Islamabad, 18 September 2023 (WAI): Specific Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) dialogues were strategically arranged in different areas of Pakistan, each addressing significant aspects of sustainable development.
The fifth Sustainable Development Goal Dialogue, which focused on gender equality, was held in Rawalpindi, Punjab. Discussions on critical themes such as digital transformation, women’s empowerment, youth employment, and access to healthcare took place here.
Moving north, the 6th SDG Dialogue on Clean Water and Sanitation was conducted in Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. These debates included crucial subjects such as nutrition, women’s involvement, food security, and disaster preparedness.
The 7th SDG Dialogue will take place in Mansehra and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, focusing on cheap and sustainable energy.
During this forum, local leaders cooperated on initiatives to advance education, governance, climate change, and digital transformation in their districts.
The 8th SDG Dialogue opened in Quetta, Balochistan, emphasizing decent jobs and economic growth.
Local leaders convened for in-depth conversations about strengthening district governance, boosting youth employment, providing access to water and sanitation, and supporting digital transformation.
Collaboration was essential during these discussions. Representatives from UN agencies, including UNAIDS Pakistan and UNODC Pakistan, UN Resident Coordinator Julian Harness, and over 100 local leaders participated.
This collaborative endeavor identifies and addresses essential development concerns confronting Pakistan’s different regions.
The United Nations launched this comprehensive campaign during the International Summit on Sustainable Development Goals in New York, emphasizing the importance of these discussions. The campaign’s primary goal was to address and discuss critical development objectives across Pakistan.
The UN Resident Coordinator in Pakistan, Julian Harness, underlined the importance of these discussions as a forum for learning about the most critical development issues.
Local leaders from locations other than the federal and provincial capitals raised the same issues, emphasizing the necessity for area-specific solutions.
The UN Office in Islamabad actively engaged with over a thousand local leaders residing in 12 major cities beyond the federal and provincial capitals as part of this more significant initiative.
These conversations emphasized the developmental issues inhibiting economic and social growth in these areas and the critical need to fulfill the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
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However, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres highlighted the hurdles that the SDGs face as they embark on a 15-year transformation of the globe.
The COVID-19 pandemic, armed conflict, and climate-related calamities hampered progress in the early years, notably Goal 1, which focuses on reducing extreme poverty.
It served as a heartbreaking reminder of the necessity of these talks and joint efforts to further Pakistan’s sustainable development. During this forum, local leaders cooperated on initiatives to advance education, governance, climate change, and digital transformation in their districts.
The 8th SDG Dialogue opened in Quetta, Balochistan, emphasizing decent jobs and economic growth. Local leaders convened for in-depth conversations about strengthening district governance, boosting youth employment, providing access to water and sanitation, and supporting digital transformation.
Collaboration was essential during these discussions. Representatives from UN agencies, including UNAIDS Pakistan and UNODC Pakistan, UN Resident Coordinator Julian Harness, and over 100 local leaders participated.
This collaborative endeavor identifies and addresses essential development concerns confronting Pakistan’s different regions.
An International Relations graduate, with a keen interest in diverse areas of IR; diplomacy, global politics & human rights.
