Islamabad, 18 September 2023(TDI): Across various regions of Pakistan, specific Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) dialogues were thoughtfully organized, each addressing crucial aspects of sustainable development.
The 5th SDG dialogue, which centered on Gender Equality, was hosted in Rawalpindi, Punjab. Here, the dialogue homed in on pressing topics like digital transformation, women’s empowerment, youth employment, and access to healthcare.
Today we are launching the first of 12 #SDGdialoguesPakistan🇵🇰. We will visit 12 districts across 6 provinces & territories in the coming weeks.
We want local leaders to tell us which development issues they worry about & which solutions they suggest. #GlobalGoals #SDGdialogue pic.twitter.com/6xppJ0Am0N
— United Nations Pakistan – اقوام متحدہ پاکستان (@UNinPak) August 23, 2023
Moving further north to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the 6th Clean Water and Sanitation SDG dialogues convened in Mardan.
These discussions spanned essential themes, including nutrition, women’s participation, food security, and preparedness for natural disasters.
In the scenic city of Mansehra, also in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the 7th SDG dialogue revolved around Affordable and Clean Energy.
During this dialogue, local leaders collaborated on strategies to enhance education, governance, address climate change, and foster digital transformation within their districts.
Also Read: Pakistan will host 3rd IPU Regional Seminar on Achieving SDGs
Shifting southwest to Quetta, Balochistan, the 8th SDG dialogue unfolded, emphasizing decent jobs and economic growth.
Here, local leaders engaged in thoughtful deliberations about improving governance, advancing youth employment, ensuring access to water and sanitation, and promoting digital transformation in their respective districts.
The Representatives of @ILO Pakistan @gtonstol,@FAOPakistan @florencerolle, @OCHAPakistan Carlos Geha, along @UNICEF_Pakistan CFO Prem Bahadur Chand & other UN agencies, joined UNRC @julienmh and more than 200 local leaders at #SDGdialoguesPakistan🇵🇰 in #Hyderabad.@SDG2030 pic.twitter.com/91Ot7X368d
— United Nations Pakistan – اقوام متحدہ پاکستان (@UNinPak) September 18, 2023
Throughout these dialogues, collaboration was key. Representatives from various United Nations agencies, including UNAIDS Pakistan and UNODC Pakistan, actively engaged with UN Resident Coordinator Julien Harneis and over 100 local leaders.
This collective effort aimed to explore and address the critical development challenges faced in these diverse regions of Pakistan.
This comprehensive campaign initiated by the United Nations during the International Summit on Sustainable Development Goals in New York underscored the importance of these dialogues.
The campaign’s central objective was to tackle and discuss the vital development priorities across Pakistan.
Today we are in #Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the 6th #SDGdialoguesPakistan🇵🇰 is taking place. The participants are talking about Nutrition, Women’s participation, Food security & how to prepare for Natural disasters.
#GlobalGoals #ActNow@KhyberSdgs @AWKUMofficial pic.twitter.com/ICS3O9oq54
— United Nations Pakistan – اقوام متحدہ پاکستان (@UNinPak) September 11, 2023
Julien Harneis, the UN Resident Coordinator in Pakistan, stressed the significance of these dialogues as platforms for gaining insights into the most pressing development concerns.
These concerns were identified by local leaders hailing from regions beyond the federal and provincial capitals, highlighting the need for region-specific solutions.
The 7th #SDGdialoguesPakistan🇵🇰 has taken place in #Mansehra, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Local leaders have discussed how to improve Education and Governance, mitigate Climate Change, and bring about Digital Transformation in their district.#GlobalGoals #ActNow@KhyberSdgs @SDG2030 pic.twitter.com/vsoHN7FPzq
— United Nations Pakistan – اقوام متحدہ پاکستان (@UNinPak) September 14, 2023
As part of this extensive campaign, the UN office in Islamabad actively engaged with over a thousand local leaders residing in 12 major cities located outside the federal and provincial capitals.
These dialogues placed a spotlight on the developmental challenges impeding economic and social progress within these districts, emphasizing the urgency of achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
The 8th #SDGdialoguesPakistan🇵🇰 has taken place in #Quetta, Balochistan. Local leaders discussed how to improve Governance, Youth employment, access to Water & Sanitation, and support Digital transformation in their district. #GlobalGoals #ActNow@BalochistanSDGs @SDG2030 pic.twitter.com/4wcn6IvS7Y
— United Nations Pakistan – اقوام متحدہ پاکستان (@UNinPak) September 18, 2023
However, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres acknowledged the challenges faced by the SDGs at the midpoint of the 15-year endeavor to transform the world.
Progress achieved in earlier years proved fragile, with setbacks stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, armed conflicts, and climate-related disasters impacting several SDGs, notably Goal 1, which focuses on eradicating extreme poverty.
This served as a poignant reminder of the continued importance of these dialogues and collaborative efforts in advancing sustainable development in Pakistan.