However, as another report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) points out, despite multiple failures, many of them grave, there have been successes. The number of children out of school has reportedly halved, as has extreme poverty although both these assertions have been challenged. Some development experts point out that the previous government never published an official figure for the number living in absolute poverty, and ask how it is possible to halve a figure you never had in the first place.
The UNDP has reiterated its intention to continue supporting Pakistan in achieving the MDGs even though there is only a faint chance of it doing so. This is the right decision, because not to support in the achievement could see a rolling back of the forward movement, a regression and a loss of momentum. The current government appears committed to the MDGs in some ways but not others — education yes, gender equality no — and it needs to, in these early days of its writ, look forward, beyond 2015 and the end of the MDGs programme, and discover how those goals may become institutionalised targets for the next 15 or 20 years. All is not lost, just delayed.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 3rd, 2013.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ