Aleksandra Blagojevic, Programme Manager for International Development, Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), has called for sustained capacity building of the lawmakers so that they can enhance their actions and efforts for a streamlined and effective realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

She was speaking at a session titled ‘parliamentary mechanisms and practices to institutionalise the SDGs’ held in Islamabad, according to WealthPK.

The event was part of the Third Regional Seminar for the Asia-Pacific Region Parliaments on Achieving the SDGs.

She said as the parliaments could not achieve the SDGs on their own, partnerships were a must for capacity building of the lawmakers to make them well-versed with the SDGs agenda.

She also explained the issues and challenges the lawmakers were facing in that regard and how they could better perform on the matter in future.

Speaking at the session, lawmaker Romina Khurshid Alam, who is also the Convener of National Parliamentary Task Force on SDGs, Pakistan, explained the steps taken to advance SDG implementation.

“Pakistan has a proper SDG secretariat and a task force, platforms of women caucus and young parliamentarians’ forum, working in league to realise the SDGs.” 

Pakistan has a National Parliamentary Taskforce on SDGs comprising 28 lawmakers from both houses of the parliament. SDGs have been made part of National Assembly Strategic Plan 2019-2023.

Romina Alam explained the functioning of SDGs Secretariat, its funding matters and internship programmes, and pointed out that members of the task force are members of the parliamentary panels playing their part in achieving targets under SDGs.

She said SDGs Secretariat in collaboration with the international and national entities was working on 17 global goals. “The secretariat keeps in constant touch with academia, donors and partners for their inputs to develop human resource and organise events, meetings and consultations.”

Romina Khurshid stressed the need to share reports with the parliament and relevant ministries before forwarding them to the international agencies.

She informed the participants about the help the SDG Secretariat was extending to lawmakers in drafting various parliamentary interventions directly linked with the goals, including calling attention notices, resolutions, bills, questions and motions.

A Turkish representative said the seminar would help effectively advance the SDG goals. 

An Iranian delegation called for economic prosperity of the countries to realise the goals.

Ali Al-Bayati, Chief Technical Adviser, Strengthening Electoral and Legislative Process (SELP), UNDP Pakistan, said the programme had long been partnering with Pakistani assemblies and other stakeholders to advance the SDG agenda through policy and capacity-building initiatives.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk