Khawaja Ahmed

Youth Parliament

INTRODUCTION To engage the Pakistani youth in healthy discourse and expose them to the democratic process and practices, PILDAT launched the project of first-ever Youth Parliament Pakistan (YPP) in 2007. Members of YPP are selected for a duration of one year during which they meet for five one-week terms. The first batch of Youth Parliament Pakistan was selected in 2007 and from thereon, Youth Parliament has had five batches so far in 2007, 2008-2009, 2009-2010, 2012 and 2013. The establishment and facilitation of the YPP is part of PILDAT's focus on the country's youth demographic and it's awareness, education and training in the norms of politics and democracy. We at PILDAT strongly feel that the sustainability of sound democratic institutions in Pakistan is not possible without the involvement of our youth in the democratic and political process; be it only as a citizen or voter. The Youth Parliament Pakistan project is currently supported by the Royal Danish Embassy, Islamabad. OBJECTIVES The goal of the YPP initiative is to educate the Pakistani Youth about politics and democracy and to demonstrate to them how Parliaments are able to: do legislation; debate matters of national and international concern; demand accountability from those in government; discuss legislation in committee; change government without recourse to civil disorder; and make and enforce their own rules of conduct. In addition, YPP serves as a useful platform to voice young people's concerns about a range of national and international issues. The debates in the YPP are meant to not only help the members in their personal development as useful citizens, they also serve the purpose of articulating views of the youth on vital issues facing the nation and conveying these to the Government.