Parliamentary democracy and SDGs

Parliamentary actions should be enhanced to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), while the laws, as well as policies, should be devised to protect the interests and concerns of the constituents. These were the thoughts of the leaders during a two-day seminar on Parliamentary mechanisms and practices to institutionalize the SDGs jointly organized by the National Assembly of Pakistan and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Islamabad. According to parliamentarians, the SDGs- related legislation should be gender responsive and socially inclusive. The participants stressed that the continuous capacity building of parliamentarians is essential so that they may effectively contribute toward SDGs.

The Sustainable Development Goals are the 17 interlinked goals designed to be a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity of the nations across the world as well as the planet. Historically, the SDGs were initially set up by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015 and were intended to be achieved by 2030. The SDGs are an ambitious global agenda that includes no poverty, zero hunger, good health, quality education, the well-being of the masses, gender equality, affordable and clean energy, clean drinking water and sanitation, decent work and economic growth, industry, innovation and infrastructure, reduced inequality, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, climate change action, life below water, life on land, peace, justice, and strong institutions as well as a partnership for the goals.

The world leaders approved an ambitious agenda and vowed to implement it in the entire universe including on the surface, subsurface, and in the sea. While they ignored the fact, that the whole world is not as developed as Europe and North America whereas Asia, Africa, and countries in Latin America need decades to comprehend this manifesto if the powerful nations stopped interfering in their internal matters and the leaders in rest of the world pause their fight for power, which is less likely to happen. Like other nations, Pakistan has constituted an SDGs Secretariat to coordinate the work of all departments, yet no positive effect of this endeavor had been witnessed by the nation.

In fact, politicians around the globe are well versed with techniques to attract the masses through unreal slogans and idealistic doctrines, hence world leaders have approved a towery protocol of global SDGs, which is impossible to chase in the coming several decades.