Islamabad, (Parliament Times) :The 11th in a series of 12 dialogues on sustainable development was held in Mirpur, Pakistani-administered Kashmir, by the United Nations and the district administration.
In total, more than 1,000 local leaders living in 12 major cities across six provinces and territories have discussed the development challenges they face, and how they impede economic and social progress in their districts. The dialogues, the first of which took place on August 23rd, are held in the different languages spoken across Pakistan.
“These dialogues bring the United Nations closer to the people and the local governments that we serve, said Mio Sato, IOM Chief of Mission in Pakistan and acting UN Resident Coordinator. “We have actively listened to their concerns and their ideas. They will work together, and with the United Nations, on accelerating progress to bridge inequalities and reduce poverty. We will share their suggestions with the Federal Government as we focus on returning to sustainable development.”
In Mirpur, the discussions focused on four topics chosen by the participants ahead of the event: water, sanitation, and hygiene; education; youth employment; and efficient Governance.
Nearly 100 local leaders — women and men, including youth — participated together with senior Mirpur officials, the IOM Chief of Mission and acting UN Resident Coordinator, and other UN staff.
The 12 dialogues engage local leaders around development issues such as access to basic social services; gender equality and women’s empowerment; climate change; sustainable, inclusive economic growth and decent work; and governance. All are key to Pakistan’s progress towards the achievement of the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Ten SDG dialogues have already taken place in Quetta, Balochistan; in Mardan and Mansehra, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; in Bahawalpur, Faisalabad, Multan, Rawalpindi and Sialkot, Punjab; and Hyderabad and Sukkur, Sindh.
The dialogues are helping inform discussions around the global SDG Summit which the UN has organized to accelerate progress towards the SDGs, halfway of the 2030 deadline. The caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan participated in the event in New York on 18 and 19 September 2023.
The SDGs, also known as Global Goals, are 17 objectives designed to help bring about peace and prosperity for people all over the world. They are an urgent call for action by all countries to work together towards ending poverty while improving health and education, reducing inequality, spurring economic growth, and tackling climate change.