Parliamentary Actions Should Be Enhanced To Achieve SDGs

Parliamentary actions should be enhanced to achieve SDGs

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Sep, 2022 ) :Parliamentary actions should be enhanced to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) and laws as well as policies should be devised to protect the interests and concerns of the constituents.

It would ensure that SDGs- related legislation is gender responsive and society inclusive.

These were the unanimous views of participants belonging to different countries in a session entitled "Parliamentary mechanisms and practices to institutionalize the SDGs" held during the Third Regional Seminar for the Asia-Pacific Region Parliaments on Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Two-day event is being jointly organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the National Assembly of Pakistan.

The session focused on the importance of establishing mechanisms and procedures to mainstream the SDG's in parliament's work in a comprehensive manner. The findings of the IPU's research on existing parliamentary practices to support the SDGs framework were presented.

Ms. Aleksandra Blagojevic, Programme Manager for International Development, IPU said that continuous capacity building of parliamentarians is necessary so that they may effectively contribute towards SDGs. She said that many of the parliaments have limited resources and there is need of partnership to promote the skills of lawmakers so that they may be sensitized about the agenda of SDGs. She also gave a detailed presentation on the various challenges in this regard a future course of action.

Member of Parliament and Convener National Parliamentary Taskforce on SDGs, Pakistan Ms. Romina Khurshid Alam talked about her direct experience and parliamentary mechanisms that have been put place in place Pakistan to advance SDG implementation. She said that there is a proper SDG Secretariat as well as Task Force and platforms of Women Caucus and Young Parliamentarians Forum which are effectively contributing to advance towards agenda of achieving SDGs.

It is to mention that National Parliamentary Taskforce on SDGs currently consists of 28 MNAs and nine Senators and SDGs was made part of National Assembly Strategic Plan 2019-2023.

To a query raised by a representatives of Sri Lanka, she briefed in detail about the functioning of SDGs Secretariat being supported by National Assembly Secretariat. She spoke at length about its funding matters and internship programs and said that members of the Task Force are members of Standing Committees of Parliament and all of them are playing their role towards achieving targets under SDGs.

Ms. Romina Khurshid Alam said that SDGs Secretariat acts as a hub of international and national connectivity around the 17 global goals and it is effectively engaged in creating space within the Parliament and outside by making allies, inroads and linkages.

The SDGs Secretariat, she said, had created constructive linkages with academia, donors and partners, for their assistance in human resource, technical assistance, and collaboration on events, meetings and consultations.

To a question raised by a representative of Maldives, Ms. Romina Khurshid Alam said that there is need to authorize parliament to review reports being shared with international agencies because those sitting in Parliaments (parliamentarians) know about the pulse of the people or constituents. She was of the view that reports should be shared with parliament and the relevant ministries before forwarding it them to the international agencies.

She also informed that SDG Secretariat assisted lawmakers in drafting various parliamentary interventions directly linked with goals. These interventions included 43 calling attention notices, 37 resolutions, 28 bills, 16 questions and 14 motions under various rules.

A representative from Turkey expressed her grief over the loss of lives and properties of the people after the devastating flood in the country. She hoped that seminar would be helpful to effectively advance towards targets set under SDGs.

Iranian delegation was of the view that islam focuses on education for all and education related goals should be such which may not effect religious values. The delegation also focused to promote trade among the countries because economic prosperity would definitely facilitate toward the goals.

Chief Technical Advisor Strengthening Electoral and Legislative Process (SELP) UNDP Pakistan, Ali Al-Bayati said that UNDP has a long-term partnership with the parliament of Pakistan, provincial assemblies, and other stakeholders on similar agendas on SDGs through policy and capacity-building initiatives.

In partnership with SDGs task forces, he said that SDGs units have institutionalized mechanisms for the implementation of SDGs and developed national and provincial SDGs prioritization frameworks.

He informed that parliamentary sub-group on SDGs Scorecard was constituted which comprised of representatives of national and provincial SDGs Taskforces, SDG Support Units, planning commission, and national and provincial Bureau of Statistics. The taskforce developed SDGs district scorecards for each priority SDGs goals to help government in effective and informed legislation and oversight for SDGs implementation.