News Desk
ISLAMABAD: The United Nations General Assembly UNGA unanimously approved a resolution on increasing the role of parliaments in expediting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The implementation of the resolution was earlier proposed by Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, amid the 75th UNGA session held in 2020.
The resolution emphasized the significant role of parliaments in recommitting to unity, solidarity, and multilateral collaboration to support an inclusive, resilient and long-lasting recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and hasten action for sustainable development across the board.
UNGA seeks appraisal of Sustainable Development Goals
The United Nations General Assembly UNGA calls on states to back and engage parliaments in SDG follow-up and appraisal processes, particularly in preparing voluntary national reviews and supporting them in securing and consolidating national ownership and accountability.
The main focus is to ensure gender equality, which must be a key element of efforts to expedite growth toward achieving Sustainable Development Goals by encouraging the equal and meaningful contribution of women in legislative bodies and parliamentary procedures.
The crucial role and contribution of youth in the successful application of the 2030 SDGs Agenda, and the need for certifying the full, equal and meaningful contribution of youth in parliamentary processes is recognized.
The document was co-authored by 80 countries from all continents of the world, including all states of Central Asia, Austria, Algeria, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Belgium, Germany, Egypt, and Spain It also included Indonesia, Italy, Qatar, China, Colombia, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Norway, along with Pakistan, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Finland, France, Sweden, Japan, etc.
Other UN structures, international bodies welcome resolution
The resolution was sincerely welcomed by UN structures and other international bodies. It is highlighted that the resolution will become an exclusive guide for parliamentarians, activating their efforts in the accelerated implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Inter-Parliamentary Union considers this document a significant move in preparing for the SDG Summit, which is scheduled to be held in September next year as part of the High-Level General Debate of the 78th UNGA session.
