Youth has the power to move the country into the next phase of political and economic independence if they effectively mobilize other young people in their communities.
Pakistan currently has the largest generation of young people ever in its history, with about two-thirds of the total population under 30 years of age. This includes children under 15 who will be tomorrow's youth. The youth cohort, defined as those between 15-29 years of age, Youth under the age of 25 constitutes 63% of total population of Pakistan.
As a section of the populace that is transiting to adulthood, this 'youth bulge' will prove to be either a dividend or a disaster for the country, depending on how Pakistan invests in its development. The Pakistan National Human Development Report 2017 focuses on the youth as a critical force for shaping human development. (Najam & Bari, 2017)
A youth bulge that is an opportunity now but will turn into a disaster if not dealt with appropriately; o How the youth develop and grow will critically impact Pakistan as a country. For instance, if engaged and utilised properly, the youth can serve as catalysts for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); o The youth, a massive segment of the population transitioning between childhood and adulthood, will not remain youth forever - hence the need to act now.
The situation is urgent, because the youth bulge will start to decrease after another three decades. To attain the maxi-mum benefit, it is imperative to invest in the youth now to enhance their wellbeing as well as the country's human development.
The main responsibility lies on the mothers who are training the future generations in their laps. The mothers are responsible to injunct such attributes in their children for their firm upbringing upon religious beliefs and attributes. A woman should be strict in some points which are mentioned below:
Encourage children according to their potential
Each child comes with his own distinctive potential. The Holy Prophet (S) has said: Human beings are like mines of gold and silver. Children have abilities that could lead to great achievements. Some show skill and interest in a certain area, while others prefer a different one.
Apart from not trying to compare children with one another, a good mother tries to bring out the best in each child. She makes the child develop his skills in whatever area he is good at, as well as remedy the weakness in each child. If one child is very shy, for example, the mother should not demand that he socialize and interact with others the way his siblings do (Alesina & Reich, 2015). Some mothers unwittingly put their children through a great deal of embarrassment and humiliation. The child must be taught to overcome his shyness. Some books on shyness may help. Or the mother could give practical suggestions of what the child could talk about to others. A mother's gentle guidance can remedy many a flaw and weakness in the character of the child.
Methods of Religious Training
A mother should adopt diverse ways to perform religious training of their kids. They should be be a model to your children, ask religious questions to their kids and response clearly what their kids ask them about religion as well as bring awareness to them regarding the don'ts of Islam.
Prophet SAW has said:
"A virtuous child is a fragrant flower from the flowers of Heaven"
Hazrat Ali (R.A) has also emphasized on teaching ethics to kids:
"No parent has given a better gift to his child than good manners"
The woman is the family's first instructor and the family are the first unit of the community. Then it's no wonder that there is so much pressure on the Muslim women to care and educate their children well; for if the family structure is strong and upright, the children will be responsible and righteous citizens. This consequently rubs off on the large society. Hence, the need for women to be educated and play their role well in nation building (Al Khayat, 2003)
Valuing philanthropy to build a justice, peaceful and inclusive society:
A mother should induce her children towards philanthropic acts which is essential to develop kind attitude in the behavior of their children.
Abdul Sattar Edhi (1928-2016), founder of the Edhi Foundation, wrote this comment for Pakistan NHDR 2017 a few months before his death:
"Selflessness, simplicity and honesty are virtues that the youth of this country need to adopt if they are to contribute to the development of an inclusive and equitable society. No obstacle, whether of social status, educational level or political/religious affiliation, can deter a young individual determined to help others".
Today's Pakistan is a young Pakistan. Its youth are the future leaders of positive change. If provided with freedom of choice and meaningful opportunities, they are more likely to enhance human development in the future but for Pakistan to miss the window of opportunity provided by its youth bulge is simply not an option. Hence it is necessary to to understand the fact and put our whole concentration on our coming generation today for a better Pakistan tomorrow.
References:
- Al Khayat, D. M. H. (2003). Woman in Islam and her role in human development. World Health Organization.
- Alesina, A., & Reich, B. (2015). Nation-building. Presented at the Brown, Cambridge, U of Chicago, UCL, Warwick, a CEPR meeting.
- Najam, Dr. A., & Bari, Dr. F. (2017). Pakistan National Human Development Report Unleashing the Potential of a Young Pakistan. United Nations Development Programme, Pakistan.