The new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) constitute a shared global framework of development priorities to 2030 and aim to bring an end to extreme poverty, promote prosperity and well-being for all, protect the environment, address climate change, and encourage good governance and peace. They apply to all countries, including Pakistan.
Young people have a critical stake in ensuring the SDGs are achieved and a vital role to play in contributing towards their achievement. Gifted with imagination, energy, and cheerfulness, they have the potential to be the key drivers of sustainable development at the local, national and global level. Therefore, as the future inheritors of this planet, young people must spearhead the sustainable development movement and build a new system of governance founded on knowledge sharing, cooperate and prioritizing issues such as extreme poverty, our anthropogenic impact on Earth, increasing inequality, and a growing complexity of governance.
The NGO World organized a daylong session on “Youth 4 SDGs” at Islamabad office. 25 university students were participated and had orientation, discussion, group work and action planning on SGDs. Mr. Sajjad Nayyer conducted the session.
The session objectives were to:
• Evaluate Pakistan’s performance towards the achievement of the SDGs.
• Build a common understanding of the SDGs.
• Showcase examples of successful campaigns, research, and projects that have led to the advancement of the SDGs.
• Explore the actions young people should take to put the SDGs into practice.
• Facilitate cross-sectoral collaboration between youth and student groups to advance the SDGs.
• Raise awareness of the SDGs among young people in Australia.
Participants assigned to work in groups to explore the actions young people should take to put the SDGs into practice. The groups discussed barriers to youth implementation of the SDGs, mapped what youth are already doing that is relevant to the SDGs, discussed actions that young people can take and identified opportunities for collaboration and partnerships among the organizations.
All participants were given the assignment to make the plan of action for implementation of SDGs at their universities, towns, and institutes. They will be given full support by TNW to disseminate information regarding SDGs.
