ISLAMABAD, April 13: The Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), a local think-tank, on Thursday briefed mediapersons on its completed and ongoing projects and called for more interaction among media, private and public sectors for effective policy making.

Speaking on the occasion, SDPI Executive Director Dr Sabba Gul Khattak said over the years the institute had been able to keep its independent status intact.

“Though at times it is difficult to carry on against various odds; however, owing to the determined efforts the institute is moving on and has been able to create its own identity,” she said.

Referring to a couple of government-funded think-tanks in the country, she said the SDPI had never asked nor accepted financial assistance from the government, and therefore, it always gave its impartial viewpoint on certain issues.

In response to a question, she said due to restricted funding at times it had not been able to pursue certain issues so effectively. Otherwise, within the institute’s limited resources it always made its point, she added.

“We always go for issue-based policy-making and will carry on with the research and advocacy,” she said, adding the media could play an important role in creating awareness of developmental issues of the country.

When asked about the level of understanding between the SDPI and the government, she said friction and understanding went side by side. “At times, the government accepts our proposals readily and there are incidents when they do not agree what we argue,” she said.

“The SDPI takes every issue very seriously and always comes up with evidence based policy recommendations, and shares with concerned stakeholders,” Ms Khattak said.

In response to another question, a research scholar of the SDPI underlined that it was not an implementing agency and in the end it depended on the government how it took policy recommendations on a certain issue.

About the World Trade Organisation, another research fellow of the institute said since it was a complicated issue the institute was providing lots of input to the government.

“About the social sector, women and gender issues, the institute is working on issues like women and education, changing labour markets, labour policies and women workers, livelihoods and displacement, women, violence and state.”

The SDPI’s programme on health is multi-dimensional in nature focusing not only on empirical and theoretical research but also providing policy advice to the government on issues of concern and capacity building of key personnel in areas of health economics, health policy, health services reforms and economic evaluation of healthcare programmes.