Where we work: Pakistan
Introduction
With a low starting point and slow progress during the 1990s, Pakistan faces many challenges to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). One of the major direct challenges to poverty reduction lies in the fundamental social and economic structure of Pakistan. Public policy interventions are necessary to translate growth into pro-poor sustainable development outcomes if the gains are to be distributed more evenly.
Nevertheless, Pakistan has made steady progress towards many MDG targets since 2000. However, significant resources and effort are needed to accelerate the implementation and delivery of development programmes on the ground.
The UN Millennium Campaign, in partnership with a range of non-state actors including the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP), has worked to increase public awareness of the MDGs. The campaign and policy advocacy work strives to strengthen people’s influence on elected officials and political leaders to enhance political will to accelerate MDG progress. In Pakistan, the national campaign called Bas Bohot Ho Chuka or “Enough is Enough” was initiated by a network of civil society and grassroots organizations.
The key policy objectives for the UN Millennium Campaign in Pakistan are outlined as follows:
• Sustain economic growth and translate it into effective poverty reduction and pro-poor sustainable development through public policy interventions;
• Increase budget allocation and mobilise resources for the key social sectors, including health, education and water and sanitation;
• Strengthen governance and accountability in order to enhance policy implementation at the national and sub-national levels;
• Advocate for a more decentralised and coordinated system between national and local governments, which aim to improve monitoring mechanisms to strengthen MDG-related activities and projects;
• Enhance targeted intervention programmes for the poor and vulnerable as well as mainstream gender sensitivity into policies and programmes to bridge the existing gap in fulfilling the MDGs; and
• Promote democratic space for NGOs and civil society actors to work with governments to promote development including local monitoring of MDG-related issues and participatory governance
Latest News
SUTA 2009
An estimated 718,840 citizens came out in support of the campaign and demanded that their leaders end poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Over 200 events were organized in Pakistan during Stand Up Take Action 2009.
