Pakistan's Planning Commission and the World Bank Monday started a two-day workshop here to prepare a plan to implement the SAARC Social Charter to eradicate poverty and promote development in the region.
Those attending the workshop include delegates from SAARC countries, ministers, UNDP representatives and senior officials.
The SAARC Social Charter aims at the promotion and welfare of the South Asian people by improving their quality of life, accelerating economic growth, social progress and cultural development.
The Social Charter was signed by SAARC member countries in Islamabad on Jan 4 2004 with the principles of addressing common social issues and developing and implementing result oriented programmes in specific social areas.
Various sessions of the workshop would identify programmes to be included in the Pakistan Plan of Action to implement the charter including poverty alleviation, access to social services, youth development and implementation of the principles, goals and objectives in specific areas.
Health, nutrition, food security, safe drinking water, sanitation, population activities, preventing and combating trafficking in women and children will be some of the subjects discussed at the conference.
--Indo-Asian News Service