First Meeting of the Working Group for “National Adolescents Development Policy Framework 2009-2013” Held

The first meeting of the working group to develop “National Adolescents Development Policy Framework” was held on 4 March, 2009 at WPF office in Islamabad in collaboration with Plan Pakistan. A total number of 16 participants, from various organizations working on adolescent issues as well as Ministry of Youth Affairs attended the meeting.

The participants were briefed about the initiative to develop National Adolescents Development Policy Framework (NADPF). Situational analysis on the issues of adolescents was presented. Following an elaborate discussion on experience sharing from adolescents’ development perspective, the following decisions were concluded:

1. The objective for the development of the Policy framework should be focused and the objectives must be derived from issues faced by adolescents. There is a further need to refine the objectives. The Group should emphasize on small areas so that the greater mission can be tackled holistically.
2. The Working Group should also include participants from other provinces and consultations need to be held at the district and provincial levels as already proposed by WPF and Plan.
3. The Group will meet at least 3 times during the course of the next three months.
4. The Group encouraged an extensive literature review, keeping the latest research and the authenticity of the source in mind. Also names of researchers working of adolescents were shared.
5. The Policy framework ought to be culturally appropriate.
6. Due to age specific demands of various groups and the over lap of these groups, the group decided to call the framework, “Child and Adolescent Health and Development”.
7. The member organizations should own the framework and must advocate for it to be part of relevant policies.
8. Besides the shared ‘identifiable issues’ , lack of information, access to services, rural participation and a need to implement Life Skills were identified.
9. A working document will be shared with the Working Group (in April) before making further consultations in this regard.

Once recommendations of the working group are incorporated in the working paper and a broader research is carried out for better understanding of adolescents’ issues, a second working group meeting will be held tentatively on Thursday, 9th April 2009 at Plan-Pakistan Office. The second meeting will focus on the formulation of National Adolescents Development Policy Framework.