Soon after the adoption of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by the UN General Assembly in September 2015, the Government of Pakistan started the localization of SDGs by establishing dedicated SDG Support Units within the Planning Institutions at the Federal and Provincial level. In February 2016, the National Assembly of Pakistan passed a unanimous resolution declaring SDGs as the country’s National Development Goals.

The SDG Support Units help create an enabling environment for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. These Units function in the form of a joint project between the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reform at the Federal level and Planning and Development Departments at the Provincial level. The project is based on the UN Development Group’s tool for Mainstreaming, Acceleration and Policy Support (MAPS) for SDGs. The project supports the Government of Pakistan in embedding the 2030 Agenda in its long, medium and short-term planning and budgeting processes, and provide technical support for a localized approach for the implementation of SDGs.

Objectives

• To mainstream the SDGs in national and sub-national policies and development plans.
• To strengthen reporting and monitoring mechanisms for the SDGs.
• To develop a budgeting and financing framework for the SDGs.
• To foster integrated and innovative approaches to accelerating progress on priority SDGs.

Expected results

• SDG frameworks at national and sub-national levels developed with an agreed list of priority indicators, baselines and targets, along with a monitoring mechanism.
• National capacities and systems for data and reporting on SDGs established.
• Budgeting and financing frameworks developed to align existing resources to SDGs while exploring innovative financing instruments for SDG financing.
• Partnerships with the private sector established for enhanced implementation of SDGs.
• Innovation promoted to address priority issues hampering SDG implementation.
• Functional coordination with multiple stakeholders at federal and provincial levels and learning alliances on SDGs established to identify, analyse and consolidate best practices, and exchange solutions locally and internationally.

Current progress

UNDP, in collaboration with the Federal and Provincial Government, has established national, provincial, regional SDGs Units for implementing SDGs in a localized approach. These Units serve as a platform for bringing together multiple stakeholders to coordinate and provide technical expertise to the local government in implementing SDGs.

Thematic steering/coordination committees developed in each province with the representation of multiple stakeholders to discuss and mutually agree upon the SDG targets and priority areas for development.

The Federal SDG Unit in collaboration with the Planning Commission and UNDP developed the National SDG Framework – a guiding document that establishes SDG targets for Pakistan to achieve by 2030. The National SDG Framework has been approved by the National Economic Council, chaired by Prime Minister.

UNDP supported Pakistan Bureau of Statistics in a thorough analysis of data gaps for SDG indicators to align national surveys. Technical support is being provided to include additional SDG indicators in the next wave of national surveys.

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