980)

Expenditure on 2nd Level:

19.1% (1989)

Expenditure on 3rd Level:

18.3% (1989)

Employment Indicators:

Economic activity (15-19) in %:

33.4% (1994)

Economic activity (20-24) in %:

47.8% (1994)

Annual growth rate (15-19) in %:

M:-1.2%; F:-0.4% (1994)

Annual growth rate (20-24) in %:

M:1.2%; F:0.5% (1994)

Youth and Labor Force in %:

24.1% (M:20.2%; F:3.9%) (1994)

Total Unemployment in %:

4.8% (1994)

Youth Unemployment (15-19) in %:

M:16.9%; F:4.9% (1994)

Youth Unemployment (20-14) in %:

M:13.6%; F:3.6%

Health Indicators:

Male Life Expectancy (years) 1995:

62

Female Life Expectancy (years) 1995:

64

Birth Rate 1995:

3.8

Infant Mortality Rate in %:

9.0

Average Annual Population Growth in %:

2.5

Leading Causes of Death:

n/a

Human Rights Instruments:

Of 15 major international legal instruments adopted by intergovernmental bodies of the United Nations system relating to the human rights of youth, the government of Pakistan has ratified or acceded to the following four: Medical Examination of Young Persons: Sea (ILO/1921); Night Work of Young Persons: Industry (ILO/1948); Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others (UN/1949); Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery (UN/1956).

National Youth Policy

In 1989 a separate Ministry of Youth was set up and then subsequently merged into the Ministry of Sports, Culture, Tourism and Youth. The Department of Youth Affairs in the Ministry of Culture and Tourism coordinates the national youth policy of Pakistan in partnership with two national youth NGO platforms; the All-Pakistan Youth Federation (APYF) and the National Youth Council of Pakistan (NYCP). Those are the major non-governmental coordinating bodies.

The national youth policy of Pakistan was adopted in 1993 and is based on a human resource development emphasis. It promotes youth empowerment and integration awareness as well as family planning and couselling. A National Youth Employment Council was set up to promote a youth employment scheme which includes micro-credit projects for and with youth. A Youth Awareness Camp was also set up to encourage youth participation as Environment Volunteers to work on projects to protect the environment. All citizens aged 18 and over are eligible to vote. Religious minorities and women vote for special reserved seats. The Government recognizes the rights of national youth movements to organize on a non-governmental basis for political and non-political activities. Pakistan has established a social action programme, which addresses the urgent needs of the population, including youth, in the areas of basic education, primary health care, nutrition, water supply and sanitation.

National Youth and Student Coordinating Bodies:

In Pakistan, there exists two national youth NGO umbrella organizations. One is the All Pakistan Youth Federation (APYF). It was established in 1985 and has in all 547 youth NGOs as member organizations. Its structure consists of a youth cabinet, a youth parliament, an advisory council and a national youth assembly. Furthermore, there are six comparable structures on the local level. It seeks to channel the activities of the its members, to provide them with information and to build up an infrastructure between the national youth organizations. The APYF aims to improve the social, cultural situation of the national youth, thus to promote youth employment, population planning and environmental conversation, to fight against drug abuse, HIV/AIDS and illiteracy, and finally to work for the protection of human rights especially regarding on children, youth and women. In this context the APYF plans to establish a Child Labour Rehabilitation Centre and a Women Resource Development Centre. Furthermore, APYF wants to organize financial support from governmental or non-governmental institutions for programmes and activities concerning youth and to take part in the formulation of national youth policies. The last cluster of aims concerns the representation of the youth of Pakistan on the international level and the exchange of experience with international agencies. The APYF is affiliated to the World Assembly of Youth (WAY). Its activities include training camps for youth leaders, work camps and workshops concerning the topics mentioned above, the establishment of health care and education centres, campaigns concerning health, environment and humanitarian aid and the engagement in exchange programmes.

The second umbrella organization is called the National Youth Council of Pakistan (NYCOP). It was established as a regular organization in 1987 in the context of the return of the civilian government in Pakistan. Its members are organizations from the local or city level. The main purpose of the organization is to give young people the appropriate means to improve their perspectives and to shape their own life in a better way, through training and motivation. It aims to promote the unity of Pakistani youth and to enhance their participation in national development and international cooperation. Thus, the NYCOP is engaged in conferences, training seminars, campaigns, exchanges and the representation of youth in national, regional and world youth meetings. Currently, it is engaged in launching a campaign for It has relations to the National Department of Youth Affairs of the Government and is affiliated to the Asian Youth Council (AYC).

A contact list of youth organizations in Pakistan follows:

All Pakistan Youth Federation (APYF)
Haleem Building 4
Mozang Road
Lahore, Pakistan

Baloch Student Organization (BSO)
Room No. 12
Baluchistan University Hostel
Sarab Road, Quetta
Baluchistan, Pakistan

Department of Youth Affairs
Ministry of Culture and Tourism
College Rd
Shalimur 7/2
Islamabad, Pakistan

Jeay Sindh Student Federation (JSSF)
Room No. 87 Al-Razi Hostel
Linquat Medical College
Janshoro Sindh, Pakistan

Jeay Sindh Taraqi Students Fed (JSTSF)
29-A Muhammadi Town, Qasimabad
Hyderabab
Sindh 71000, Pakistan

National Youth Council of Pakistan (NYCOP)
P.O. Box 15015
Karachi, Pakistan

National Youth League of Pakistan
35/C Rizvia Society
Karachi 18, Pakistan

Pakistan Progressive Student Alliance (PPSA)
Sarda Printing Press
Gari Khatta Hyderabad
Sindh, Pakistan

Pashtoonkhwa Students Organization (PSO)
Central Secretariat
Club Road
Quetta, Pakistan

Shaukat Ali Bhatti
House No. A-1/11
Chotta Gate, Airport
Karachi-75200, Pakistan

Sindhi Shagird Tahreek (SST)
Awami House, Gadi Khatta
Hyderabad Sindh, Pakistan

Mr. Akbar Ali, Chairman
Supreme Council, Al-Abbas Welfare Organization
3 Asmat Plaza - 1st Fl, Shahra-e-Liagat
P.O. Box 617
Quetta, Pakistan

Mr. Syed Zulfiqar Hussain, Consultant
Anti-Narcotics Campaign
Youth Council for Anti-Narcotics
29-8 Kot Khawaja Saeed
Lahore 9, Pakistan

United Nations System Focal Points on Youth:

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
UNDP Resident Representative
P.O. Box 1051
Islamabad, Pakistan
Tel: 92 051 279 165 74
Fax: 92 051 279 080 / 279 083
E-mail: fo.pak@undp.org

UN Information Centre
P.O. Box 1107
Islamabad, Pakistan
Tel: 92 51 270 610; 812 012; 213 553
Fax: 92 51 271 856
Cable: OMNIPRESS ISLAMABAD

United Nations System Projects on Youth:

The United Nations Information Center (UNIC) in Pakistan undertook a youth-related project in Islamabad, Pakistan. As part of the centre's outreach programme to the youth population, during 20-24 October, the UNIC Officer-in-Charge briefed groups of students on the aims and achievements of the United Nations during their visits to the Center. He also responded to questions by students on the working of the United Nations.

In addition, the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP), associated with the United Nations Office of Project Services (UNOPS), had undertaken a programme entitled "Integrated drug demand reduction project (PAK/651)", which lasted from August 1990 to December 1996. The project assisted the Government of Pakistan to develop its capacity to carry out innovative and more effective programmes of drug demand reduction in a variety of settings involving specified social and professional groups and institutions engaged in the country's development process. The project activities included: improving the competence of newly trained teachers; increasing the knowledge of drug abuse problems among drug workers; promoting greater public awareness of and action on the prevention of drug abusing behaviors; and determining the need for and interest in the development of a prototype workplace programme for the prevention and treatment of drug abuse among employees. The output of the project included training 2,000 secondary school teachers; developing of written treatment materials to support drug users and their families; and broadcasting public television programmes on drug abuse throughout Pakistan.

There are several other projects of the UN system which have components on youth in such sectors as agriculture, communications and information, culture, education, employment, environment, general development issues, health, human settlements and social development. Executing agencies include: FAO, UNCHS, ITU, UNESCO, ILO, UNOPS, IBRD and UN (DDSMS). An example of such a youth-related project was in the social development sector. UNDP allocated a total of US$2,456,647 for several projects in this sector, including one on "Technical Assistance for Institutional Development at the Grassroots level in Pakistan" (US$166,200) which included a youth component. Other youth-related projects in this sector concerned women in development (girls and young women) and disabled persons (disabled youth).

Other Countries

Sources:
Demographic Indicators: Demographic Yearbook 1995 (United Nations, New York, 1997). World Population Prospects (United Nations, New York, 1996)
Education Indicators: UNESCO, Statistical Yearbook, 1996
Employment Indicators: Yearbook of Labour Statistics (ILO, Geneva, 1995); Yearbook of Labour Statistics (ILO, Geneva, 1996). When no recent data was available, Youth Movements of the World, United Kingdom; 1990 was used.
Health Indicators: World Health Statistics, (WHO, Geneva, 1995). World Development Indicators, (Worldbank, Washington, DC, 1997). Statistical Charts and indicators on the Situation of Youth, UN, New York: 1992.
Human Rights Instruments: Charts of Ratification of International Instruments (ILO, UNESCO, UN, 1990)
National youth policy and Youth focal points: Data Base on Youth, Youth Unit, 1997.

Disclaimer: The United Nations Youth programme makes every effort to provide country information based on the above sources. However, there may be mistakes due to the volume of data. Please send any comments and suggestions to The information provided does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations.