To build sustainable communities around the world, Sustainable Development Goals play a crucial role in this regard.
Although implementing the 17 goals of the UN is a daunting task for the states, especially the developing ones which are struggling in all the social, political, and economic aspects, the Covid-19 pandemic has heightened the concerns of the states in terms of real implementation of SDG.
It has posed unprecedented challenges to those countries whose economy was already at a dwindling halt before the spread of lethal coronavirus. Covid-19 has shown the bleak picture of the existing systems of the countries and, therefore, has increased the challenges for them. Concerning Pakistan, the country adopted the Agenda of Sustainable Development Goals in 2015.
It made SDGs part of its national agenda through the National Assembly Resolution. Currently, various Task Forces at the national and provincial level in the country are working to oversee the progress of SDG. With the spread of novel coronavirus, Pakistan’s progress has been halted in terms of reaching goals of sustainability.
The lockdown imposed not only increased unemployment challenges in the country, but it also stagnated the economy of the country. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Pakistan’s performance has been critical on Sustainable Development Goals including quality education, water, and sanitation owing to which the country requires almost 9 percent of GDP for achieving SDG.
It would be pertinent to say that as long as the pandemic persists, achieving the goals would be delayed in Pakistan. It is acknowledged that Pakistan has achieved some headway in development despite its volatile economic performance and rapid population increase, but it trails behind its emerging market rivals in crucial SDG categories. To mitigate the risks of a virus, washing hands and cleanliness can to some extent curtail the spread of the virus. Unfortunately, 21 million people lack access to clean water in Pakistan.
Covid-19 posed serious challenges to the education system in Pakistan. A closure of educational institutes not only disrupted the learning of students in Pakistan but also widened the gender gap. According to EduFinance Covid19 impact assessment findings, 63 percent of parents said that they will not send their daughters back to school while 94 percent claimed that they will send their sons back to school when schools will reopen fully.
Moreover, Covid-19 has also increased violence against women since the household burden has been increased on women due to the closure of physical activities outside the homes. The impact of Covid-19 on achieving the goals of SDG in Pakistan is severe in all the social, political, and economic aspects. In line with the current government’s initiative on climate change in the form of its “Billion Tree Tsunami” and Clean-Green Pakistan programs, Pakistan’s efforts to tackle climate change and reach the goals of sustainability are commendable. However, the country’s performance on most critical SDG indicators like quality education, clean water, and sanitation, gender equality, etc. has been lowered due to the spread of a pandemic. The achievement of SDGs will be delayed in the country if adequate resources are not allocated for its implementation at all levels in Pakistan.
The need of an hour is to seek productive reforms to raise the funds needed for reaching development goals.
Given the enormity of the problems, the broad-based reforms will not be enough to close the gap fully, therefore, various steps including generating revenue through sales tax both at the federal and at a provincial level, strengthening the system of collecting taxes in the country, improving the structural weaknesses in the country, enhanced transparency in the system, increasing institutional capacity for state-building, attracting foreign direct investors, branding tourism of Pakistan at international level and working on the principles of good governance will enable the country to generate maximum funds to finance country’s SDG needs to deal with the recession which increased due to Covid19 in Pakistan.