HR&MA department in collaboration with YDF organizes1st Punjab Inclusive Governance Summit 2024

Press Release

Minister Human rights Khalil Tahir Sandhu attends as chief Guest

Lahore 26 March::
The Youth Development Foundation (YDF) and Department of Human Rights and Minority Affairs,
Government of Punjab organized 1st Punjab
Inclusive Governance Summit 2024 at a private hotel on Tuesday. Minister HR Khalil Tahir Sandhu attends the conference as chief Guest while Secretary of HR&MA Ali Bhadur Qazi, former secretary Dr Shoaib Akbar, special secretary of local Government attends the Summit as guest of honour. Executive Director YDF/ Convener Shahid Rehmat in his welcome address while highlighted the importance of conference said that YDF, backed by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), is expanding its successful program to strengthen inclusive governance. Our initiative focuses on empowering Minority Civic Agents (MCAs) including youth, women, and minorities across 16 Union Councils (UCs) in Lahore and Faisalabad. He further briefed that YDF empowered 60 Minority Civic Agents across 16 UCs, equipping them with updated local governance and community assessment skills. MCA engagement increased through tailored workshops for facility staff and establishing 16 UC
forums, alongside two District Governance Forums (Lahore & Faisalabad), dedicated to addressing
service delivery issues in minority neighborhoods.
The minister HR Khalil Tahir Sandhu said that hopefully Summit will promote mutual cooperation and active engagement among the members and various stakeholders while it is hoped that through the Minority Civic Agent Program, provision of basic facilities will be ensured at the grassroots level and by creating a District Governance Forum, all matters will be resolved amicably. He said that
main objective of Inclusive Governance Summit 2024 is to include people belonging to minorities in governance system. To encourage the Christian community, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has announced a special gazetted holiday on the occasion of Easter. He further said that full protection of social and religious rights of minorities is among the top priorities of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz. MPAs Raheela Khadim Hussain, Falbous Christopher, Sonia Ashir, Ejaz Alam Augustine and Shakeela Javed also expressed their views and appreciated the efforts of Youth Development Foundation and urged to continue such programs in future also. Guest of Honor included Asia Gul Special Secretary Local Government, Dr. Shoaib Akbar Former Secretary HR&MA, Ms. Kristin K. Hawkins The United States Consul General, Ali Bahadur Qazi Secretary Human Right and Minority Affairs department and MD WASA
Also expressed their views and emphasized on local issues of communities.
Summit concluded various consultations sessions in which common issues of minorities and their solutions discussed in details. Urooj Jahangir Program Manager Minority Civic Agents Progr (MCAP),
Shahid Rehmat YDF, Moderator: Syed Ali Raza Shah Public Sector Reforms Expert, Shahzad Akram Deputy Director of Local Government, Rashid Zahoor-General Manger Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC), Adnan Majeed Deputy Director National Database and registration Authority, Mehboob Qadir Shah Chief Information Commissioner RTI, Moderator Salman Abid Public Policy Adviser, Executive Director IDEA and Moderator: Mr. Muhammad Yousaf, Director Department
Interfaith Harmony, Punjab participated in panel discussions and suggested various solutions while representatives of various NGOs included Sabiha Shaheen from Bargad , Shahnawaz Khan from SPO, Sajid Christopher fro HFO, Mumtaz Hussain from (CHANGE) also took part in the panel discussions. All the participants promised to ba a part of cleanliness as half faith and emphasized every citizen to do his duty because no organization can move towards success alone. Addressing the concluding session of the summit, Gulbahaz Khan Consultant Program said that the purpose of today’s event was to create a governance forum to work in the eight union councils while all members will make an action plan today to find solutions to the problems. Problem solving efforts will be undertaken and a comprehensive action plan will be formulated to address service delivery issues and establish an effective co-ordination framework. The summit was attended by the representative Department of Human Rights, government officials, representatives of civil society organizations, minority rights advocates and UN representatives of ethnic minority citizens while at the end of summit
Appreciation Certificates and commemorative shields were Distributed among panelists and special guests.