1st anniversary of Parliamentary SDGs Secretariat observed

ISLAMABAD: Friday marked the first anniversary of the Parliamentary Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Secretariat, established in the National Assembly of Pakistan.

This gained Pakistan global notoriety for being the only country to establish this one of a kind secretariat.

The Members of the National Assembly have expressed their appreciation to Sardar Ayaz Sadiq for making Pakistan a leader in the global community through this unique initiative, said a press release issued here.

The Secretariat enables the members to have access to Human Development Index (HDI) data, conduct evidence-based legislation and helps provide effective oversight in the Parliament.

During its first year, the Secretariat organised the first conference on transition from MDGs to SDGs, national conference on malnutrition and overseen issues of malnutrition, HIV/AIDS, routine immunisation, water access and sanitation, quality education, urban planning and gender-related challenges through multiple Parliamentary interventions.

The Secretariat has assisted the members of the SDGs Task force in identifying legislative gaps and bridging them through amendments and new legislation.

The Secretariat is chaired by Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Marriyum Aurangzeb, and comprises of almost 120 Parliamentarians across all provinces (including FATA, GB & AJK) and all political parties.

The Secretariat continues to evolve as a centre of excellence for credible, authentic, and comparable data, pivotal in tracking, overseeing and driving the pragmatic social development agenda to improve the quality of life for our societies most vulnerable and impoverished.