LAHORE - The government of Punjab needs to increase job quota for women by five percent and the Punjab Job Portal and Business Training Programmes should be extended to university and district level.

This was recommended by youth delegates from district Layyah while presenting a Charter of Demands at a two-day workshop. Youth development organisation Bargad in collaboration with Oxfam had organised the event titled “Workshop on Punjab Youth Policy (PYP) 2012: Orientation & Making Synergies with Youth of District Layyah”.

Twenty youth delegates, including fifteen girls from district Layyah, participated in the workshop, which was aimed at making synergies of Empower Youth for Work (EYW) Programme, being run in district Layyah by Bargad and Oxfam, with Implementation of Punjab Youth Policy 2012. The participants sought government’s support to empower young people, especially young women, in district Layyah through life skill, right-based and entrepreneurial skills education, financial and technical business development support and sustainable livelihood.

Youth delegates of the workshop prepared a Charter of Demands according to pressing needs of district Layyah and aligned with stipulations and pledges of the Punjab Youth Policy 2012.

The Charter of Demands urged the government of Punjab to establish skill development facilities up to the union council level and introduce courses in shoemaking, solar repairing, knitting, shorthand, spoken English and Chinese languages, entrepreneurship and soft skills. It proposed to train both males and females with modern agricultural techniques and provide career counselling programmes interest-free loans for youth in district Layyah. Small Industries Corporation should extend its services to district Layyah, the charter says. There is a need to upgrade existing intermediate colleges for women in district Layyah, it added.