ISLAMABAD (ENN) Speakers at a conference urged political parties to make Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) implementation a clear part of their upcoming election manifestoes. They also urged the universities to create awareness about SDGs through curriculum and teaching methodologies.
The speakers were addressing a closing symposium on engaging university students to create awareness about SDGs. The symposium was arranged by Bargad in collaboration with Oxfam Pakistan, here at a local hotel, on Thursday.
Dr Nizamuddin, chairperson Higher Education Commission of the Punjab province, addressing the symposium as chief guest, said there was lack of structural arrangements to implement SDGs. He said youth can a major role in achieving SDGs. He urged the universities to change curriculum and teaching methodologies and adopt an integrated approach for skill developments to create a better understanding of SDGS in students and to benefit their outcome. He urged the need for making collective engaging plans for this.
Oxfam country director Mohammed Qazilbash said Pakistan’s political parties should include SDGs achieving plans in their manifestoes for the upcoming elections. He said SDGs do not belong to a party, group and segment of society. “These are SDGs of people of Pakistan and we have to adopt a collective approach beyond are religious, ethnic and political affiliations to make them possible by 2030.” He said Pakistan has adopted these SDGs at national level.
Sabiha Shaheen, Executive Director Bargad said they were investing a lot in youth and synchronizing youth through these pilot initiatives while evaluating their progress for further development. “We will use the power of youth to address issues like poverty, gender discrimination, climate change, livelihoods, massive urbanization and conflicts,” she said.
Through the campaign over 2000 students from eleven universities in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi and Quetta were encouraged to work towards climate change, gender equality, inclusive and sustainable growth and peace, justice and institutional development aligned with Pakistan’s Vision 2025.
Pakistan has around 56 million youth and youth spaces are shrinking day by day.
