Translating aspiration into reality
Goal 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions
• Goal 16 focuses on promoting peaceful and inclusive societies
• It calls for ending religious, ethnic, gender and class discrimination
• Pakistan faces formidable difficulties realising the targets set for SDG 16
The realisation that the exclusion of improved governance from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) agenda for 2015 was a major cause of the failure of many countries (including Pakistan) to achieve the targets has led to the inclusion of this objective in the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Now, SDG 16 has all signatories to the new development goals to “promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.” The unexceptionable rationale for this goal, according to the World Bank Group (World Development Indicators 2016), is: “Peaceful nations governed with fairness and transparency, provide the optimal platforms for implementing development strategies and programmes. However, many states are in fragile situations, with citizens and their daily lives compromised by fear, conflict, unjust laws, and opaque governance. The success of the SDGs in such areas depends on achieving livable and calm communities supported by reliable and accountable institutions.”
Mr Jinnah had declared one of the government’s foremost duties as maintaining law and order so that the life, property and religious beliefs of all were fully protected.
Under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, SDG 16 has 12 targets that include reduction in violence and related death rates; an end to abuse, trafficking, exploitation, violence and torture of children; rule of law and equal access to justice; substantial reduction in corruption and bribery; effective, accountable and transparent institutions; responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making; provision of legal identity for all, including birth registration; public access to information and protection of fundamental freedoms; and strengthening of institutions to prevent violence and combat terrorism and crime. Pakistan’s policy-makers are not familiar with such rhetoric. They should recall the charter of responsible governance outlined by the Quaid-i-Azam on August 11, 1947. Mr Jinnah had declared the government’s foremost duties as maintaining law and order so that the life, property and religious beliefs of all were fully protected; to stop bribery and corruption with an iron hand; to have zero tolerance for nepotism and jobbery; to treat religion as citizens’ private affair and guarantee all citizens, regardless of their belief or creed, equal membership of the new nation.
Since May 2014, when the National Economic Council adopted the Pakistan Vision 2025, the official discourse has revolved around seven pillars and 25 goals that include: development of human and social capital; sustained inclusive growth; and energy, water and food security. The gains have been precisely spelt out — from reducing poverty by 50pc by 2025, to winning 25 medals in the Asian Games. However, familiarity with the rhetoric of development and proficiency in fixing eye-catching targets do not necessarily imply possession of the capacity to translate wishes into reality. That said, as things stand, Pakistan faces formidable difficulties in realising the targets set for SDG 16.