Razzaq Sheikh:
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Parliamentarians, economists, and civil society representatives of Balochistan have emphasized the need to link the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)’s Five goals to the formulation of the provincial budget based on gender equality. Gender Responsive Budget and equal distribution of resources will help achieve sustainable development goals effectively.
They expressed these views during a consultative session held on the progress of the Gender Responsive Budget (GRB) and Compliance with the Convention on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Five under the auspices of Asghar Khan Foundation and Shirkat Gah.
Acting Deputy Speaker Balochistan Assembly Sardar Babar Musa Khel, Provincial Minister for Sports and Culture Abdul Khaliq Hazara, Parliamentary Secretary Law and Parliamentary Affairs and Chairperson Women Parliamentary CAUCUS Dr. Rubaba Khan Buledi, Parliamentary Secretary Minority Affairs George Khalil, Shahina Kakar, Chairman of the Standing Committee for Local Government Qadir Nail, MPA Nasrullah Zere, Bano Khalil, Fauzia Shaheen, Chairperson Commission on Status of Women, Economist Qaiser Bengali, , Executive Director of Umar Asghar Khan Foundation, Rashida Dohad and Executive Director of Shirkat Gah Fareeda Shahid addressed the session.
Farida Shaheed, Executive Director of Shirkat Gah, shed light on the progress in Pakistan related to the goals of CEDAW and SGD-5 and presented suggestions for their implementation.
Whereas, the Executive Director of Omar Asghar Khan Foundation Rashida Dohad, , presented an analytical report on the budget of Balochistan for the fiscal year 2022-2023 and presented practical suggestions to align the budget allocated to various sectors with gender equality, which the participants agreed with.
She said that the gap in the public welfare projects in the provincial budget of Balochistan will be gradually eliminated by reducing the gap on the basis of gender.
She noted that the Umar Asghar Khan Foundation has presented the best analysis of Balochistan’s budget.
“If implemented, by linking the resources available in the provincial budget to the SDGs, not only gender-based discrimination can be eliminated, but it can also pave wary for sustainable development goals,” she stressed.
The other speakers including parliamentarians and members of civil society said that the problems faced by the people can be eliminated by ensuring the provision of resources at the grassroots level through the Provincial Finance Commission.
Addressing the closing ceremony, Parliamentary Secretary for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Rubaba Khan Buledi said that the infrastructure of the forensic lab in Balochistan has almost been completed, the legislation is also in progress and we are trying to bring it to completion as soon as possible.
She recalled that a better implementation plan will be made to maintain gender equality in the projects proposed by the Department of Science and Information Technology.
