Latest news with #MillenniumDevelopmentGoals
Jordan News
6 days ago
- Politics
- Jordan News
UN80: Our Achievements Should Give Us Hope for a Better Future - Jordan News
Eighty years ago this month, the Charter of the United Nations was signed in San Francisco, turning the page on decades of war and offering hope for a better future. For 80 years the United Nations has stood as the highest expression of our hopes for international cooperation, and as the fullest embodiment of our aspiration to end the 'scourge of war.' Even in a world steeped in cynicism, this is a milestone worth acknowledging. اضافة اعلان The United Nations remains the only organisation of its kind, and the only one to have endured for so long. That longevity is remarkable when we consider the context of its founding: assembled from the rubble of not one, but two global cataclysms. Its predecessor, the League of Nations, had collapsed in disgrace. No organisation is flawless. But to paraphrase the second Secretary-General, Dag Hammarskjöld: the United Nations was created not to take humanity to heaven but to save us from hell. In that mission, it has not failed. We continue to witness heart-wrenching scenes of war—in Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine and elsewhere. The recent escalation between Iran and Israel is a stark reminder of the fragility of peace particularly in the tension-prone Middle East region. Yet amid the violence, we have managed to avert a third global war. In a nuclear age, that is an achievement we can never take for granted. It is one we must preserve with the full force of our efforts. Over the past eight decades, much of human development also bears the direct imprint of the United Nations. Consider the success of the Millennium Development Goals, adopted in 2000 by 189 Member States and more than 20 international organisations, which gave the world a shared roadmap for action. By 2015, compared to 1990, extreme poverty was more than halved. Child mortality had fallen by nearly 50 percent. And millions of children — especially girls who had long been denied the right — had entered school for the first time. Now, as we strive to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, we must build on that legacy of progress. We must continue efforts to eradicate poverty and hunger, achieve universal health coverage and produce and consume sustainably. There is another story of progress, often overlooked: the dismantling of empire. Eighty years ago, colonialism cast its shadow over much of the world. Today, more than 80 former colonies across Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific have gained independence and joined the United Nations. That transition, supported and legitimised by this Organisation, reshaped the global order. It was a triumph of self-determination, a profound affirmation of the Charter's most fundamental principle: the sovereign equality of all States. Evolving for the future The world has changed dramatically since 1945. Today, the Organisation faces a deepening liquidity crisis. Despite the promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, progress has been uneven. Gender equality continues to elude us. Our pledge to limit global temperature rise and protect our planet is slipping beyond reach. These setbacks do not warrant diminished ambition but greater resolve. The United Nations has always shown its worth in times of crisis. Its founders had witnessed humanity at its most destructive and responded not with despair, but with boldness. We must draw on these achievements. The spirit of San Francisco was not utopian. It was grounded in a sober understanding of what was at stake. It held that, even amid deep division, nations could still choose cooperation over conflict and action over apathy. We saw that spirit last September, when world leaders gathered in New York for the Summit of the Future. After difficult negotiations, they adopted the Pact for the Future and its annexes—the Declaration on Future Generations and the Global Digital Compact—by consensus. In doing so, they pledged to renew multilateralism for a world more complex, connected, and fragile than the one imagined in 1945. That spirit endures today. It lives in the resolve of 193 Member States, in the integrity of international civil servants, and in the quiet determination of those who believe firmly in the promise of the Charter. It is carried forward by the Secretary-General's UN80 initiative, which calls on us to deliver better for humanity; and to look to the future with adaptability and hope. As we mark this anniversary, we must rekindle the call for unity and solidarity that rang out from San Francisco 80 years ago. We built a world order once, in the ruins of war. We did so with vision and urgency. Now, again, we find ourselves at a moment of consequence. The risks are high. So too is our capacity to act.
The Star
02-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
Vietnam drafts first population law to tackle demographic challenges
HANOI: For more than six decades, population work in Vietnam has been recognised as a top strategic priority, closely tied to the nation's sustainable development. Now, as Vietnam grapples with profound demographic shifts, the country is preparing to take a major legislative leap with the formulation of its first-ever Population Law. This proposed legislation, currently in draft form, represents a critical transition. No longer solely focused on family planning, the country is shifting towards a vision of population and development, a policy evolution designed to seize demographic advantages and proactively address looming challenges. Over recent years, Vietnam has made considerable progress in the field of its citizens. These achievements have helped boost per capita income, fuel economic growth, advance gender equality, protect the environment and improve social welfare. The country successfully met the Millennium Development Goals by 2015 and is now steadily progressing towards the United Nations' 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. These gains have laid the groundwork for Vietnam's pivot from a narrow focus on family planning, to a holistic approach to population and development. With a population of over 100 million people, Vietnam has been in a period of golden population structure since 2007. This is characterised by a large proportion of people of working age, a demographic window of opportunity for socio-economic development. However, experts warn that this window will not remain open indefinitely. Without the right policies in place, this demographic dividend could quickly turn into a liability as the population ages and the labour force shrinks. While Vietnam has maintained a replacement fertility rate around 2.1 children per woman since 2006, recent data suggests this rate is now on the decline. By 2024, the national average had dropped to 1.91, the lowest in the country's recorded history. This trend is particularly pronounced in major economic regions like the south-east and the Mekong Delta, where fertility rates have plummeted to between 1.48 and 1.62 children per woman. Conversely, more disadvantaged regions, such as the northern midlands and mountainous areas, continue to experience above-replacement fertility rates, reaching 2.34. This severe regional imbalance in fertility and population structure is a growing concern. It threatens to worsen inequalities, strain public services and hinder national cohesion and sustainable development. Experts warn that if current trends persist, Vietnam could exit its golden population period as early as 2039. This would trigger a chain of consequences, including labour shortages, increased social welfare burdens, imbalances in the insurance system and under-use of the existing social infrastructure. Deputy Director General of the General Office for Population and Family Planning, Dr Pham Vu Hoang, said that Vietnam's population policy now faces a host of challenges, including falling fertility rates, regional disparities, persistent gender imbalance at birth, rapid ageing, slow improvement in population quality and ineffective migration management. In response, the Ministry of Health is leading efforts to draft the country's first Population Law, a strategic and legislative upgrade from the 2003 Population Ordinance, which remains the existing legal framework. This move enhances the legal status of population policy and reflects its vital role in national development strategy. Deputy Minister of Health, Associate Professor Dr Nguyen Thi Lien Huong, emphasised the pressing need for this legislative step, noting that the new law is intended to give legal form to the Party's strategic directions on population. It will also lay the groundwork for addressing population ageing while making the most of Vietnam's golden population structure. She said the goal is to ensure that, by 2045, Vietnam becomes a country with high-quality human resources, a strong labour force, and is a high-income economy, thereby raising the nation's profile on the global stage. The draft Population Law is built around three key pillars aimed at addressing Vietnam's evolving demographic landscape. First, it seeks to maintain replacement-level fertility across the country through tailored strategies that reflect the unique characteristics of each region and population group. This approach is designed to prevent demographic imbalances and lessen the impact of population ageing, helping to secure a sustainable workforce in the years ahead. Second, the draft prioritises improving population quality from birth. Proposed measures include universal access to pre-marital counselling, broader prenatal and newborn screening, and stronger efforts to prevent genetic disorders and birth defects. It also calls for better nutrition, mental health support and early childhood development to ensure a healthier, more resilient population from the outset. Third, the law outlines policies to help the country adapt to a rapidly ageing population. These include safeguarding social security and healthcare access for older citizens. One notable proposal is to provide health insurance to elderly people who are currently uninsured, a proactive measure aimed at reducing the future burden on the healthcare and social insurance systems. A landmark shift in the draft law is its departure from the traditional mindset of controlling population growth. Instead, it embraces a vision of population as a development driver. Rather than strictly limiting the number of children per family, the law seeks to promote reasonable fertility based on individual choice and socio-economic conditions. For the first time, couples would be legally empowered to decide freely on the number and timing of their children, a dramatic departure from past rigid controls. This reflects a respect for personal autonomy and acknowledges the diverse aspirations of modern Vietnamese families. Supporting this shift is a recent policy change by the Party's Central Inspection Commission. From March 20 this year, Party members who have a third child will no longer face disciplinary action, a move hailed by Professor Nguyen Dình Cu, former Director of the Institute for Population and Social Affairs, as both timely and necessary. He noted that in light of declining fertility rates, particularly in urban areas, the change would help slow the downward trend and create a foundation for future regulatory reforms. To address low fertility in key areas such as industrial zones and large cities, the draft law introduces a notable incentive that gives women with two children priority access to social housing. This policy is designed to both encourage childbearing and support young families in balancing work and parenting responsibilities. In a further show of support for the elderly, the draft proposes state-purchased health insurance for those without coverage, ensuring equitable access to healthcare and improved quality of life in old age. The law also introduces stronger administrative penalties for violations in the population sector, reinforcing legal compliance and public awareness. Vietnam stands at a critical demographic turning point. For the first time, population dynamics are shaping nearly every aspect of national life, from economic growth and healthcare to education, security and political stability. As the country faces major shifts such as ageing, falling fertility, gender imbalances and changing migration patterns, the need for a modern, flexible legal framework has become urgent. A recent Ministry of Justice review affirms that the draft Population Law introduces breakthrough measures absent from current legislation, directly targeting the country's most pressing demographic challenges. Population is no longer just a figure — it is a strategic asset central to Vietnam's global competitiveness. This law is not merely a policy tool, but a roadmap for unlocking the nation's demographic potential and building a high-income, digitally-driven economy by 2045. - VNS via Vietnam News/ANN
The Star
01-06-2025
- Health
- The Star
Brunei's Ministry of Health commits to stronger primary healthcare as decentralisation marks 25 years
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Minister of Health Datuk Seri Setia Dr Mohd Isham Jaafar, in a message underscored the Ministry of Health's (MoH) commitment to further strengthen primary healthcare as the foundation for an inclusive, sustainable and resilient health system. The minister said, 'Today marks the 25th anniversary of the implementation of the basic health services decentralisation policy in Brunei Darussalam, which is a turning point in the history of the progress and development of the public service, especially for the MoH and has driven major changes in the health system in the country.' He said, 'Alhamdulillah, with the wise and transparent leadership of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, the initiative was consented to in 2000 with the objective of bringing health services closer to the citizens and residents of this country, making them accessible, affordable and of quality, regardless of location or individual background.' Primary healthcare services, he mentioned, 'are the first contact between the health service and the community. Therefore, this service has the capacity to use a holistic approach through multidisciplinary expertise, especially in the management and control of chronic diseases, while further strengthening the prevention aspect by promoting healthy lifestyles and early disease screening'. The development of infrastructure based on the one stop centre concept, which is also in line with the Millennium Development Goals and now the Sustainable Development Goals, he said, 'has made it easier for citizens and residents to receive comprehensive primary health services and has thus raised the level of achievement of Brunei Darussalam among the World Health Organization countries with a high universal health coverage Index'. In line with Brunei Vision 2035, he pointed out, 'Primary healthcare will continue to be a key pillar in the healthcare system in Brunei Darussalam, which has been proven to be more cost-effective, efficient, and safe towards producing a healthier community and generation with a high quality of life.' Throughout the 25 years of this policy's implementation, various significant achievements have been made, such as expanded access with the establishment of health centres and clinics in strategic and planned locations, in line with the increasing number and health needs of citizens and residents since decentralisation was implemented. The provision of infrastructure and facilities for primary health services under the National Development Plan, he explained, 'is growing and designed in accordance with the development of medical technology and professional skills in providing more sophisticated and effective services'. He also shared, 'As we look back on this 25-year journey, we also do not forget the role and contribution of all parties involved since the beginning, including the persistence and perseverance of policymakers and planners who founded the changes in the health system, the commitment and sacrifice of health professionals and workers supporting the implementation of the decentralisation policy, and also other stakeholders consisting of government agencies and the community, especially grassroots leaders and the community itself, who also contributed to the successful implementation of the decentralisation of basic health services in this country.' The minister continued, 'We move forward with full commitment to the principle of 'Health for All', for the well-being of the citizens and future generations. This is the time for the MoH to renew its commitment to providing a stronger, more accessible, equitable and people-centred health system which can be accomplished with effective and sustainable innovations such as the use of digital technology in the provision of primary healthcare services and empowering the community to be more knowledgeable and involved in healthcare.' - Borneo Bulletin/ANN
Scoop
15-05-2025
- Health
- Scoop
A For Accountability And Audit For TB Deaths Is Missing In #EndTB Response
May 15, 2025 When TB is preventable and curable then why over 1.1 million people died of it worldwide in 2023 (as per the latest WHO Global TB Report 2024)? Even one TB death is a death too many. Most of these deaths took place in low- and middle-income countries. Unless we find what went wrong and what could have done better, how would we ever improve TB programmes in order to avert these untimely deaths? A young woman of 19 years old died of TB in Delhi (India). When experts looked at the case, it became evident that it was a failure of the system. This girl was a poor migrant worker. Her father had died of TB. Her sister too had TB. They were seeking healthcare from the private sector and they fell through the cracks. 'Probably, they could not continue the treatment regularly … nobody was tracking them… or following up on them ... and by the time she was admitted in LRS Institute (now known as National Institute of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases or NITRD), she had a very extensive bilateral disease and she ended up dying,' said Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Principal Advisor of National TB Elimination Programme, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. Dr Soumya earlier served as Chief Scientist of World Health Organization (WHO) and Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). 'At NITRD they had put her on the ventilator, they did everything possible but could not save her,' said Dr Swaminathan. She was speaking at a special WHO session at World Health Summit regional meeting. A 19-years old girl died in India's national capital Delhi, which has state-of-the-art TB and healthcare infrastructure in public sector too. She died of drug-sensitive TB (which means her TB bacteria was NOT resistant to any TB medicine). 'Such cases are occurring everyday but are we paying attention to that? Are we learning lessons? Are we trying to improve the system?' asks Dr Swaminathan. Despite being curable, TB is the deadliest infectious disease globally TB is the deadliest infectious disease worldwide. It killed more people even during the COVID-19 pandemic in many high-burden TB settings. It mostly impacts the poorest of the poor and the most vulnerable. So, given the inequities and injustices that ail us globally, it becomes less visible to those who are among the privileged few. India is home to the largest number of people with TB globally (2.8 million). WHO Global TB Report 2024 states that 323,200 TB deaths took place in India in 2023, which amounts to almost 900 TB deaths everyday. A for Accountability and A for Audit of every TB death is a must When governments united worldwide to reduce maternal mortality and adopted Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2000, they delivered on it and maternal deaths declined significantly by 2015. 'Reducing maternal mortality had been among the important MDG goals. Governments and communities could deliver on it significantly through certain key interventions- like institutional deliveries and better antenatal and postnatal care, among others. To address the primary causes of maternal mortality, collectors of each district undertook a maternal death audits every month. For every maternal death which occurred, everybody had to sit together and understand and explain why that death was not preventable. Why cannot we have a similar approach to audit TB deaths?' asks Dr Soumya Swaminathan. 'I would suggest that a community medicine department or a public health department of a local medical college in that state be assigned this role to do TB audits. It should not be the TB programme itself doing TB death audit, but it should be presented with the analysis and reasons for TB deaths by those who are doing it,' said Dr Swaminathan. Many countries have made significant progress in reducing TB deaths. But still case fatality rate (number of people who die among those who are diagnosed) is high – it hovers around 10%. For example, in India out of 2.55 million cases that were notified to the TB programme, TB deaths were 323,200 (13%) in 2023. TB death rates are higher for drug-resistant forms of TB. 'China has a TB death rate of 3 per 100,000 population. India has a TB death rate of 22 per 100,000 population,' points out Dr Swaminathan, calling for stronger action to save lives. 'This high mortality for a disease that is treatable is of concern. TB mostly affects people who are in the 25-55 age group, which is an important economically productive one. If we calculate the economic loss to the country because of TB deaths- with people in economically productive age group falling ill and some even dying of TB- then it could be a huge economic burden as well. If we add secondary costs, then it would be way more,' said Dr Swaminathan. 'But more important than economic loss are those individuals who die of a preventable and treatable illness. We must do our best to understand the data and do proper analysis of TB deaths.' Dr Swaminathan shared an example from Tamil Nadu, a southern Indian state where the state government has partnered with National Institute of Epidemiology (an institute of Indian Council of Medical Research) to audit TB deaths and help improve clinical management of TB patients to avert such deaths in future. Dr Swaminathan reflected that people need to get the right care at the right time. They may have TB disease but they also have other conditions, such as severe malnourishment, high blood pressure, diabetes, other co-morbidities, or they come from such a poor background that they cannot access the care they need. TB-related stigma lurks even today which further jeopardises equitable access to care and services. Alcoholism is another major risk factor for TB, she said. 'I have been to hospital wards and seen how people become sick or non-adherent to therapy due to alcoholism.' If we can identify early on, other co-morbidities or conditions a person with TB has then we can perhaps try to tailor our care and services to help and support them finish their TB treatment. She rued that 'Very often hospitals refuse admission for TB patients for one reason or the other.' Hospitals must not refuse admission to needy TB patients. She advises that TB related hospital admission and care should be covered with Indian government health insurance scheme so that hospitals get compensated for admitting and caring for a severely ill person. Once a person is admitted in the hospital then the medical management can try to address specific needs, such as nutritional support, insulin for those with diabetes, help quitting alcoholism, among others. In tribal areas of India, TB patients are more likely to have severe malnutrition and severe anaemia. 'I have looked at death reports from the tribal districts of female patients of 21- 23 years of age have died of drug-sensitive TB with no underlying co-morbidities.' A sincere TB death audit can help us avert such tragedies in future. Dr Swaminathan hopes that in the next National Strategic Plan to end TB of government of India, we would find these gaps that put people at risk of TB death and address them effectively. We also need to have a similar approach in other southeast Asian countries as well, she said. 'Reducing TB mortality significantly can be achieved.' Learnings must come from people on the ground "Learnings must come from people on the ground, such as, district TB officers, treatment supervisors, laboratory supervisors, TB health visitors, ASHAs (India's voluntary female health workers formally called Accredited Social Health Activists), and of course the patients themselves - as they are the ones who can actually tell you what works well and what does not. We have to make it a point to have a forum where their voices are heard so that we can improve the way in which the programme is designed," suggests Dr Swaminathan. In India, Humana People to People India developed a model to care for those among the urban poor in 4 major cities of India. Humana's trained and supported team of frontline healthcare workers reached out regularly to homeless and migrant people in Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and peri-urban Mumbai, screened people for TB, supported those with TB symptoms to get an X-Ray and TB test done and seek treatment from the nearest government-run TB centre. Humana's team followed up with each patient every day, and addressed their needs and problems which they encountered during the therapy. For example, encouraging them to stay away from alcohol, providing them nutritional and counselling support, helping those who were too weak to 'even lift a glass or walk' to reach healthcare centres, coordinate with TB healthcare workers regarding treatment followup and help them get cured. Humana's model encourages people who were at heightened TB risk to take charge of their own lives, and seek healthcare and social support services (such as, nutritional or monetary support provided by the government of India or shelters for homeless). Supporting those who are at highest TB risk- especially those who live in most marginalised and vulnerable situations- so that they can get diagnosed early, seek effective treatment, and access support - so that they can finish their TB therapy, is vital if we are to end TB. Models like those developed by Humana People to People India (and proven to work) must be implemented in all high TB burden settings. Despite progress, a lot more needs to be done with urgency Dr Vineet Bhatia, World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Advisor for TB for South-East Asian region, emphasises that access to TB services is critical towards achieving universal health coverage. "Social protection measures such as cash transfers and nutritional support are essential for mitigating the social and economic impacts of TB. TB should be prioritised in national budgets, including through innovative financing mechanisms, such as social impact bonds and public private partnerships." Dr Bhatia stresses upon the importance of meaningful community engagement and empowerment which should guide the designing, implementation and monitoring of TB programmes. Dr Bhatia enumerated several examples where countries in South-East Asian region have demonstrated leadership and political will to end TB. Bangladesh hosted WHO's 1st Global Forum on Advancing Multisectoral and Multistakeholder Engagement and Accountability to End TB in June 2024, India has made a foundational shift based on science and evidence to find all TB by screening everyone among high risk people and offering upfront molecular test diagnosis and linkage to care, as part of its 100 Days campaign and extending it to all districts nationwide. Indonesia's Presidential Decree on TB aims to implement a comprehensive strategy towards ending TB. Maldives has rolled out TB-free initiative. Myanmar was the only high TB burden country in South-East Asian region to achieve 2020 milestones for TB incidence decline. Nepal's TB free initiative at Palika-level aims at actively engaging subnational level systems in TB programmes. Thailand has made significant efforts to improve coverage for TB services under its commitment to achieve universal health coverage. Timor-Leste initiated a Partners' Pledge to end TB led by the Prime Minister of Timor-Leste for a multi-sectoral approach. South-East Asia region of the WHO is home to around 5 million people with TB (45% of all people with TB worldwide). The region also accounted 600,000 TB deaths - more than half of all TB deaths globally in 2023. "While a lot is being done a lot more needs to be done and with urgency" rightly said Dr Bhatia. "It is time to transform all our commitments and political declarations into actions. We need to accelerate efforts to achieve the global TB goals." Shobha Shukla – CNS (Citizen News Service) (Shobha Shukla is the award-winning founding Managing Editor and Executive Director of CNS (Citizen News Service) and is a feminist, health and development justice advocate. She is a former senior Physics faculty of prestigious Loreto Convent College and current Coordinator of Asia Pacific Regional Media Alliance for Health and Development (APCAT Media) and Chairperson of Global AMR Media Alliance (GAMA received AMR One Health Emerging Leaders and Outstanding Talents Award 2024). She also coordinates SHE & Rights initiative (Sexual health with equity & rights). Follow her on Twitter @shobha1shukla or read her writings here
Gulf News
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Gulf News
Why Pakistan is falling behind on Sustainable Development Goals
Pakistan's track record on global development commitments is becoming a cautionary tale. With the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Index score falling to 57.02 in 2024 and Pakistan ranking 137 out of 166 countries, the message is clear: urgent course correction is imperative. With most countries in the region performing better, Pakistan has little time left till 2030 when there will be a final determination on how countries have fared in attainment of these goals. Adopted in 2015 by the UN member states, the SDG are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all by 2030. The 17 SDGs include: no poverty, zero hunger, good health, quality education, clean water and sanitation, decent work and economic growth, reduced inequality, climate action, peace, justice, strong institutions and more. After failing to fully meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the country's current trajectory on the SDGs also reveals an unsettling trend of stagnation. Out of 41 indicators adopted by the government to track MDG progress - Pakistan fully achieved only 3. As for the current trends Pakistan's progress towards SDG attainment looks unlikely to be fulfilled. From the earlier 124, Pakistan now (2024) ranks at 137 out of 166 countries in the SGD Index. Making modest progress in 5 goals Pakistan has regressed in 3 while stagnating in the rest. Growth trajectory derailed Pakistan's growth trajectory got derailed following ill-advised intervention in Afghanistan in 1979. A military regime seeking legitimacy obliged the big powers and compromised Pakistan's interests. Pakistan has, since then perpetually lived with fire next door. Much of the problems, which the country now grapples with originate from that time. In a country with so much promise, several interlinked factors are contributing to Pakistan's underwhelming performance on the SDGs. Electoral populism in Pakistan has led the country to the damaging trend of shortsighted policies aimed at immediate electoral gains over long-term human development. Successive governments have focused on headline-grabbing initiatives rather than investing in structural reforms that would yield sustainable benefits. This election-centric mindset has hindered continuity and depth in development programming. Pakistan's politics leads to political instability, which in turn discourages investment and erodes the institutional coherence necessary for effective implementation of development agendas. Frequent changes in government, lack of policy continuity, and power struggles have made long-term planning difficult. Overlap of policies Pakistan's SDG goals have not been effectively localised or integrated into national development strategies. Following the passage of 18th amendment to the constitution there is an overlap or contradiction between federal and provincial policies. Corruption, red tape, and bureaucratic inefficiency undermine public trust and hinder service delivery. Misallocation of resources and lack of accountability reduce the effectiveness of development spending. Pakistan's economic situation remains precarious. Inflation has remained high for more than three years, which has only recently been contained somewhat. Foreign exchange reserves remain low, and the tax base is narrow. Public sector spending on health, education, and social protection is far below regional averages. The government often relies on international aid and loans, which are not always channelled into development priorities. Another major barrier to meeting the SDG and other progress is the absence of timely and reliable data without which intelligent planning is not possible. Lives disrupted Frequent floods, inadequate water storage capacity, droughts, and extreme weather events have disrupted lives and livelihoods. Pakistan is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, yet it lags in adaptation and mitigation efforts. Another important reason for lack of progress is a growing disconnect between the ruling elite and the general population. The elite's lifestyles contrasts starkly with the daily hardships of ordinary citizens. This lack of empathy and accountability erodes trust in the system. The political leadership. busy in its survival fails to inspire or mobilise the public toward collective national goals, including the SDGs. Unlike the previous years Pakistan cannot afford to lag behind. With 64 percent of population below the age of 30 and rising at about 2 percent annually Pakistan needs to proactively take steps to provide jobs which cannot come without growth opportunities. To reverse the sluggish human development and growth trends Pakistan needs to strengthen its institutions, decentralise power and improve service delivery to its population. Pakistan needs to boost its spending on human resource development, which will spur attainment of SDG's. Investing in data infrastructure and capacity-building for evidence-based policymaking is critical. Without reliable data, planning and resource allocation will remain flawed. Pakistan must prioritise climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction. Green infrastructure, reforestation, and investment in clean energy can help mitigate climate risks and promote SDGs. The government should create enabling conditions to encourage the private sector, NGOs, and academia in localising and implementing he SDGs. These goals should transcend political divide. Pakistan stands at a crossroads. With bold reforms, political will, and citizen engagement, the country can still turn the SDG agenda into a reality. Otherwise, Pakistan risks being left further behind in a rapidly changing world. - Sajjad Ashraf served as an adjunct professor at the Lee Luan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore from 2009 to 2017. He was a member of Pakistan Foreign Service from 1973 to 2008 and served as an ambassador to several countries.
