May 2023 | UCLG ASPAC LEAD for SDGs Programme with the collaboration of the Local Councils Association Sindh and Balochistan successfully conducted three district-level policy dialogues at Sukkur IBA University and the University of Turbat, addressing key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The events were co-funded by the European Union and the UCLG ASPAC.
Sindh
The first dialogue was held on May 19, 2023, in Sukkur on SDG 13: Climate Action. It involved active participation from students, professors, and the Larkana District Alliance on SDGs.
The discussions primarily centred around the impact of climate action goal – SDG 13 on various SDGs, particularly concerning health – SDG 3. Several policy gaps were identified, including inadequate measures for disaster preparedness and response, insufficient allocation of resources, and a lack of intersectoral coordination.
The commitments made during the dialogue were oriented towards addressing the consequences of the 2022 floods in Pakistan and subsequent challenges, such as water sanitation issues. The intended outcome of the dialogue was to foster climate-resilient actions, including the construction of bamboo shoot homes to provide shelter in flood-affected areas of Larkana.The second thought-provoking policy dialogue, which took place on May 20, 2023, in Sukkur, focused on SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities and SDG Target 17.1: Strengthen domestic resource mobilisation. The panel discussion involved participants from the Nausharo Feroze District Alliance on SDGs, along with students and teachers. The dialogue explored policy gaps related to local resource mobilisation, its challenges, and potential solutions. The participants discussed innovative approaches to enhance local revenue generation and engaged in policy-level debates on the devolution of resources from the national to the provincial and local levels.
Balochistan
A “District-level Policy Dialogue on legal identity for all including birth registration (SDG Target 16.9)” was organised at the University of Turbat on May 16, 2023. Members of Kech District Alliance on SDG, students and educationists from the University of Turbat actively participated in the event.
The policy dialogue contributed to raising awareness among the public about the significance of birth registration policies and interventions. This awareness is expected to lead to increased birth registrations in the region.
The event emphasised the need for collaboration between local government bodies, academic institutions, and civil society organisations. This collaboration aims to foster knowledge-sharing and capacity-building interventions, ensuring a more holistic approach to achieving the SDGs.
The discussions on policy gaps for birth registration and effective public policy creation highlighted the importance of well-designed and implemented policies at the district level. This emphasis can lead to improved birth registration procedures and streamlined documentation processes. The mention of the digital census and the benefits of technological advancements in birth registration underscored the potential for utilising digital solutions for efficient data collection and analysis. This could contribute to improved budget development and the formulation of targeted developmental schemes.
