Engaging youth and civil society is crucial for fostering a vibrant and participatory democracy. In the Provincial Assembly of Punjab, there is a need to create more structured platforms for youth engagement and to enhance the role of civil society in legislative processes. Currently, opportunities for youth and civil society participation are limited and often unstructured.
To address this, we propose:
1. The establishment of a Youth Assembly within the Punjab Assembly to provide a platform for young leaders to engage in legislative processes.
2. The appointment of Youth Ambassadors to advocate for youth issues within the Assembly and promote meaningful youth participation.
3. Collaboration with educational institutions will be strengthened to organize Assembly visits, mock sessions, and educational programs.
4. The creation of a Common Man’s Gallery to make parliamentary proceedings more accessible to the public.
5. The Parliamentary Development Unit has already launched a first of its kind structured and paid Internship Program with nearly 10 students from 5 different institutions across Punjab.
These interventions will result in greater youth and civil society engagement in legislative processes. The Youth Assembly and Youth Ambassadors will ensure that young voices are heard and considered in policy-making. Enhanced collaboration with educational institutions will foster a greater understanding of parliamentary processes among students. The creation of a Common Man’s Gallery will increase public accessibility to parliamentary proceedings, thereby promoting transparency and public participation.