SAARC activities I What are the different activities of SAARC

 SAARC Activities 

The South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation comprises of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. It has covered about 3.5% of the total landmass of the world but about 22% of the total population of world. This organization is often called the common forum of the "poor countries". Illiteracy, poverty, population explosion, security threat, drug trafficking, human trafficking, etc. are common problems of the SAARC countries. Thus, it is established to work together to find the solutions of these problems in a spirit of friendship, trust and understanding and to create an order based on mutual respect, equity and shared benefits. The main goal of the Association is to accelerate the process of economic and social development in member states, through joint action in the agreed areas of co-operation. It has the following areas of cooperation. : 

1. Agriculture: To increase the agricultural production and share the experiences among the member countries, SAARC has emphasized to launch the programs for crop and livestock improvement, agricultural training, etc. 

2. Communication: In order to bring the people of the SAARC region in close contact by making telecom links among these countries, it has reduced the tariffs of the telecommunications, updated and expanded the telecommunication system and various training, seminars and workshops have been conducted for improved postal service. 

3. Education, Culture and Sports: In the field of education, emphasis has been given to women education, primary education, distance education, etc. SAGs are organized regularly to increase the co-operation among the member states. 

4. Environment and Meteorology: Various programs have been set up to conserve the environment in the SAARC nations. Research has been conducted on the Green House Effect in the region. Similarly, meteorological forecasting stations have been installed in various parts of the region to give timely information to the member nations. 

5. Health, Population Activities and Child Welfare: In this area, the primary focus has been given to children, population welfare and policy, maternal and child health, primary health care, disabled and handicapped persons, control and eradication of major diseases such as malaria, leprosy, tuberculosis, diarrhea diseases, rabies, AIDS, and iodine deficiency disorder in the region. In the area of child development, it has been very closely co-operating with international agencies such as UNICEF. 

6. Prevention of Drug Trafficking and Drug Abuse: In this field, various activities such as short-term workshops/seminars to prevent drug trafficking, role of media in drug abuse prevention, community mobilization against drug abuse, preventive education, school curriculum development, treatment and relapse prevention, and exchange of information on indigenous and innovative methods of treatment have been conducted. 

7. Rural Development: Several workshops/seminars and training courses covering practically all aspects of rural development have been conducted on regular basis. Activities like regional planning, poverty-focused development, inter-country comparisons, rural energy, designing agricultural projects, local level management, rural child development, people's participation, rural water supply, employment generation, rural communication and development of agricultural markets have been conducted in member states. 

8. Science and Technology: Different training programs have been held for Scientists and Technologists on waste management, low-cost housing, electronics, and molecular biology. In addition, just research projects on design and manufacture of food processing equipment and appropriate post-harvest technology for perishable food items have been carried out. 

9. Tourism: To promote  co-operation in the field of tourism, various training programs such as tourism and hotel management, tour guide and safe tourism, exchange of information, joint promotion, joint-venture investment, intra-regional tourism etc. have been held in this region. 

10. Transport: Transport plays a vital role to increase the co-operation and economic link between the member nations. The primary focus has been given to intra-regional cheap, safety and reliable transport. For this, seminars and workshops have been conducted on material and cost of road construction, maintenance of roads, rural roads, road transportation and safety; urban transportation inland water transport, marine transport, etc. 

11. Women in Development: Several short-term activities like seminars, workshops and training courses have been held in the areas of women in law, women and environment, women's education and training, women's employment, women in agriculture, etc. Several activities related to different aspects of the Girl-Child have been held. Exhibitions on handicrafts and design by women have also been organized by member states,. 

12, Poverty Alleviation: Various short-term and long-term training to the pro-poor, generation of employment in the member nations with emphasis on human resource development have been conducted. 

13. Trade and Economic Cooperation: South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) has been implemented since 2004 where custom tariffs are to make null among the member states. 

14. People-to-People Contact: To strengthen mutual understanding and co-operation among the people of South Asia, people-to-people contact have been implemented. Under this area, SAARC Audio-Visual Exchange (SAVE) Program, SAARC scheme for Promotion of Organized Tourism, SAARC Chairs, Fellowships and Scholarships Scheme, SAARC Youth Volunteers Program (SYVOP), SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme, SAARC Youth Awards Scheme (SYAS) and South Asian Festival Programs etc. have been conducted. 

Since the inception of SAARC, various activities have been conducted to promote the welfare of the people of South Asia. However, member countries have not given full efforts to materialize ideas and philosophies of SAARC. The activities should be conducted to bring a visible change in the livelihood of the people of this region. For this, collective efforts and regional unity are essential to meet its objectives.