By: Maleeha Irfan
ISLAMABAD: The Institute for Social and Youth Development (ISYD) and YPEER Pakistan, in collaboration with Prime Minister’s Youth Program, Secours Islamique France (SIF), Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA), UNFPA Pakistan, AccountabilityLab Pakistan, Artivism Academy, and Milkar, successfully organized the 5th Interactive Youth Forum at The Millennium Universal College (TMUC) Islamabad. The forum, held on 7th March 2024 coinciding with the commemoration of International Women’s Day, brought together a diverse array of stakeholders, young people, activists, and leaders to empower adolescents and youth for global transformation and witnessed a diverse lineup of speakers, engaging discussions, and inspiring performances aimed at breaking barriers and building resilience among young individuals.
The forum commenced with opening remarks by Jayaa Jaggi, Director Programs at ISYD, setting the tone for a day filled with insightful discussions and meaningful exchanges. Fatima Yaseen (Program Associate – ISYD), in her introduction, provided an overview of the forum’s objectives and highlighted the pivotal role of ISYD in empowering youth across various thematic areas.
The event featured a motivational monologue by Maya Zaman, a renowned transgender rights activist and entrepreneur, who shared her inspiring journey and emphasized the importance of resilience in overcoming challenges.
Dr. Yasmin Qazi, Senior Country Advisor on FP/MNCH to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, shared a powerful video message emphasizing the importance of empowering adolescents and youth. Her message centered on the critical need for access to information and services related to healthcare, highlighting the role of youth in driving positive change and advocating for their rights.
Panel 1 which was moderated by Ms. Hina Fatima from SIF, entitled, “Empowering Adolescents and Youth to reinforce gender equality, life skills-based education, health and wellbeing, climate action, and sustainable change.” The panelists including Hajra Qadeer (Environmentalist), Rabia Pasha (Programme Officer, Adolescents & Youth SRHR, UNFPA), Rahul Joshua (Manager Operations, Support Children), and Chocolate (Data Entry Officer, Dareecha), engaged in a dynamic discussion, sharing valuable insights and strategies for empowering youth in diverse domains. Highlights of the panel included discussions on promoting gender equality, embracing inclusion, fostering life skills-based education, and advocating for climate action.
There was another motivational monologue by a renowned activist. Abia Akram, the founder of the National Forum of Women with Disabilities in Pakistan, delivered a motivational monologue, highlighting the resilience and determination of women with disabilities in pursuing their goals and advocating for their rights and empowerment.
Panel 2, moderated by Jayaa Jaggi from ISYD, entitled, “Leadership and Collaboration to Foster Partnerships for Impact.” The panelists, including Altaf Abro (Head of Mission, SIF), Sadia Atta (Development Practitioner), Farhan Khalid (Senior Programs Manager, Accountability Lab Pakistan), and Aniqa Haider (CEO, Zaidi Foundation), discussed the importance of collaborative leadership in driving positive change and fostering impactful partnerships and they also shared their work on adolescents and youth, climate action, community development and leadership. Highlights included discussions on effective partnership models, strategic philanthropy, and leveraging resources for maximum impact.
Another motivational monologue was presented by Ms. Ayesha Rehman (Founder, DIA), who is a passionate youth and disability rights activist. She shared her struggling journey and success story. Her inspiring words resonated with attendees, highlighting the importance of inclusion, accepting and respecting people with different abilities equality with dignity.
Following a great panel discussion, Uzma Yaqoob, Executive Director of FDI, delivered a keynote session on youth, gender equality, and climate action, emphasizing the pivotal role of youth in addressing global challenges. She also talked about the International Women’s Day and Aurat March.
Panel 3 – A dialogue on menstrual health and management, moderated by Ms. Fatima Jaffar from Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA), provided a platform for discussing critical issues related to menstrual health and breaking taboos surrounding the topic. Ms. Fatima also shared the success stories of the project, “Young Omang” under which ISYD is working with ITA as a grassroots CSO and conducting different activities, campaign and advocating for MHM.
Guest Speaker – Ms. Latika Maskey Pradhan, Deputy Representative of UNFPA Pakistan shared her remarks and valuable vision for youth. She gave her remarks highlighting the importance of youth empowerment, Life Skills-Based Education, and collaboration in achieving sustainable development goals and empowering young people to make healthy and informed decisions.
The forum also included an award distribution ceremony among ambassadors and the management team, recognizing their contributions to the success of the event. The day ended on a high note with a captivating musical performance, leaving attendees inspired and motivated to continue their efforts toward positive change.
The event concluded with the closing remarks of Joshua Dilawar from ISYD and in his closing remarks, he expressed gratitude to all participants, speakers, management team and partner organizations for their invaluable contributions to making the 5th Interactive Youth Forum a resounding success.
The 5th Interactive Youth Forum served as a dynamic platform for meaningful dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration, emphasizing the importance of empowering youth as agents of change. Through engaging discussions, motivational monologues, and interactive sessions, participants were inspired to take action and contribute to positive societal transformation.