Govt to Recruit 1 Crore Youth as Social Awareness Ambassadors

Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal has unveiled plans to enlist 10 million young Pakistanis as Social Awareness Ambassadors through the URAAN Pakistan initiative. The ambassadors will promote child health, nutrition and early childhood development initiatives nationwide. At a national dialogue on nutrition and early childhood development, the minister emphasized that Pakistan's population stands at approximately 260 million, with nearly 60 percent consisting of young people.

This demographic makes investing in human development a national priority. Iqbal highlighted that 40 percent of Pakistani children face stunted growth, underscoring the critical importance of the first five years of life for a child's physical and mental development. He stressed that nutrition should not be treated in isolation, but rather supported by improved maternal healthcare, clean drinking water, sanitation, hygiene, and quality early education.

The minister stressed that Pakistan's progress towards 2047, marking 100 years of independence, hinges on raising a healthy, educated and skilled generation. Iqbal pointed out that Pakistan's policies are not lacking, but rather hampered by weak implementation and a lack of policy continuity. He called for enhanced coordination between federal and provincial governments to ensure the success of the URAAN Pakistan initiative.