Our Work on the Sustainable Development Goals in Pakistan

How the UN is supporting The Sustainable Development Goals in Pakistan

The UN in Pakistan has been supporting Pakistan in various aspects of its endeavor to realize the SDGs. Policy and technical supports feature prominently in UN’s contribution to the achievement of SDGs in Pakistan. In 2018, the Government of Pakistan and the UN in Pakistan signed the UN Sustainable Development Framework (UNSDF), also known as the Pakistan One United Nations Programme III (OP III) 2018-2022. This Framework is a medium-term strategic planning document with planned results focusing on ten key outcomes, which are identified through extensive consultation with multiple stakeholders and in alignment with Pakistan’s development priorities. Under the guidance of the OP III 2018-2022, UN agencies in Pakistan have been working in close cooperation with the government in various thematic areas, thus contributing to the outputs specified in the document and eventually the pursuit of SDGs in Pakistan.

The Sustainable Development Goals in Pakistan

Pakistan affirmed its commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by adopting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as its own national development agenda through a unanimous National Assembly Resolution in 2016. Since then, the country has made considerable progress by mainstreaming these goals in national policies and strategies and developing an institutional framework for SDGs implementation in Pakistan. SDG support units have been established at federal and provincial levels with the planning institutions (Ministry of Planning Development and Special Initiatives and Provincial Planning and Development Departments) to guide SDGs implementation and monitoring it progress. In 2018, the Government designed and approved a National SDGs Framework that envisages a national vision to prioritize and localize SDGs. Localized provincial SDG Frameworks are being formulated. The focus of the government is on mainstreaming SDGs in planning processes, ensuring strong monitoring and reporting on SDGs, ensuring public financial allocations are aligned to SDGs and alternate financing modalities are being explored, and to benefit from use of technology to accelerate progress towards SDGs.