| Two-Days session on Role of Parliamentarians in Ensuring Gender Equality through Implementation of SDG 5 in Balochistan Province, Quetta, Quetta |
15-07-2021
Quetta
Two-Days session on Role of Parliamentarians in Ensuring Gender Equality through Implementation of SDG 5 in Balochistan Province, Quetta
Aurat Foundation Quetta organized a Two-Days session on Role of Parliamentarians in Ensuring Gender Equality through Implementation of SDG 5 in Balochistan Province, Quetta in collaboration with South Asia Partnership Pakistan with the financial support of Global Affairs Ganada (GAC) on 15th & 16th July, 2021 in Quetta Serena Hotel.
The objective of this activity is that the role of parliamentarians and politicians, as publicly elected agents, representing voice of the common citizens, has been globally recognized as fundamental to the achievement of Agenda 2030. Because of their strategic foothold in the government, dialogue and debate led by the parliamentarians goes a long way, in mainstreaming and accelerating action plans on SDGs.
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted on 25 September 2015 by Heads of States and Governments at a special UN summit. The foundation of the 2030 agenda lies in 3 Principles: Universality, Integration and Leaving No one Behind. The Agenda is a commitment through 17 SDGs and 169 targets to eradicate poverty and achieve inclusive and participatory sustainable development by 2030 world-wide.
Pakistan was amongst the first countries to establish a Parliamentary Taskforce on SDGs and declare the Global Agenda 2030 as its national agenda through a resolution of the parliament in 2016. This manifest highest-level political ownership of the global agenda and strong parliamentary accountability on the implementation of SDGs. National SDGs framework was approved by National Economic Council in March 2018 and provincial and states SDGs frameworks are in process of development and approval. The first secretariat of the Taskforce is established within the premises of the Parliament House at Islamabad. The Parliamentary SDGs Taskforces were established in all four provincial assemblies as well.
The parliamentarians in general, and Parliamentary Taskforces on SDGs in specific are mandated to review progress on implementation on SDGs, provide legislative support, aware fellow parliamentarians on Agenda 2030, ensure availability and commitment of resources for achieving the SDGs, and oversee the allocation and utilization of funds by the Federal as well as Provincial Governments.
Aurat Foundation, under Global Affair Canada supported Jazba Programme, is aiming to conducted two-day's session with the members of the Provincial Assembly of Balochistan on their role in ensuring gender-equality through implementation of SDG-5. The main objectives of the session are to analyse current situation of SDG 5 in Balochistan Province, aware about the parliamentary tools to ensure its implementation, develop an action plan and ensure a cross-party political support for gender equality in the province.
The session started with the recitation of Holy Quran. Mr. Allauddin Khilji, Resident Director Aurat Foundation Quetta welcomed the participants and introduction of participants. After the introduction Ms. Mumtaz Mughal, Director Programmes AF has given the brief introduction of AF / Jazba project. After this, Mr. Ali Imran (Consultant), has given a brief presentation on Global Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and he also briefed about the Members Provincial Assembly on their role in ensuring gender-equality through implementation of SDG-5.
Further, Mr. Ali explained the role of Parliamentarians in this regard. Discussion was held for the conservation of SDG 5 and participants shared their views and thoughts. He further said that the role of parliamentarians is very important in the consultation and decision making process of Gender Equality policy in Balochistan. He added that member of Provincial Assembly can provide legislative accountability representation and budget support to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 5. The SDGs need to play the full role of MPAs.
Mr. Qadir Nayel said that the biggest problem in Balochistan is data collection but the provincial government is working on it. The ongoing development work in my constituency is in accordance with the SDGs in our central council. There are also women from whom development schemes related to women have been included in the PSDP. We believe in SDGs.
Mr. Sana Baloch, Mr. Ahmed Nawaz and Mr. Zabid Reiki said that commissions are formed for implementation of laws but unfortunately after legislation here majority of laws are not rules of business. SDGs task force formed in the Provincial Assembly but in three years, there has not been a single meeting conducted. 25 MPAs are member in the SDG task force committee, but the majority may not know about the SDGs.
Participants discussed inherent and historical role of women. They also proposed interventions at research, policy advocacy and grassroots' mobilisation for ensuring women's role in SDGs. Many examples are shared that how small behavioral change lead to big evolution. The participants appreciated the work of Aurat Foundation, South Asia Partnership Pakistan and Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and had given their valuable input in this regard.
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