The Policy Support Programme is designed to influence policy reform through technical and evidence-based research on key areas of Pakistan’s development challenges.

Established in 2013, the project has generated debate on several emerging issues and improved development planning on areas related to poverty & inequality, youth bulge, urbanization, governance, environment and climate change, and several other areas of reform and human development.

The Policy Support Programme has also supported monitoring & reporting of MDGs, and the early adoption of 2030 Agenda by the Government of Pakistan.

As the project enters into its next phase of implementation from 2018, it will continue its research work to provide analytical basis for informed decision making.

Objectives

• Strengthen national and sub-national capacities through evidence-based research & analysis and policy dialogue
• Improve cross-practice work in key thematic areas such as institutional strengthening, governance, crisis prevention and other aspects of human development
• Advance the role of innovation in policy making to address chronic developmental challenges

Expected results

• Generate debate and initiate action and reform by government counterparts through evidence-based research on challenges of youth, urbanization and poverty & inequality
• Increase awareness and support policy dialogue through quarterly publication, Development Advocate Pakistan
• Support dialogue between civil society and government and generate policy recommendations through regular meetings of communities of practice

Current progress

During the last four years, UNDP has successfully provided policy and advisory support on numerous key development issues. This has been undertaken through extensive qualitative and quantitative research and the findings have been endorsed and integrated in development planning by federal and provincial governments.

The launch of UNDP’s National Human Development Report on Youth has generated widespread dialogue, impact and call for action at various levels of government, media and civil society. The extensive wealth of knowledge generated by the Report has led to political parties and governments recognizing the need to invest in youth and design their policies around the findings of the Report.

The nationally representative multidimensional poverty index based on the dimensions of education, health and living standards has also enriched the understanding of poverty in Pakistan. The report developed by UNDP in partnership with Planning Commission and Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative, University of Oxford provides time series data for almost 10 years at national, provincial and district level. Given its relevance and importance, the Planning Commission has adopted MPI as the official poverty measure to complement income poverty.

UNDP has also developed an Islamabad Urban Platform with the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad. The Platform connects experts and researchers to government representatives in the spirit of learning, knowledge sharing and generating new ideas to address urban challenges and improve practices. The forum has been instrumental in undertaking research, conducting pilots and developing prototypes. The key focus areas of the forum are on enhancing revenue generation for MCI and water conservation.

A quarterly publication of UNDP called ‘Development Advocate Pakistan’, has also been instrumental in generating debate on numerous issues of sustainable development. Political representatives, government officials, social activists and experts from academia are engaged for the publication. Their views provide different perspectives and insights on the issue at hand. The publication has reflected on numerous thematic areas ranging from FATA mainstreaming, financing for development, water, environment and climate change and inequality.

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