ISLAMABAD: Speakers at a conference urged the political parties to make the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) a clear part of their upcoming election manifestos, adding that the universities should create awareness about SDGs through curriculum and teaching methodologies.
The speakers were addressing a closing symposium on engaging university students to create awareness about SDGs. The symposium was arranged by Oxfam Pakistan in collaboration with Bargad, a youth development organisation, on Thursday.
The symposium, also participated by diplomats, United Nation’s staff and students of 11 universities from different parts of the country, discussed the outcome of Oxfam-Bargad project of awareness about SDGs in different varsities in the last two months.
Dr Nizamuddin, Punjab Higher Education Commission chairperson, said there was a lack of structural arrangements to implement SDGs. He said youth could play a major role in achieving SDGs, urging the universities to change curriculum and teaching methodologies, and adopt an integrated approach for skill developments to create a better understanding of SDGS in students and to benefit their outcome.
Oxfam country director Mohammed Qazilbash said Pakistan’s political parties should include SDGs achieving plans in their manifestoes for the upcoming elections. He said SDGs do not belong to a party, group and segment of society. “These are SDGs of people of Pakistan and we have to adopt a collective approach beyond are religious, ethnic and political affiliations to make them possible by 2030.”
Through the campaign, over 2,000 students from 11 universities in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi and Quetta were encouraged to work towards climate change, gender equality, sustainable growth, peace, justice and institutional development aligned with Pakistan’s Vision 2025.