‘Pakistan must use youth for community uplift’

PESHAWAR: The youth can play a pivotal role in nation building in developing countries through community participation, said Susan Stroud, executive director of innovation in civic participation (ICP), USA.

“We think that the youth in Pakistan is an extraordinary resource which should be mobilised for the country’s development,” she said during a lecture on ‘Voluntarily Community Participation’ at the Peshawar Press Club. She said that if activated, the youth could play a constructive role in community development. Stroud had worked for youth mobilisation for community development in former US president Bill Clinton’s first administration. “I have worked in this sector with the Clinton administration and other organisations for eight years and believe that a community cannot be developed without involving young people,” she said.

Stroud said that there were ample examples from around the world where young people had made a difference. “In South Africa and Nicaragua, the youth were the key drivers in national development,” she said. She said that sensible policies of the governments of these countries and the effective use of their resources had enabled tremendous progress within a very short time. staff report

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