Collaborative efforts by civil society, academicians, politicians, policy makers are required for improving social indicators of the country and evaluation of our commitments towards achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in order to set right targets in post 2015 regime. World has already started setting targets for sustainable development goals whereas Pakistan should contribute in it at this planning stage to set realistic targets for future
This was resolved by the participants of the dialogue on “Pakistan MDGs status and Post-2015 Development Framework” at Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) on Friday.
The dialogue was jointly organised by AWAZCDS-Pakistan, Pakistan Development Alliance, Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) Pakistan, Inter-University Consortium for Promotion of Social Sciences (IUPCSS) and Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS).
LUMS Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Sohail H Naqvi underlined importance of the role of the universities and academic institutions in publication of academic and policy briefs on social and economic indicators for the benefit of policy makers and general public. He also emphasised over inclusion of topics related to socio-economic development in curriculum.
Prof Dr Iqbal Chawla, Chairman of University of the Punjab’s History and Pakistan Studies department, said that the MDGs were directly related to common people of Pakistan. He underlined the importance of role of academicians and higher education institutions in creating awareness about the MDGs and post-2015 development framework.
Ziaur Rehman, Convener of Pakistan Development Alliance and Regional Coordinator of Global Call to Action Against Poverty informed that Pakistan is far away from achieving 16 targets set in the year 2000 and to be realised in 2015, under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that are a set of 8 goals adopted by 189 countries, including Pakistan in 2000 and to be achieved by 2015. “Pakistan is spending less 2% of its GDP on realisation of the MDGs whereas it requires spending of more than 10% of its GDP for next ten years to achieve the target,” he added.
While sharing human development indicators, Civil Society Network Pakistan Chairman Advocate Abdullah Malik was of the view that joint efforts could help to improve the socio-economic indicators.
Muhammad Murtaza Noor extended vote of thanks and demanded for inclusion of topics related to the MDGs in curriculum at primary, secondary, elementary and higher education levels.
A documentary on current status of the MDGs was also shared with the participants.
