Daily Times

In September 2000, leaders of 189 countries gathered at the United Nations headquarters and signed the historic Millennium Declaration, in which they committed to achieve a set of eight measurable goals that range from reducing extreme poverty and hunger, to promoting gender equality, and even reducing child mortality, by the target year of 2015. Sadly, the failure of many countries (including Pakistan) to achieve their MDGs targets has led to the inclusion of this objective in the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The SDGs 2030, also known as the Global Goals, are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. The SDGs also include themes which reflect a new approach that sees the environment, economy and society as embedded systems, rather than separate competing ‘pillars’: e.g. water and sanitation, energy, and climate changes are all prominently featured. Many of the goals outlined are also dependant on the success of other goals on the list, and within them lays the solution to Pakistan’s three central challenges: development, democracy and defence.

One prominent goal I would like to highlight is SDG 16, which aims to “promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels”. It essentially talks about maintaining an effective rule of law within your boundaries. To me rule of law means to measure and to ensure adherence to the principles of supremacy of law, equality before the law, accountability to the law, fairness in the application of the law, separation of powers, participation in decision-making, legal certainty, avoidance of arbitrariness and procedural transparency.

Within the SDG- 16 there are 12 targets that include reduction in violence; an end to abuse, trafficking, exploitation, violence and torture of children; rule of law and equal access to justice; substantial reduction in corruption and bribery; effective, accountable and transparent institutions; responsiveness, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making; provision of legal identity for all, including birth registration; public access to information and protection of fundamental freedoms; and strengthening of institutions to prevent violence and combat terrorism and crime. These are basically the same ideals that Quaid-e-Azam talked about in his first address to the nation, back on August 11, 1947, and is something that our politicians have failed to understand even today.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known Global Goals, are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity

A study conducted by the World Bank in 2016 ranked Pakistan in the bottom 20 percent in the world for countries with effective rule of law. Recently, under the flag of TABEER-Consolidating Democracy in Pakistan (CDIP), a massive campaign has been initiated across the country to promote SDG-16. This programme supports improved policy dialogue, political debate, and public discourse.

The previous government showed its commitment to address various developmental goals within the country by establishing the SDG cell and task force at both the Federal and Provincial levels. These state initiatives needed to be supported by adequate private sector involvement, with the help of relevant civil society organizations and research institutes. In this regard, TABEER is facilitating the local CSO to undertake ‘Social Mobilisation around the SDG 16 Agenda’ and has facilitated development of ‘SDG 16 Coalitions’, comprising of 15 local civil society organizations in all four provinces of the country.

We are living in a world that is increasingly divided. Some regions enjoy sustained levels of peace, security and prosperity, while others fall into seemingly endless cycles of conflict and violence. This is by no means un-fixable and must be addressed properly. Moreover, SDGs are perhaps the best vehicle to lift more than 50 million people – the number of people around the world who earn less than two dollars a day – out of poverty. Delivering on these goals will also help enhance Pakistan’s ability to emerge as one of the world’s leading economies and, while doing so, strengthen national security as well.

The writer is a social and political activist based in Lahore. He has done his Masters and MPhil in Communication Studies. He can be reached at salmanali088@gmail.com and tweets @Salmani_salu

Published in Daily Times, August 3^rd 2018.