Sustainable development goals

Sustainable Development Goals is a set of seventeen goals based upon the Millennium Development Goals and is officially known as “Transforming our world: the 2030 agenda for sustainable development”. The seventeen goals further consist of 169 targets which all the 193 member states have agreed upon under the guidance and cooperation of United Nations Organization.

When the period of implementation of Millennium Development Goals was coming to an end, a natural question rose up that how will we follow these goals in future. For this purpose, the Open Working Group of the United Nations Organisations presented its proposal of 17 goals and 169 targets covering a wide range of development issues.

In 2014, the member accepted the UNO’s secretary general’s report that the upcoming development will be based upon the proposals of Open Working Group. In 2015, intergovernmental negotiations started on how to move towards the successor of MDGs and a final draft was agreed upon by all the member states giving rise to what is now known as “Sustainable Development Goals”.

                                                         Goals

The official agenda released by United Nations Organization consists of 17 goals with 169 targets as already mentioned above. These goals include the following.

1. End of poverty

Poverty has been reduced significantly over the years but that reduction is limited to a particular geographical region i-e the majority of Africans are still living below the poverty line. According to UNO, those people are living below the poverty line whose income is below 1.25 dollars per day, this figure is widely controversial in itself with many experts argue that 1.25 dollars per day cannot fulfill the basic needs even.

2. Putting an end to hunger

UNO has placed this goal in top priority because of the widespread hunger that we see in developing countries and in Africa particularly. We need a collective approach to coping with this major issue.

3. Health

Health is another major issue with many people suffering from health issues in developing countries. This is all due to unhygienic conditions that we are facing.

4. Education

Education leads to better living but is widely neglected in developing countries. In developing countries, parents cannot afford fees which compel them to put their children into some sort of work through which they earn money.

5. Gender Equality

This is another major area of focus and much has been achieved in this regard due to untiring efforts of the international community.

6. Purified water and sanitation

Impure water leads to health problems which had never been an area of attention in developing countries. In most of the developed countries about 90%, people are drinking contaminated water.

7. Cheap and clean energy

Clean energy has been an area of focus in recent years and much has been done in this regard with the promotion of alternative energy sources at the public level.

8. Economic growth

Sustainable economic growth is needed but which doesn’t destroy the environment.

9. Industrialization

Industries generate jobs for poor people but that have side effects on the environments which must be closely monitored.

10. Reduction of inequalities

This is a very important goal which focuses on reducing inequalities among nations and different sections of society.

11. Sustainable cities

Developing cities in a manner through which they can cope with changing the environment and natural calamities.

12. Reasonable production and consumption

Production and consumption should be in a manner which doesn’t lead towards wastage.

13. Climate action

Taking actions through which we will be able to face climate change problems and natural calamities.

14. Conservation of water

Conserving water and don’t allow it to be wasted.

15. Terrestrial Life

To strive for a better and sustained terrestrial environment.

16. Promoting peace, justice and striving for strong institutions

To promote peace and justice in the society by building strong institutions

17. Worldwide partnership

To achieve all the above mentioned 17 goals by employing a global partnership with states or with different NGOs.
                                                 Pakistan’s commitment to SDGS

Pakistan is a developing country which lacked in achieving MDGs. Hence it is in a dire need of moving forward towards goals. The Pakistani government presented its “VISION 2025” well before Sustainable development goals, which is in complete harmony with that of Sustainable development goals but for these goals to be achieved we need a collective effort on all fronts with proper planning.