Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Professor Ahsan Iqbal, has said that Pakistan is among the countries experiencing rapid population growth, with the country’s population reaching approximately 260 million, around 60 percent of whom are young people. He said the rapidly growing population was increasing the demand for nutrition, healthcare, education and early childhood development, making human resource development a major national challenge.
The Federal Minister expressed these views while addressing the closing ceremony of a multi-sectoral dialogue on accelerating nutrition and early childhood development in Pakistan.
Professor Ahsan Iqbal said the present era was one of equitable distribution and effective utilization of human resources, adding that Pakistan’s future would depend on the level of investment made today in the health, education, development and capabilities of its children and youth.
He said nearly 40 percent of children in Pakistan were affected by stunted growth, describing it as a serious national challenge. He emphasized that the foundation of a healthy society was laid during the first five years of a child’s life. Education and development begin from birth, he said, adding that nutrition, healthcare, upbringing and the environment in which a child grows during the early years have a profound impact on his or her entire life and, ultimately, on the future of society.
The Minister said nutrition could not be addressed in isolation, as it was closely linked with maternal and child health, access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene. He stressed that the health of mothers and children was interconnected and required an integrated and coordinated approach involving all relevant sectors.
He said it was the government’s responsibility to take effective measures for maternal and child health and place mothers and children at the center of development planning. He also emphasized the need for greater attention to early schooling and quality early childhood development, along with trained teachers for the early years of education.
Professor Ahsan Iqbal said Pakistan would complete 100 years of independence in 2047 and would need a healthy, educated, capable and creative generation at that time. He said the environment in which children were raised today would have a direct bearing on the social and economic development of Pakistan in the future.
Referring to the 18th Constitutional Amendment, the Minister said that several important sectors had been devolved to the provinces in 2010. However, the transfer of responsibilities had not resulted in the desired improvement in the quality of public services in several of these areas. He said while powers had been devolved to the provinces, there was a need to ensure that authority, resources and service delivery mechanisms were also effectively taken to the grassroots level.
He said the purpose of devolution was to provide better public services to citizens at their doorstep. Improving outcomes in health, education, nutrition and early childhood development would therefore require coordinated efforts by the federal and provincial governments, relevant institutions and all segments of society.
The Minister said the Ministry of Planning was taking up the issue of child development and nutrition at the national level and was working with all provinces to develop coordinated responses. He stressed that addressing these challenges required a shared national commitment and sustained, integrated action.
Ahsan Iqbal said Pakistan did not lack plans or policies; the real need was effective implementation and continuity of policies. He observed that had effective measures been taken to address these challenges in 2010, Pakistan would have overcome many of them much earlier. He stressed that policy continuity was essential for national development, while instability and frequent policy changes could undermine the development process.
He said Pakistan needed to strengthen its social foundations alongside economic growth and place social development objectives among its highest national priorities.
The Federal Minister announced that under URAAN Pakistan, a programme was being launched to enhance the capacity and potential of youth, under which 10 million young people would be mobilized as social awareness ambassadors. These youth ambassadors would conduct awareness campaigns in their respective areas, neighborhoods and communities on important social issues, particularly child health, nutrition, early education and early childhood development, and would help promote awareness and positive social change at the grassroots level.
He said the youth were Pakistan’s greatest strength and their energy and potential must be channeled towards constructive social transformation. He stressed that challenges relating to child health, nutrition and early childhood development must be addressed as a national mission through effective and sustained implementation.
The Minister said that if Pakistan wanted to build a strong and prosperous future for coming generations, it must place the health, education, nutrition and development of children at the centre of its national development agenda. The investment made in children today, he added, would form the foundation of Pakistan’s progress towards 2047.
The roundtable was attended by the UNICEF Country Director, Members of the Planning Commission, officials from relevant federal and provincial institutions, and representatives of the private sector. The participants held detailed discussions on maternal and child nutrition needs and deliberated on proposals and measures to accelerate coordinated action for improving nutrition and early childhood development in Pakistan.
