Social inclusion, to leave no one behind, is a fundamental tenet of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — and it is the foundational aspiration of Club de Madrid’s Shared Societies Project. In an upcoming online session on 19 January 2021, Club de Madrid, in partnership with the Parliamentary Taskforce on SDGs, Aurat Foundation and Parliamentary Commission for Human Rights, will convene an open discussion with the Members of the National Assembly of Pakistan to highlight the role parliamentarians can play, as elected officials representing the voice of the people, to make sure everyone is indeed included in the development of national plans and policies to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of Agenda 2030.
Held under the title “The Role of Parliamentarians in Ensuring Inclusive and Participatory Development in Pakistan”, this online session will gather approximately 25-30 Members of the National and Provincial Assemblies’ Parliamentary Taskforces on SDGs, as well as other eminent representatives from the National Assembly of Pakistan, for an open exchange of ideas and good practices with Former Prime Minister of Belgium and Club de Madrid Member, Yves Leterme, and other international guests.
The session will shed light on the role parliamentarians can play to ensure inclusive and participatory development for everyone, everywhere. It will be an opportunity for the sharing of lessons and good practices for the inclusion of marginalized and socially excluded groups in the planning, development and monitoring of national development plans aligned with Agenda 2030 in Pakistan. It will also underscore the importance of strong partnerships between state institutions, including parliaments, and civil society organizations representing vulnerable groups to achieve the 2030 Agenda objective of leaving no one behind.
Confirmed speakers for the January 19 session include:
- Mr. Naeem Ahmed Mirza, Executive Director Aurat Foundation
- Mr. Yves Leterme, Member of Club de Madrid, Prime Minister of Belgium (2008, 2009-11),
- Mr. Riaz Khan Fatyana, Member National Assembly of Pakistan, Convener National Parliamentary Taskforce on SDGs
- Ms. Shandana Gulzar Khan, Member National Assembly of Pakistan, Chairperson Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP), Chairperson Sub-Group on SDG 5- Gender Equality
- Mr. Ali Imran, Senior Expert Club de Madrid (Moderator)
On Social Media
LIVE NOW🔴 | Inclusive Implementation of Agenda 2030 in Pakistan #LeaveNoOneBehind #SharedSocieties
— Club de Madrid (@clubdemadrid) January 19, 2021
Speakers 🗣️ Naeem Ahmed Mirza, @YLeterme, @FatyanaRiaz, @ShandanaGulzar, @arnauramirez
Moderator 💁♂️@Malik_Ali_Imran
➡️ https://t.co/w4rkyjOaL7 pic.twitter.com/VHKudYA7cP
We are glad that our exchange on #Agenda2030 and the #SustainableDevelopmentGoals was fruitful. Looking forward to continuing our work together!@Malik_Ali_Imran @ShandanaGulzar @SecretariatSDGs@arnauramirez @PchrOfficial @ShandanaGulzar @FatyanaRiaz @MNAGhazalaSaifi https://t.co/gEFskUvsE0
— Club de Madrid (@clubdemadrid) February 1, 2021
The Shared Societies Project and the Focus on Pakistan
Social inclusion is the foundation of Shared Societies – societies in which all individuals and identity groups have a common sense of belonging and responsibility, equal opportunities and a common bond to uphold the values of dignity and human rights. Club de Madrid’s Shared Societies Project seeks to help United Nations Member States advance towards Shared Societies by adopting a holistic approach to the Sustainable Development Goals defined in Agenda 2030 — particularly Goal 16 to promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies. For the past ten years, this Project has been successfully providing guidance and expertise on the integration of the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development, focusing on the premise that all aspects of development are interrelated and interdependent.
With a socially diverse and constitutionally complex population of more than 207 million people (2017 census), Pakistan often faces political, economic and security challenges and has limited public financial resources to achieve Agenda 2030. The country is in dire need of a conversation on inter-group tensions, gender equality, the Sustainable Development Goals and, more recently, the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19. Thus, Club de Madrid, in partnership with Aurat Foundation, is supporting inclusive implementation of Agenda 2030 in Pakistan under the Shared Societies Project. The project aims to promote an inclusive approach to planning, implementation and monitoring of the Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals in Pakistan. The main objective of the project is to demonstrate that inclusion and participation of diverse social groups is key to effective implementation of the Agenda 2030/the Sustainable Development Goals in Pakistan.
For more information on the Shared Societies Project, visit our official website.
